Richard Koehler, Ph.D., PH, has 40+ years of water resources and earth sciences experience. Currently he is the CEO of Visual Data Analytics, LLC, a service- disabled, veteran-owned, small business. He is a certified professional hydrologist (AIH certification 13-H-5008) and a certified UAS pilot (FAA certificate no. 4276090). Before retiring, he was the National Hydrologic and Geospatial Sciences Training Coordinator (GS-13) with NOAA’s National Weather Service Training Division, co-located with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research program. Training delivery methods included in-person lectures, remote tele-sessions, and online learning modules developed for the NOAA workforce. Course catalogue available at https://www.meted.ucar.edu/education_training?query=&page=1). Concurrently he was an adjunct instructor with the Front Range Community College science department and received the 2020-2021 Teaching Excellence Award.
He is also a retired NOAA Corps lieutenant commander. Assignments aboard NOAA oceanographic and hydrographic survey ships included operations and executive officer. Shore assignments included being an operational forecast hydrologist with the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) and the Northwest River Forecast Center (NWRFC). While stationed at CBRFC, Dr. Koehler developed new info-graphics for western state water supply forecasts which were well received by local water resource managers. While with NWRFC, he oversaw the implementation of an operational dynamic wave model used for stage forecasts on the Lower Columbia River, improving navigational safety and Port of Portland operations. He was awarded the NOAA Corps commendation medal for this work.
Other positions include director of water resources for an Arizona engineering and environmental consulting firm and was the water resources hydrologist for Cochise County, Arizona. Dr. Koehler has his PhD, MS and BS in watershed hydrology from the University of Arizona with an additional MS in hydrographic sciences from the US Naval Postgraduate School. His research focused on alternate methods of analyzing environmental time-series data along with associated data visualizations.
