David C. Mays, P.E., Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Course Materials

• CVEN 3313 Fluid Mechanics
• CVEN 3414 Water Supply and Distribution Systems
• CVEN 4426 Pipe Network and Sewer Design
• CVEN 5333 Surface Water Hydrology
• CVEN 5334 Groundwater Hydrology
• CVEN 5335 Vadose Zone Hydrology
• CVEN 5426 Pipe Network and Sewer Design
• Mays Exam Policy

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

• Fitting college to students (not vice versa): A certificate program on environmental stewardship of Indigenous lands (Mays et al. 2025b)
• Wayfinding, knowledge, perspective, and engagement: Preparing tribal liaisons for stewardship of Indigenous lands (Mays et al. 2025a)
• Setting a better default: Designing a Welcome Academy for New Faculty centered on inclusive teaching in engineering (Goodman et al. 2024)
• Building diversity, equity, and inclusion into an engineering course (Rice and Mays 2022)
• Using an Indigenous evaluation framework for a university certificate program (Velez et al. 2022)
• How diversity makes better engineering teams (Mays 2022)
• One-week module on stochastic groundwater modeling (Mays 2010)
• Using the Quirk-Schofield diagram to explain environmental colloid dispersion phenomena (Mays 2007)

Research

At the intersection of hydrology and environmental engineering, my research program investigates water flow in porous media with particular emphasis on groundwater aquifers. Specifically, my group focuses on (1) plumes, spreading, and chaos; (2) dynamic permeability; and (3) environmental hydrology.

1. Plumes, Spreading, and Chaos

Groundwater remediation takes place largely at the interface between an injected plume of treatment solution and contaminated groundwater, but there is a fundamental physical limitation because flow in aquifers is laminar. In essence, the pot needs stirring, but the pot is full of porous media. To address this limitation, the fluid mechanics literature indicates that optimal spreading results from chaotic flows. For more details, please visit my page on plume spreading.

2. Dynamic Permeability

Clogging, a detrimental reduction in permeability, is a concern for essentially any technology involving flow in porous media. Several lines of evidence suggest that colloidal phenomena, related to fines between 1 nm and 10 μm, play a crucial role in clogging. Accordingly, my research in this area comprises both basic science and engineering applications. The centerpiece of the basic science is a novel static light scattering (SLS) apparatus that allows real-time measurement of colloid deposit morphology as a fractal dimension. Engineering applications comprise petroleum formation damage, aquifer storage and recovery, geothermal energy, and clogging of pervious concrete pavements. For more details, please visit my page on permeability.

3. Environmental Hydrology

This area comprises research projects often suggested by inquisitive graduate students:

• Suspended sediment in the South Fork Clearwater River Basin, Idaho County, Idaho, USA (Humphreys and Mays 2025)
• Freeze prevention for sump pumps (Sturgell and Mays 2023)
• Wildfire impacts on groundwater aquifers (Johnk and Mays 2021)
• Overview of special issue on groundwater contamination and remediation (Mays and Scheibe 2018)
• Alluvial aquifer storage and recovery on the South Platte River (Chinnasamy et al. 2018)
• Analysis and prevention of sanitary sewer surcharge (Klingensmith and Mays 2018)
  
• Predicting stormwater runoff quality from land use (Zivkovich and Mays 2018)
• History of water rights in Colorado (McIntyre and Mays 2017)
  
• Leakage and the carbon footprint of natural gas (Sanchez and Mays 2015)
• Zinc leaching from tire crumb rubber (Rhodes et al. 2012)

This section links my refereed publications including journal articles, proceedings papers, and book chapters. For details on non-refereed presentations, please see my curriculum vitae.  Student co-authors are in bold.

Journal Articles

42. Mays, D.C., T.M. Roane, B.J. Allen, R. Moreno-Sanchez, G. RedShirt Tyon, C. Rice, J.L. Romero, and C. Velez (2025),Fitting college to students (not vice versa): A certificate program on environmental stewardship of Indigenous lands, Advances in Engineering Education, 13(1), 49-75. https://doi.org/10.18260/3-1-1153-36072

41. Mays, D.C., T.M. Roane, R. Moreno-Sanchez, C. Rice, J.L. Romero, and C. Velez (2025), Wayfinding, knowledge, perspective, and engagement: Preparing tribal liaisons for stewardship of Indigenous lands, Ecosphere, 16(3): e70181. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70181

40. Humphreys, K.M. and D.C. Mays (2025), Evaluating trends and insights from historical suspended sediment and land management data in the South Fork Clearwater River Basin, Idaho County, Idaho, USA, Hydrology, 12(3), 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12030050

39. Mont-Eton, M.E., S. Borgwardt, and D.C. Mays (2024), Inverse method to determine hydraulic conductivity from a velocity field using graph theory, InterPore Journal, 1(3), IPJ271124–5. https://doi.org/10.69631/ipj.v1i3nr30 

38. Goodman, K.A., H.L. Johnson, M. Darbeheshti, T. Altman, and D.C. Mays (2024), Setting a better default: Designing a Welcome Academy for New Faculty centered on inclusive teaching in engineering, International Journal of Designs for Learning, 15(2), 14-25. LINK

37. Tigera, R.G., W.L. Benson, and D.C. Mays, Thermally enhanced spreading of miscible plumes in porous media, Hydrology, 10, 98, doi:/10.3390/hydrology10040098. LINK

36. Sather, L.J., E.J. Roth, R.M. Neupauer, J.P. Crimaldi, and D.C. Mays (2023), Experiments and simulations on plume spreading by engineered injection and extraction in refractive index matched porous media, Water Resources Research, 59, e2022WR032943, doi:10.1029/2022WR032943. LINK

35. Sturgell, F.D. and D.C. Mays (2023), Pneumatic evacuation to prevent freezing in outdoor sump pump drains, Journal of Cold Regions Engineering, 37(2), 06023001, doi:10.1061/JCRGEI.CRENG-619. LINK

34. Rice, C. and D.C. Mays (2022), Building diversity, equity, and inclusion into an engineering course, Advances in Engineering Education, 10(4), 2-11. LINK

33. Velez, C., B.M. Nuechterlein, S.C. Connors, G. RedShirt Tyon, T.M. Roane, and D.C. Mays (2022), Application of the Indigenous evaluation framework to a university certificate program for building cultural awareness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, Evaluation and Program Planning, 92, 102066, doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2022.102066. LINK

32. Sather, L.J., R.M. Neupauer, D.C. Mays, E.J. Roth, and J.P. Crimaldi (2022), Active spreading: Hydraulics for enhancing groundwater remediation, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 27(5), 04022007, doi:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0002167. LINK

31. Neupauer, R.M., E.J. Roth, J.P. Crimaldi, D.C. Mays, and L.J. Sather (2021), Demonstration of reversible dispersion in a Darcy-scale push-pull laboratory experiment, Transport in Porous Media, doi:10.1007/s11242-021-01682-3. LINK

30. Johnk, B.T. and D.C. Mays (2021), Wildfire impacts on groundwater aquifers: A case study of the 1996 Honey Boy fire in Beaver County, Utah, USA, Water, 13(16), 2279, doi:10.3390/w13162279. LINK

29. Roth, E.J., D.C. Mays, R.M. Neupauer, L.J. Sather, and J.P. Crimaldi (2021), Methods for laser-induced fluorescence imaging of solute plumes at the Darcy scale in quasi-two-dimensional, refractive index-matched porous media, Transport in Porous Media, 136, 879–898, doi:10.1007/s11242-021-01545-x. LINK

28. Neupauer, R.M., L.J. Sather, D.C. Mays, J.P. Crimaldi, and E.J. Roth (2020), Contributions of pore-scale mixing and mechanical dispersion to reaction in radial groundwater flow, Water Resources Research, 56(7), doi:10.1029/2019WR026276. LINK

27. Roth, E.J., R.M. Neupauer, D.C. Mays, L.J. Sather, J.P. Crimaldi (2020), Wall effect mitigation techniques for experiments with planar walls, Transport in Porous Media, 132, 423-441, doi: 10.1007/s11242-020-01399-9. LINK

26. Mays, D.C. and T.D. Scheibe (2018), Groundwater contamination, subsurface processes, and remediation methods: Overview of the special issue of Water on groundwater contamination and remediation, Water, 10, 1708; doi:10.3390/w10121708.  LINK

25. Chinnasamy, C.V., W.C. McIntyre, and D.C. Mays (2018), Technical and administrative feasibility of alluvial aquifer storage and recovery on the South Platte River of northeastern Colorado, Water Policy, 20(4), 841-854. LINK

24. Klingensmith III, W.C. and D.C. Mays (2018), Information content of wastewater flowmeter data before and during a surcharge, Journal of Environmental Engineering, 144(9), 05018004. LINK

23. Zivkovich, B.R. and D.C. Mays (2018), Predicting nonpoint stormwater runoff quality from land use, PLOS ONE, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0196782.  LINK

22. McIntyre, W.C. and D.C. Mays (2017), Roles of the water court and the State Engineer for water administration in Colorado, Water Policy, wp2017145; doi:10.2166/wp.2017.145.  LINK

21. Roth, E.J., B. Gilbert, and D.C. Mays (2015), Colloid deposit morphology and clogging in porous media: Fundamental insights through investigation of deposit fractal dimension, Environmental Science and Technology, 49(20), 12263-12270.  LINK

20. Roth, E.J., M.E. Mont-Eton, B. Gilbert, T.C. Lei, and D.C. Mays (2015), Measurement of colloidal phenomena during flow through refractive index matched porous media, Review of Scientific Instruments, 86, 113103, doi:10.1063/1.4935576.  LINK

19. Sanchez II, N. and D.C. Mays (2015), Effect of methane leakage on the greenhouse gas footprint of electricity generation, Climatic Change, 133(2), 169-178.  LINK

18. Neupauer, R.M. and D.C. Mays (2015), Engineered injection and extraction for in situ remediation of sorbing solutes in groundwater, Journal of Environmental Engineering, doi:10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000923, 04014095, 1-12. LINK

17. Krauss, E.D. and D.C. Mays (2014), Modification of the Kozeny-Carman equation to quantify formation damage by fines in clean unconsolidated porous media, SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering, 17(4), 466-472. LINK

16. Neupauer, R.M., J.D. Meiss, and D.C. Mays (2014), Chaotic advection during engineered injection and extraction in heterogeneous porous media, Water Resources Research, 50(2), 1433-1447. LINK

15. Piscopo, A.N., R.M. Neupauer, and D.C. Mays (2013), Engineered injection and extraction to enhance reaction for improved in situ remediation, Water Resources Research, 49(6), 3618-3625. LINK

14. Mays, D.C. and R.M. Neupauer (2013), Reply to Comment by D.R. Lester et al. on "Plume spreading in groundwater by stretching and folding," Water Resources Research, 49(2), 1192-1194. LINK

13. Rhodes, E.P., Z.J. Ren, and D.C. Mays (2012), Zinc leaching from tire crumb rubber, Environmental Science and Technology, 46(23), 12856-12863.  LINK

12. Mays, D.C. and R.M. Neupauer (2012), Plume spreading in groundwater by stretching and folding, Water Resources Research, 48, W07501, doi:10.1029/2011WR011567. LINK COMMENT  REPLY

11. Manga, M., I. Beresnev, E.E. Brodsky, J.E. Elkhoury, D. Elsworth, S. Ingebritsen, D.C. Mays, and C.-Y. Wang (2012), Changes in permeability by transient stresses: Field observations, experiments, and mechanisms, Reviews of Geophysics, 50, RG2004, doi:10.1029/2011RG000382. LINK

10. Coughlin, J.P., C.D. Campbell and D.C. Mays (2012), Infiltration and clogging by sand and clay in a pervious concrete pavement system,  Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 17(1), 68-73. LINK

9. Mays, D.C., O.T. Cannon, A.W. Kanold, K.J. Harris, T.C. Lei, and B. Gilbert (2011), Static light scattering resolves colloid structure in index-matched porous media, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 363, 418-424.  LINK

8. Mays, D.C. (2010), Contrasting clogging in granular media filters, soils, and dead-end membranes, Journal of Environmental Engineering, 136(5), 475-480. LINK

7. Mays, D.C. (2010), One-week module on stochastic groundwater modeling, Journal of Geoscience Education, 58(2), 73-81. LINK

6. Mays, D.C. (2007), Using the Quirk-Schofield diagram to explain environmental colloid dispersion phenomena, Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 36, 45-52. LINK

5. Mays, D.C. and J.R. Hunt (2007), Hydrodynamic and chemical factors in clogging by montmorillonite in porous media, Environmental Science and Technology, 41(16), 5666-5671. LINK

4. Mays, D.C. and J.R. Hunt (2005), Hydrodynamic aspects of particle clogging in porous media, Environmental Science and Technology, 39(2), 577-584. LINK ERRATA

3. Mays, D.C., B.A. Faybishenko and S. Finsterle (2002), Information entropy to measure temporal and spatial complexity of unsaturated flow in heterogeneous media, Water Resources Research, 38(12), 1313, doi:10.1029/2001WR001185. LINK

2. Mays, D.C. and B.A. Faybishenko (2000), Washboards in unpaved highways as a complex dynamic system, Complexity, 5(6), 51-60. LINK

1. Mays, D.C. and S.J. Veenis (1998), Matrix approach to contaminant transport potential, Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste Management, 2(3), 120-122. LINK

Proceedings Papers

7. Coughlin, J.P., H.L. Johnson, and D.C. Mays (2025), Work in progress: Torque, engineering students, and the conceptual shift from external to internal forces, Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 22-25, 2025. LINK

 

6. Evans, M., T. Altman, M. Darbeheshti, K.A. Goodman, H.L. Johnson, and D.C. Mays (2025), Lessons learned: Motivational factors for engineering faculty seeking professional development for inclusive teaching, Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 22-25, 2025. LINK

 

5. Mays, D.C., T. Altman, M. Darbeheshti, P. Hwang, C. McCall, S. Secules, M. Vazquez, and K. Watts (2025), Resetting the default: Welcoming new engineering faculty to inclusive teaching, Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, June 22-25, 2025. LINK

 

4. Darbeheshti, M., T. Altman, K.A. Goodman, H.L. Johnson, M. Evans, and D.C. Mays (2024), Building community for inclusive teaching: Can we bridge the valley of neglect? Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Portland, Oregon, June 23-26, 2024. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--46784

 

3. Goodman, K.A., M. Darbeheshti, D.C. Mays, T. Altman, and H.L. Johnson (2023), From cohort to classroom: Transitioning to year 2 in a faculty learning community, Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Baltimore, Maryland, June 25-28, 2023. LINK

 

2. Collopy, A.X., H.L. Johnson, K.A. Goodman, T. Altman, M. Darbeheshti, K.L. Wood, and D.C. Mays (2022), Exploring nudging approaches for growing a culture of diversity and inclusion with engineering faculty, Annual Conference, American Society for Engineering Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 26-29, 2022. LINK

 

1. Mays, D.C. and R.M. Neupauer (2017), Chaotic advection and unsteady flow in groundwater remediation, Waste Management Symposium 2017: Building Global Trust in Decommissioning and Radioactive Waste Management, Phoenix, Arizona, March 5-9, 2017. LINK

 

Book Chapters

 

5. Mays, D.C. (2013), Clogging in managed aquifer recharge: Flow, geochemistry, and clay colloids, in Martin, R., ed., Clogging Issues Associated with Managed Aquifer Recharge Methods, International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Commission on Managing Aquifer Recharge, Australia, 14-24. LINK

 

4. Chan Hilton, A.B., J.W. Lauer, D.C. Mays, R.M. Neupauer, A. Sciortino (2012), Resources for teaching water resources, Chapter 7 in Chan Hilton, A.B. and R.M. Neupauer, eds., H2Oh! Classroom Demonstrations for Water Concepts, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, 129-134. LINK

 

3. Kanold, A.W. and D.C. Mays (2012), Porosity, Section 5.1 in Chan Hilton, A.B. and R.M. Neupauer, eds., H2Oh! Classroom Demonstrations for Water Concepts, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, 99-100. LINK

 

2. Mays, D.C. (2012), Atmospheric water, Section 4.1 in Chan Hilton, A.B. and R.M. Neupauer, eds., H2Oh! Classroom Demonstrations for Water Concepts, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, 72-74. LINK

 

1. Mays, D.C. (2012), NAPL ganglia, Section 5.9 in Chan Hilton, A.B. and R.M. Neupauer, eds., H2Oh! Classroom Demonstrations for Water Concepts, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, 115-116. LINK

 

 

This page highlights some of my service inside and outside the university. For complete details, please consult my curriculum vitae.

Group Leader, Graduate track in Hydrologic, Environmental, and Sustainability Engineering (HESE), Department of Civil Engineering, 2019-present.

 

Assessment Coordinator, Department of Civil Engineering, 2014-present.

 

Grant Reviewer for the California Sea Grant College Program, Petroleum Research Fund, National Institutes for Water Resources, Maryland Industrial Partnerships, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. National Science Foundation (2005-present).

 

Manuscript Referee for Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, Environmental Engineering Science, Environmental Research, Environmental Science and Technology, European Physical Journal E, Geophysical Research Letters, Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Graduate Lectures in Fluid Dynamics, Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation, Heliyon, Hydrogeology Journal, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Journal of Environmental Engineering, Journal of Environmental Management, Journal of Geoscience Education, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, Journal of Hydrology, Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, Science of the Total Environment, Separation Science and Technology, Soft Matter, Sustainability, Transport in Porous Media, Vadose Zone Journal, Waste Management, Water, Water Research, Water Resources Research(2005-present).

 

Awards

Charles O’Melia Distinguished Educator Award, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, 2025.

Campus-Wide Faculty Award for Inclusive Excellence, University of Colorado Denver, 2025.

Campus-Wide Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of Colorado Denver, 2024.

Excellence in Service and Leadership, University of Colorado Denver, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 2017.

Outstanding Faculty Advisor, Region 7, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2016.

Outstanding Faculty in Teaching, University of Colorado Denver, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 2014.

Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Colorado Denver, College of Engineering and Applied Science, 2009.

Grants

PI: Meet our moment: Engineering can work for everyone, University of Colorado Denver, Grand Challenges Grants Program, awarded $100,000 from 2024-2025.

PI: Engineering is not neutral: Transforming instruction via collaboration and engagement (ENNTICE), U.S. National Science Foundation, Broadening Participation in Engineering, $350,000 from 2021-2024.

Co-PI: NSF INCLUDES alliance: Broadening career pathways in food, energy, and water systems with and within Native American communities (Native FEWS Alliance), U.S. National Science Foundation, Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES), $299,776 from 2021-2026.

PI: Environmental Stewardship of Indigenous Lands Scholarship Program, National Science Foundation, Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM), $1,000,000 from 2018-2023.

Co-PI: NSF INCLUDES DDLP: Building a network for education and employment in environmental stewardship of indigenous lands, National Science Foundation, Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES), $298,484 from 2018-2019.

PI: Hydrologic and microbiological impacts of sealing abandoned mines with bulkheads, University of Colorado Denver, Office of Research Services, $24,000 from 2017-2018.

PI: Collaborative research: Coupled numerical and laboratory investigations of chaotic advection to enhance spreading and reaction in three-dimensional, heterogeneous porous media, U.S. National Science Foundation, Hydrologic Sciences Program, $90,626 from 2014-2018.

PI: Collaborative research: Injection and extraction schemes for improved in situ remediation, U.S. National Science Foundation, Hydrologic Sciences Program, $98,395 from 2011-2014.

PI: Linking deposit morphology and clogging in subsurface remediation, U.S. Department of Energy, Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Program, $150,000 from 2011-2013.

PI: Trash to treasure: Using crumb rubber from recycled tires for stormwater pollution control, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Advanced Technology Grant Program, $96,600 from 2009-2011.

Co-PI: In situ measurement of deposit morphology in porous media, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, $50,000 from 2007-2011.