Jose Vicente Tinoco Ochoa

Rivers; landscape processes; quantitative analysis to estimate sediment loads and sediment yields; field measuring; landscape interpretation; data interpretation to inform reality; geographic information; acknowledgment of uncertainties; numerical analysis; fluid mechanics; energy; metrics for decision making in landscape planning; history of fluvial geomorphology.

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Universidad de Cuenca
Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering, University of Leuven

I study rivers as natural conveyors of water and sediments. The first part has been widely studied in hydrology and other disciplines, but the second natural part, sediments, has been often tried to control just as erosion. I focus on quantifying sediment loads and sediment yields through river systems at measuring locations. Then, the challenge I face, and what I am developing, is to extrapolate it to the unmeasured places, which represent the major part of the system. I also invest my efforts on understanding what collected data informs us, and what it does not inform us. Finally, I apply my landscape process analyses to develop decision making metrics for human use of rivers, such as dam planning.

My motivation to study landscape architecture and environmental planning is that the landscape is a living and dynamic “laboratory”. As an undergraduate, I took my first step into the research and inquiries field studying river flow behavior through gates and small dams in a hydraulics’ lab. Then, I had the opportunity to integrate my prior knowledge in hydraulics with water resource management by developing tools for reservoir operation, integrating the upstream contributing watershed and the downstream delivering environmental flows. I did that during my master studies. Now, during my current studies, I have added sediments to my ongoing learning of rivers, and also tried to understand how elements in the landscape are connected to river processes.

“Environmental Science for Sustainable Development” (Fall 2019, Fall 2020). Graduate Student Instructor for Professor Mathias Kondolf

“Hydrology for Planners” (Spring 2019). Graduate Student Instructor for Professor Mathias Kondolf

“Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Colloquium” (Fall 2018). Coordinator and Moderator

“Environmental Fluid Mechanics” (Summer 2018). Reader for Professor Evan Variano

Graduate Remote Instruction Innovation Fellowship (2019)
Tinker Summer Field Research Grant. Center of Latin American Studies (2017)
Global Metropolitan Studies Summer Field Grant (2017)
Fulbright Faculty Development Program Scholar, Fulbright Ecuador (2015)
SENESCYT Scholarship for Graduate Studies (2012)
VLIR Scholarship for MSc. studies in the Flanders Region of Belgium (2012)

Tinoco, V., Willems, P., Wyseure, G., and Cisneros F. (2016). Evaluation of reservoir operation strategies for irrigation in the Macul Basin, Ecuador. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 5:213–225 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.12.063

Tinoco, V., Cisneros, F., Pacheco, E., Carrillo, V., Calle, E., Domínguez, J., Gárate, J., & Solís, K. (2016). Modelación física del flujo a través de las compuertas radiales de la derivadora Cañar. Maskana, 5, 107-113 [Link]