Biography
I have worked on the fluvial dynamics of streams in the Midwest for over 30 years. My research interests range from investigations aimed at improving our basic scientific understanding of the geomorphology of rivers to studies focusing on issues of importance for river management and policy. Much of my work emphasizes field measurements of process-form interactions, but through collaborations with colleagues at Illinois I also participate in projects that involve laboratory experiments and numerical modeling.
Education
- Ph.D., Arizona State University
- M.A., Michigan State University
- B.A., Shippensburg University
Courses Taught
GGIS 103 - Earth's Physical Systems
GGIS 406 - Fluvial Geomorphology
GGIS 408 - Humans and River Systems GGIS 460 - Aerial Photo Analysis
GGIS 471 - Modern Geographic Thought
Additional Campus Affiliations
Professor, Geography and Geographic Information Science
Affiliate, Earth Science and Environmental Change
Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
Affiliate, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor, Center for Global Studies
External Links
Recent Publications
Anders, A. M., & Rhoads, B. L. (2025). Impacts of geographic variability and geologic history on the distribution of post-settlement alluvium (PSA) across the upper Midwest, USA. Catena, 254, Article 108939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.108939
Cain, M. R., Hixson, J. L., Jones, C. N., Rhoads, B. L., & Ward, A. S. (2025). Empirical Evidence of Dynamic Hydrogeomorphic Feature Inundation in a Lowland Floodplain. Hydrological Processes, 39(1), Article e70043. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70043
Lin, J. T. Y., Lacunza, E., Fernández, R., García, M. H., Rhoads, B., Best, J. L., LeRoy, J. Z., & Parker, G. (2025). Hydrodynamic Processes of Incipient Meander Chute Cutoffs: Laboratory Experiments With Implications for Morphodynamics and Depth-Averaged Modeling. Water Resources Research, 61(3), Article e2024WR038502. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038502
Shukla, T., & Rhoads, B. L. (2025). Form and Function of Floodplain Secondary Channels in a Lowland Meandering River System. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 130(1), Article e2024JF007871. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007871
Meem, T. H., Rhoads, B. L., Fouts, L., Schmidt, A., & Byard, G. (2024). An excess-work approach to assessing channel instability potential within urban streams of Chicago, Illinois: Relative importance of spatial variability in hydraulic conditions and stormwater mitigation. Progress in Physical Geography, 48(5-6), 754-780. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091333241276205