About

Qizhong (George) Guo is a professor at Rutgers University with a research focus on urban stormwater management, flood control, green infrastructure, hydraulics, and hydrology. His work includes developing methods for quantifying freshwater input and flushing times in estuaries, analyzing sediment and heavy metal accumulation in stormwater detention basins, and studying the hydraulic and environmental impacts of storm drainage systems. Guo has contributed significantly to understanding the hydrodynamics of surging in urban storm drainage systems and the hydrologic restoration through low impact development practices. His research has been widely cited, reflecting his influence in the field of environmental engineering and water resources.

Research topics

• Environmental science
• Computer Science
• Geotechnical engineering
• Geography
• Meteorology
• Environmental engineering
• Ecology
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Environmental chemistry
• Agronomy
• Soil science
• Geology
• Engineering

Selected publications

• Effects of microplastics on inorganic nitrogen dynamics in surface water sediments under different disturbance intensities

  Journal of Hazardous Materials · 2026-01-23

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Effects of freshwater salinity on suspended sediment settling during different high-turbidity events

  Environmental Pollution · 2025-10-01 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Green, Grey, Blue, and Smart (GGBS) Infrastructure for Pluvial, Fluvial, and Coastal Flood Resilience

  2025-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Impacts of Reflective Heat Gain on Substrate Temperatures and Plant Growth Heterogeneity of a Constructed Green Roof

  Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment · 2025-02-28 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Green roofs have grown in importance due to their various advantages, such as aiding in stormwater management, conserving energy, and providing ecosystem services. In densely populated urban environments, many of these roofs experience reflective heat from adjacent buildings, creating severe microclimates that can stress plants. Despite these challenging conditions, their impact on plant growth across different areas of green roofs has been minimally studied and documented. Our research focused on uncovering and measuring the uneven distribution of plant growth and extreme substrate conditions on green roofs through field observations and statistical methods. We conducted our study on a green roof subject to intense sunlight reflection off the building’s exterior wall. Over a year, we used soil sensors to record substrate conditions every 15 min, and plant growth metrics were collected manually every month. We developed a scoring system to evaluate plant growth. Our statistical analysis revealed significant differences in substrate temperature, moisture content, and plant growth across the green roof. The field observations recorded a maximum substrate temperature of 53°C on the year’s hottest day, with a maximum spatial temperature variation of approximately 6°C. We found a strong link between substrate temperature and plant growth through regression analysis. This study highlights how reflective heat can lead to suboptimal plant growth in certain areas of green roofs, suggesting that building architects and green roof designers should consider microclimate factors in their designs, implement adaptive green roof design (e.g., no planting zone, adaptive irrigation), select suitable plants, or incorporate shade structures when necessary.

  PublisherDOI

• The Impacts of Water Policies and Hydrological Uncertainty on the Future Energy Transition of the Power Sector in Shanxi Province, China

  Energies · 2025-04-29 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Water scarcity under climate change and increasingly stringent water conservation policies may trigger energy security concerns. The current study develops an optimization model to investigate the impacts of water conservation policies and hydrological uncertainties on the regional energy transition process in Shanxi Province, China. The dual-control policies on total water consumption and water intensity are systematically examined for their differential constraints and stimulative effects on various power generation types. Hydrological time series analysis methods are employed to project future water resource variations in Shanxi Province and evaluate their implications for power system optimization. The results indicate that (1) total water constraint policies are more stringent than water intensity constraint policies; (2) changes in water resource availability impose greater restrictions on coal power development than those imposed by current water conservation policies; and (3) when total water resources decrease by approximately 43.5% compared with 2020 levels, Shanxi Province may face electricity shortages. These findings suggest that water conservation policy formulation should be coordinated with regional power sector development planning, while also considering potential energy security risks posed by potential future reductions in water resources.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Woody Debris Accumulation at Urban and Suburban Stream Crossings: Consequences for Flash Flood

  2024-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Integrated intra-storm predictive analysis and real-time control for urban stormwater storage to reduce flooding risk in cities

  Sustainable Cities and Society · 2023 · 28 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Environmental science
  • Environmental engineering
  PublisherDOI

• Advances in Frazil Ice Evolution Mechanisms and Numerical Modelling in Rivers and Channels in Cold Regions

  Water · 2023-07-14 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  Frazil ice comprises millimeter-sized ice crystal particles or flocculations in water, and its generation and evolution primarily occur during the initial stage of the river ice process. Meanwhile, ice damage caused by frazil ice is common, so it is crucial to determine its generation and evolution mechanisms to develop a full understanding of the river ice processes, the prediction of ice development, and ice damage prevention. The recent developments in frazil ice research and modeling are summarized in this article. From the perspectives of field measurements and laboratory experiments, the techniques and methods for observing frazil ice are reviewed, including the flow generation, temperature control, and observation techniques necessary for laboratory observations of frazil ice, as well as the challenging observation techniques used for field measurements. Frazil ice’s evolution mechanisms (nucleation, thermal growth, secondary nucleation, collisional fragmentation, and flocculation) are affected by water temperature processes. Work on the movement and distribution of frazil ice is also presented. A review of the current numerical models used to assess frazil ice evolution is conducted. Moreover, the open issues and potential future research topics are suggested.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Identification and Quantification of Surface Depressions on Grassy Land Surfaces of Different Topographic Attributes Using High-Resolution Terrestrial Laser Scanning Point Cloud and Triangulated Irregular Network

  Journal of Hydrologic Engineering · 2023-01-19 · 3 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  The objective of this study was to identify and quantify surface depressions on grass-covered land surfaces using a high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point cloud, and a triangulated irregular network (TIN). The entire grassy land surface in the study area was divided into five subwatersheds of different topographic attributes (i.e., depression depth and surface slope). Surface depressions were identified and quantified using a TIN generated from a high-resolution TLS point cloud. The results indicated that microtopography of the grassy land surface was well-characterized within each subwatershed in comparison with field observations. With the terrestrial light detection and ranging (LIDAR) point cloud of 15-mm point spacing and the TIN method, surface depression storage depths of the five subwatersheds ranged from 1.73 to 14.28 mm in the study area. The surface depression storage depth, as expected, increased with the maximum depth of surface depression. It was also found to increase when the land surface slope became milder. A sensitivity analysis indicated that a point cloud with a point spacing of 30 mm was sufficient to obtain an accurate representation of the terrain surface in the study area. This study also indicated the TIN method can represent the ground surface and the surface depression more realistically than the commonly used digital elevation model (DEM) method due to the TIN method’s higher capability of identifying and filtering out surface obstructions such as blades of grass. Moreover, by using the high-resolution TLS technology and the TIN method, our study provides an important and broad range of reference data on the surface depression storage depth commonly needed in application of the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and other watershed models.

  PublisherDOI

• Strategies for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable Mississippi River basin

  River · 2023-08-01 · 15 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract The Mississippi River and its vast basin play a critical role in supporting ecological, economic, and social systems in the United States. However, managing this extensive watershed has become increasingly challenging due to a range of complex issues. This paper explores the historical developments in the watershed management of the Mississippi River, including navigation, flood control, sediment management, water supply, and pollution control. The current issues affecting the resilience, sustainability, and equity of the river and its basin are analyzed, leading to the formulation of a vision for its future. To realize this vision, various strategies are proposed, including embracing integrated water resources management, leveraging information technologies, synergizing green, grey, and blue infrastructure measures, and preparing for extreme weather events. Additionally, addressing equity issues, recognizing the water–energy–food nexus, exploring the river as a carbon capture reservoir, and investigating geoengineering concepts are also discussed. The paper concludes with essential research needs and provides recommendations to foster a resilient, sustainable, and equitable Mississippi River and its basin.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Jijian Lian

  Tianjin University

  9 shared

• Charles C. S. Song

  7 shared

• Diego M. Meneses

  ORCID

  6 shared

• George D. Fowler

  University of New Hampshire

  5 shared

• Thomas P. Ballestero

  University of New Hampshire

  5 shared

• Robert M. Roseen

  5 shared

• James O. Eckert

  Yale University

  5 shared

• Jun Zhao

  5 shared