Matthew J. Deitch

Research Interests

• Surface water hydrology, ecology and management
• Wetland function, management and restoration
• River-floodplain interactions and dynamics
• Watershed planning and modeling water quality and quantity
• Nonregulatory approaches to managing natural resources
• Sustainable solutions to complex real-world challenges

My research aims to develop an improved understanding of how landscape, riparian zone, and water management practices and policies affect ecosystems in forested, agricultural, urbanized, and urbanizing watersheds. I address these topics through collecting field data describing water quantity, water quality, and landscape characteristics; development of catchment-scale models to propose, test, and implement alternative management strategies; and evaluation of policies to assess compatibility with environmental goals. I also collaborate with community organizations to examine how restoration actions affect aquatic and wetland ecosystems, and with local and regional agencies to develop adaptation plans and management recommendations to support sustainability in urban and rural communities.

As director of the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS), my goal is to link research at NIU with communities to address complex problems and create a more sustainable future. For example, NICCS helps NIU faculty connect with farmers and advocacy groups to develop new revenue streams, with state agencies to develop best management practices for developed landscapes, and with energy companies to test innovative energy systems elements. Through these partnerships, NIU students get real-world experience developing solutions to some of the most urgent challenges we face in our region.

Selected Publications

* indicates advisee student or postdoc

• Kumar, L.*, Deitch, M. J., Amanambu, A. C., Jones, W. K., Walls, S., Mossa, J., Sharma, A., Gebremicael, T.G.*, & Kumari, R., 2026. Restoration impacts on distributary slough floodplain inundation and connectivity. Ecological Engineering, 222, 107808. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107808
• Smith, A.N., Miller, D., Xingwen, L., Deitch, M., Thetford, M., Crocker, C., Coles, K. & Coffey, E.E., 2026. Cumulative restoration action leads to improved vegetative response in shrub‐encroached wet prairies of coastal Florida, USA. Restoration Ecology, 34(4), p.e70348.
• Fang, S.*, Deitch, M.J, & Gebremicael, T.G.*, 2025. Assessing the impact of rainfall, topography, and human disturbances on nutrient levels using integrated machine learning and , GAMs models in the Choctawhatchee River Watershed. Journal of Environmental Management, 375: 124361. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124361
• Smith, A. N., Irick, D., Miller, D., Deitch, M., Thetford, M., & Coffey, E. E., 2025. Response of soil properties to mechanical restoration techniques applied in shrub-encroached wet prairies of the Florida panhandle. Ecological Engineering, 220, 107754. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107754
• Kumar, L.*, Deitch, M. J., Jones, W. K., Williams, L., Osborne, T. Z., & Kumari, R., 2025. Consequences of variations in flow magnitude and duration on water quality of the Apalachicola River floodplain. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 274, 104668. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2025.104668
• Bridgemohan, R.S.*, Deitch, M.J., Bean, E.Z, Whiles, M.R., Wilson, P.C., Bachoon, D., & Tharpe, I., 2024. Spatiotemporal assessment of pathogenic Leptospira in sub-tropical coastal watersheds. Journal of Water and Health, 22 (5): 923-938. DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.038
• Fang, S.*, Deitch, M.J, Gebremicael, T.G.*, and Angelini, C.A., Ortals, C., 2024. Unraveling critical source areas to enhance water quality: Integrated SWAT modeling and multi-statistical analysis to reveal key variables and thresholds. Water Research, 121286. .DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121286
• Bridgemohan, R.S.*, Deitch, M.J., Gebremicael, T., Whiles, M.R., Wilson, P.C., Bachoon, D., & Tharpe, I., 2023. Environmental Risk Assessment for Fecal Contamination Sources in Urban and Peri- Urban Estuaries. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195: 867. DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11478-1
• Cory B.M.*, Smith A.N., Deitch M.J., Enloe H.A., Miller D.L., & Osborne T., 2023. Differences in Vegetation Structure and Composition Influence Groundwater Chemistry in Herbaceous Wetland Ecosystems. Ecosystems, DOI: 10.1007/s10021-023-00853-1
• Zhou, J.*, Deitch, M.J., Grunwald, S., & Screaton, E., 2023. Does the Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen Slope Estimator fail to inform the Statistical Significance and Magnitude of trends in hydrologic and water quality time series? Hydrological Sciences Journal, 68(9): 1241-1249. DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2023.2212166
• Bridgemohan, R.S.*, Deitch, M.J., Bachoon, D., Ramsubhag, A., & Bridgemohan, P. 2022. Detection of Campylobacter jejuni Presence in Trinidad’s Aquatic Environments. Water, Soil, and Air Pollution, 233:215.
• Jumani, S.*, Deitch, M.J., Valle, D., Machado, S., Lecours, V., Kaplan, D., Krishnaswamy, J. & Howard, J., 2022. A new index to quantify longitudinal river fragmentation: Conservation and management implications. Ecological Indicators, 136, 108680. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108680
• Deitch, M.J., Gancel, H.N.*, Croteau, A.C., Caffrey, J.M., Scheffel, W., Underwood, B., Muller, J.W., Boudreau, D., Cantrell, C.G., Posner, M.J. & Bibza, J., 2021. Adaptive management as a foundational framework for developing collaborative estuary management programs. Journal of Environmental Management, 295, 113107. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113107