James R. Craig, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Research Overview

Prof. Craig's interests include the development and application of new modelling approaches for addressing difficult environmental/water resources problems in both surface water and groundwater systems. He and his research group are invested in making these tools and techniques accessible and useful to consultants, educators, and regulators.

When used correctly, hydrological models can inform policy makers, increase our understanding of complex systems, and help predict the effects of man's efforts to clean up pollution, use our available water resources, and adapt to climate change. Prof. Craig and his research group work both to improve the science of hydrologic modelling and, as a nod to basic curiosity-driven research, ambitiously push the boundaries of what is possible using analytical and semi-analytical methods. We also have a lot of fun.

Research Areas

Robust modelling and upscaling of hydrologic phenomena

Discontinuous permafrost hydrology

Novel semi-analytical techniques for simulating saturated and unsaturated groundwater flow

Research Team

Prof. Craig works closely with the Waterloo hydrologic modelling research group, which includes the collective research teams of Dr. Bryan Tolson and Dr. John Quilty. He also regularly collaborates with the research team of Dr. William Quinton at the Cold Regions Research Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Team Photos

Research Group Alumni

• Shaghayegh Akbarpour, Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "Using machine learning to understand the hydrologic impacts of permafrost thaw-driven land cover change"
• Ali Ameli, Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "Semi-analytical methods for simulating the groundwater-surface water interface"
• Élise Devoie Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "The changing influence of permafrost on peatlands hydrology"
• Lucy (Guoxiang) Liu, Ph.D. (Co-supervised with Prof. Ric Soulis)
  • Thesis Title: "Improved interflow and infiltration algorithms for distributed hydrological models"
• Tussanee Nettasana, Ph.D. (Co-supervised with Prof. Bryan Tolson)
  • Thesis Title: "Conceptual model uncertainty in the management of the Chi River Basin, Thailand"
• Mark Ranjram, Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "Upscaling of lateral groundwater flow processes in watershed models"
• Andy Snowdon, Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "Upscaling of coupled models with topography-driven surface-water/groundwater interactions"
• Mahkameh Taheri, Ph.D.
  • Thesis Title: "Upscaling fill-and-spill hydrologic processes"


• Genevieve Brown, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Application of a hydrological model for predicting river ice breakup"
• Rob Chlumsky, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Rigorous validation of hydrologic models in support of decision-making"
• Mashrur Chowdhury, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Assessing the connectivity of groundwater wells to surface-water using a volumetric capture delineation tool"
• Cameron Dunning, M.A.Sc. (Co-supervised with Prof. Ric Soulis)
  • Thesis Title : "Hydrological modeling of the Upper South Saskatchewan River basin: Multi-basin calibration and gauge de-clustering analysis"
• Sarah Grass, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Topic: "Evaluating conceptual numerical models of boreal plains hydrology"
• Simon Haslam, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Informing the practice of ground heat exchanger design through numerical simulations"
• Chao Huo, M.A.Sc.(Co-supervised with Prof. Neil Thomson)
  • Thesis Title : "Mathematical simulation of a dipole delivery system for in situ remediation"
• Erin L. Jones, M.A.Sc. [Joint with Biology] (Co-supervised with Prof. Ralph Smith)
  • Thesis Title: "Ecological modelling of Lake Erie : Sensitivity analysis and simulation of nutrient, phytoplankton, and zooplankton dynamics"
• Konhee Lee, M.A.Sc. (Co-supervised with Prof. Bryan Tolson)
  • Thesis Title: "Assessing the utility of hydrologic model diagnostics for decision support"
• Simon Lin, M.A.Sc. (Co-supervised with Prof. Nandita Basu)
  • Thesis Title: "Hydrologic change detection modelling methods for disturbed forested watersheds"
• Dan Princz, M.A.Sc. (Co-supervised with Prof. Ric Soulis)
  • Thesis Title: "Using a model evaluation workflow to investigate the influence of parameter granularity in surface water models"
• Muhammad Ramadhan, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: “A semi-analytical particle tracking algorithm for arbitrary unstructured grids”
• Leland Scantlebury,M.A.Sc. (2021)
  • Thesis Title: "Pragmatic groundwater-surface water model coupling with unstructured grids"
• Philip Sheffield, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "The utility of using multiple conceptual models for the design of groundwater remediation systems"
• Richard Simms,M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "The effects of soil heterogeneity on the performance of horizontal ground loop heat exchangers"
• Nicholas Sgro, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Formal hypothesis testing for prospective hydrological model improvements"
• Andy Snowdon, M.A.Sc.
  • Thesis Title: "Improved numerical methods for distributed hydrological models"