Bill Annable, PEng, PGeo

Associate Professor
Location: DWE 1434
Phone: 519-888-4567 x42955

Biography

William (Bill) K. Annable is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He is affiliated with Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Association of Professional Geoscientist of Ontario, the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, and the International Association of Hydrogeologists.
He has been researching the hydraulic, sediment transport and morphological characteristics of rivers for over the past 18 years. In addition, he has been designing, monitoring and supervising the construction of natural channel restoration projects throughout North America - totalling over 2,500km of streams and rivers studied and over 180km of restored river channels.
Professor Annable’s recent research has focused on the sediment transport characteristics of urban river systems and how changes in hydrology affect habitat dynamics. He is specifically interested in river restoration, rehabilitation and aquatic habitat improvements. The study of basin scale isotope hydrology and sediment transport of non-point source contaminants, along with conducting numerical and field studies of groundwater surface water interaction and karst hydrology are other interests of his as well. Additionally, Professor Annable conducts field and numerical modelling studies on urban river mechanics, hydraulics and hydrology.
His current sources of research funding are from NSERC, CFI, EPA, Water Districts, Municipalities, and DFO.

Research Interests

  • River Hydraulics and Sediment Transport, River Restoration, Flood Management, Ecohydraulics, Karst Hydrology, Environmental monitoring

Scholarly Research

Collaborator with Environment Canada in the development of new techniques for water and sediment discharge and the integration of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional models. Collaborator with Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the advancement of river restoration and fish habitat improvement – with particular attention to urban areas. Also research related to groundwater / surface water interaction and the fate of non-point source pollution on spawning grounds. Collaborator with the American Society of Civil Engineers / Environmental & Water Resources Institute - Urban Resources Research Council, Urban Streams Committee – Developing standards for river restoration and engineering.

Industrial Research

1993 - present, River Mechanics Engineer, Water Regime Investigations & Simulations Ltd, Waterloo, ON Sept 1989 - Sept. 1992, Hydrogeologist, Cumming Cockburn, Ltd., Waterloo, ON April 1989 - Aug. 1989, Engineering Technician, MTE Engineering, Waterloo, ON April 1987 - Dec. 1988, Survey Party Chief, Black Shoemaker, Robinson & Donaldson Ltd., Guelph, ON April - August, 1985, Commercial Diver, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON

Education

  • 2010, Doctorate Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, United States
  • 2003, Doctorate Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada
  • 1995, Master's School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Canada
  • 1993, Master's Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada
  • 1990, Bachelor's Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Canada
  • 1987, Bachelor's Physics, University of Waterloo, Canada

Awards

  • 2004 Co-recipient, 2004 Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Environmental Achievement Award Winner - Red Hill Valley Project, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
  • 2005 Co-recipient, 2005 Canadian Construction Association National Award Winner - Red Hill Valley Project, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
  • 2007 Co-recipient, 2007 Ontario Consulting Engineers Award. Award of Merit for Environmental Infrastructure for the Red Hill Creek Realignment and Restoration
  • 2018 Canadian Rivers Institute Fellow

Teaching*

  • CIVE 770 - Topics in Environmental Engineering
    • Taught in 2021, 2022
  • ENVE 330 - Lab Analysis and Field Sampling Techniques
    • Taught in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • ENVE 383 - Advanced Hydrology and Hydraulics
    • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • WATER 601 - Integrated Water Management
    • Taught in 2019, 2020

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Graduate studies