WATER RESOURCES

ERO helps clients obtain and develop new water rights and supplies, protect existing water rights and uses, avoid or minimize damage to water resources and water-dependent ecosystems, navigate permitting processes, and address water quality issues. Our clients include federal, state, and local governments; irrigation and supply districts; developers; commercial businesses; individuals; and attorneys.

Surface and ground water supply evaluation, development, and permitting
Surface and ground water quantity and quality

Water rights investigation
Floodplain analysis
Expert witness testimony
Geothermal resource development

Stormwater management, erosion control, water quality monitoring, and BMP recommendation

Areas of Expertise

Environmental scoping and impact analysis

We assist clients with water resources analyses as a part of planning and permitting. Many of these analyses involve permits for new water supply developments or permit renewal for existing water facilities. ERO also provides water resource analyses as a component of environmental impact statements and threatened and endangered species evaluations.

Water supply evaluations, development, and permitting

ERO assists clients with obtaining, quantifying, permitting, and protecting water supplies. We also evaluate water supply needs for healthy aquatic habitat, riparian areas, and wetlands. In addition, ERO conducts investigations to determine potential water quality and quantity impacts from residential, agricultural, recreational, commercial, and industrial developments.

Water rights investigations and due diligence

ERO’s expertise in the technical, legal, and economic aspects of water rights based on federal and state law enable us to assist clients with negotiating and litigating water rights issues throughout the western United States. In addition to overall management of adjudication efforts, we evaluate water rights including historical use, consumptive use, transfers, and market value. We provide technical support and expert witness testimony for litigation or negotiation of water resource issues.

Water Quality Services

ERO provides surface and ground water quality investigations, including data collection and analysis, research, and modeling. We analyze water quality effects to and develop water quality mitigation for water-dependent ecosystems. ERO evaluates the water quality impacts on streams and lakes from roads, mines and other developments, and assist our clients with NPDES/CDPS permitting for treated water, construction dewatering, and stormwater discharge permitting. We prepare and review plans for stormwater management, erosion control, drainage, and water quality monitoring, and provide Best Management Practice recommendations to clients. ERO also evaluates and remediates impacts on ground water from leaking underground storage tanks, spills, and improper waste disposal practices.

Surface and ground water analysis and modeling

ERO’s modeling capabilities include digital and analytical ground water flow, capture zone, contaminant transport, and surface water quality modeling. Our hydrologists use models to assist clients with:

Expediting closure of contaminated sites
Designing ground water remediation and control systems
Estimating the time to clean up contaminated sites
Determining the impact of surface water diversions and dams on downstream flow volumes and water quality
Estimating the impact of ground water pumping on nearby wells and streams
Estimating the impact on surface and ground water from proposed commercial, industrial, and mining facilities

Litigation support and alternatives dispute resolution

ERO provides technical support and expert witness testimony for litigation or negotiation of water resource issues. Carefully documented studies of hydrology, water quality, water rights, or environmental impacts are an important foundation for resolution of water disputes in courts, administrative proceedings, or through alternative processes.

Geothermal resource development

Geothermal resources in the western United States represent a viable energy source for various types of direct use heating and recreational purposes. ERO has been involved in resource characterization and testing, resource development, and water rights for geothermal projects.