Education

• Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Texas–Austin (1985)
• M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Texas–Austin (1982)
• B.S., Civil Engineering, Rice University (1979)

Dr. Ken Rainwater's research focuses on groundwater modeling, groundwater rights, perchlorate levels in groundwater, groundwater hydrology issues, and waste treatment technology. He is the principal and co-principal investigator on several ongoing projects, which include examining the levels of perchlorate and iodide intake and excretion in breastfed infants, investigating the transmissivity distribution in the Ogallala Aquifer, and evaluating NASA's Advanced Life Support Integrated Water Recovery System.

In addition to his researching and teaching roles, Dr. Rainwater serves as the Director of the Water Resources Center, Lead of the Water Leadership Council, a Graduate Student Advisor, and he works as an industry consultant, providing expertise in environmental contamination, water rights issues, groundwater well field design and management, and groundwater modeling and risk assessment. Dr. Ken Rainwater has been recognized for his teaching and research excellence with several prestigious awards, such as the Halliburton Education Foundation Research Award (1987), the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Professor Award (1988), the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award (1990), the Department of Civil Engineering Teacher of the Year designation (2000), and the ASCE Service to Students Award (2001).

Courses Taught
Fluid Mechanics, Engineering Hydrology, Water Systems Design, Groundwater Hydrology, Water Resources Management, Water Quality, Risk Assessment and Public Policy, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Systems Design, and Hazardous Waste Management

Selected Publications

• Rajagopalan, S., Anderson, T.A., Fahlquist, L., Rainwater, K.A., Ridley, M., and Jackson, W.A., “Widespread Presence of Naturally Occurring Perchlorate in High Plains of Texas and New Mexico,” accepted by Environmental Science and Technology, in revision.
• Muirhead, D.L., Potess, M., and Rainwater, K.A., 2005. “Education Outreach Associated with Technology Transfer in a Colonia of South Texas: Green Valley Farms Science and Space Club for Middle School-aged Children in Green Valley Farms, San Benito, Texas,” Paper No. 2004-01-2419, SAE 2004 Transactions, Journal of Aerospace, SAE International, pp. 930-936.
• Rainwater, K.A., Jackson, W.A., Ingram, W., Lee, C.Y., Thompson, D.B., Mollhagen, T.R., Ramsey, R.H., and Urban, L.V., 2005. “Field Demonstration of the Combined Effects of Absorption and Evapotranspiration on Septic System Drainfield Capacity,” Water Environment Research, Vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 150-161.
• Jackson, W.A., Anandam, S., Anderson, T., Lehman, T.M., Rainwater, K.A., Rajagopalan, S., Ridley, M., and Tock, W.R., 2005. “Occurrence of Perchlorate in the Texas Southern High Plains Aquifer System,” Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, NGWA, Vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 137-149.
• Rainwater, K.A., Stovall, J.N., Frailey, S.M., and Urban, L.V., 2005, “Transboundary Impacts on Regional Groundwater Modeling in Texas,” Ground Water, NGWA, Vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 706-716.
• Jackson, W.A., Arunagiri, S., Tock, R.W., Anderson, T., and Rainwater, K.A., 2004, “Electrochemical Generation of Perchlorate in Municipal Drinking Water Systems,” Journal of the American Water Works Association, Vol. 96, no. 7, pp. 103-108.
• Williams, D.L., Timmons, J.C., Woodyard, J.D., Rainwater, K.A., Lightfoot, J.M., Richardson, B.R., Burgess, C.E., and Heh, J.L., 2004. “UV-Induced Degradation Rates of 1,3,5 Triamino 2,4,6 Trinitrobenzene (TATB),” Journal of Physical Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 107, no. 44, pp. 9491-9494.