Thomas Over
Thomas Over, is a Research Hydrologist, with the Central Midwest Water Science Center, located in Urbana, Illinois.
Tom has worked for the USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center (formerly the Illinois Water Science Center) since 2001 (originally part-time, full-time beginning 2012). He works in areas of prediction of peak and continuous streamflow in ungaged basins by statistical regionalization, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling (HSPF, SWMM, HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, PEST), disaggregation and scaling of precipitation and streamflow, streamflow measurement uncertainty, hydrometeorological data analysis (evaluation of gage and radar-based precipitation observations and forecasts, development of homogeneous weather databases), and effects of urbanization on streamflow.
Prior to his full-time appointment with the USGS he was an assistant research professor at Eastern Illinois University (EIU) in the Geology/Geography Department, a visiting assistant professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and an assistant professor at Texas A&M University in the Civil Engineering Department, where he taught courses in water resources engineering, engineering hydrology, and stochastic hydrology. His research at EIU was in the area of controls of soil moisture and soil hydrophobicity on wind erosion. His Ph.D. is from University of Colorado - Boulder, Geophysics Program - Hydrology Option, where his dissertation was on multifractal space-time scaling properties of precipitation fields. While at CU-Boulder, he worked with Brent Troutman in the USGS (Water) National Research Program on the effects of river basin structure on streamflow. Prior to Ph.D. studies, he worked as a consulting civil engineer.
Professional Experience
2020 to Present, Research Hydrologist, Central Midwest Science Center
2012 to 2020, Hydrologist, Illinois, Illinois-Iowa, Central Midwest Water Science Center
2001 to 2012, Hydrologist (part-time), Illinois Water Science Center
2000 to 2012, Assistant Research Professor (part-time), Department of Geology / Geography, Eastern Illinois University
2000 to 2001, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1996 to 2000, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University
1988 to 1995, Research Assistant, University of Colorado, Boulder
1984 to 1988, Consulting Civil Engineer, Nolte and Associates, San Jose, Calif.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geophysics Program/Hydrology - University of Colorado-Boulder, 1995
M.S., CIvil and Environmental Engineering - Stanford University, 1984
S.B., Civil and Environmental Engineering - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1983
Science and Products
Estimation of regional flow-duration curves for Indiana and Illinois
Ultimate pier and contraction scour prediction in cohesive soils at selected bridges in Illinois
Land change in the Central Corn Belt Plains Ecoregion and hydrologic consequences in developed areas: 1939-2000
Independent technical review and analysis of hydraulic modeling and hydrology under low-flow conditions of the Des Plaines River near Riverside, Illinois
Using observed postconstruction peak discharges to evaluate a hydrologic and hydraulic design model, Boneyard Creek, Champaign and Urbana, Illinois
Development and analysis of a meteorological database, Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois
Pier and contraction scour prediction in cohesive soils at selected bridges in Illinois
Computation and error analysis of discharge for the Lake Michigan Diversion Project in Illinois: 1997-99 water years
Comparison of estimates of uncertainty of discharge at US geological survey index-velocity gages on the Chicago sanitary and ship canal, Illinois
River flow mass exponents with fractal channel networks and rainfall
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Estimation of regional flow-duration curves for Indiana and Illinois
Ultimate pier and contraction scour prediction in cohesive soils at selected bridges in Illinois
Land change in the Central Corn Belt Plains Ecoregion and hydrologic consequences in developed areas: 1939-2000
Independent technical review and analysis of hydraulic modeling and hydrology under low-flow conditions of the Des Plaines River near Riverside, Illinois
Using observed postconstruction peak discharges to evaluate a hydrologic and hydraulic design model, Boneyard Creek, Champaign and Urbana, Illinois
Development and analysis of a meteorological database, Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois
Pier and contraction scour prediction in cohesive soils at selected bridges in Illinois
Computation and error analysis of discharge for the Lake Michigan Diversion Project in Illinois: 1997-99 water years
Comparison of estimates of uncertainty of discharge at US geological survey index-velocity gages on the Chicago sanitary and ship canal, Illinois
River flow mass exponents with fractal channel networks and rainfall
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.