DBS&A enthusiastically welcomes Michael A. Jacobs, P.G., as Principal Hydrogeologist and Operations Manager for our growing staff and new office in Midland, Texas.
DBS&A is offering Water and Wastewater Utility Operator training in Albuquerque starting in July 2019.
With DBS&A and affiliates, Clear Creek Associates, Kunkel Engineering Group, and Geo-Logic Peru under its umbrella, parent company Geo-Logic Associates, Inc. (GLA), made its inaugural ranking on the Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 200 Environmental Firms List. The environmental listing and related analysis provide a look at one of the construction industry’s most dynamic market sectors, and some of the GLA companies’ core competencies. The list ranks companies according to revenue for environmental services performed in 2017. As an affiliate of GLA, DBS&A has access to 250 engineers, water and soil scientists, architects, and support staff located in 26 offices in 8 U.S. states and Peru. Together, we provide solutions to challenges for landfills, mines, contaminated sites, municipal projects, natural resources, and water resources. Click here to learn more about GLA and affiliates, DBS&A, Clear Creek Associates, Kunkel Engineering Group, and Geo-Logic Peru.
The Owens Valley Groundwater Authority (OVGA), acting as a joint powers authority, approved the selection of DBS&A and team members Consensus and Collaboration Program, TEAM Engineering & Management, Inc., Stillwater Sciences, and Lechowicz & Tseng Municipal Consultants, to prepare a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Owens Valley Groundwater Basin in Inyo and Mono Counties, California.
The GSP will guide future groundwater management and address the needs of the many stakeholders in the Basin, while bringing the groundwater resources into compliance with the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA). The OVGA selected DBS&A’s team because of its broad expertise in the issues pertinent to groundwater sustainability planning, including:
- Water rights acquisition
- Agricultural water conservation
- Watershed management
- Funding for water resource projects
- Database management systems
- Stakeholder participation
- Community planning
- Groundwater resources assessments and safe yield evaluations
- Conjunctive use
- Water supply development
- Feasibility studies
- Water system engineering
Technical Support for GSP Development
The DBS&A team will be engaged in many activities, culminating in the submittal of the GSP to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) by January 31, 2022. For example:
- Data compilation, review, and management
- Developing and implementing a stakeholder engagement/outreach program
- Providing a technical evaluation of existing groundwater flow models
- Preparing a description of the Basin setting and current and historic groundwater conditions
- Developing a hydrogeologic conceptual model and water budget for the Basin
- Developing sustainability criteria (undesirable results, sustainability goal, minimum thresholds, and measurable objectives)
- Identifying management areas and specific projects necessary to maintain or achieve sustainability
- Refining and consolidating of existing groundwater monitoring programs
GSP Expertise
Tony Morgan, P.G., C.HG., DBS&A’s Vice President and Principal Hydrogeologist, is leading our Owens Valley team as Project Manager. Mr. Morgan has expertise in SGMA compliance, including formation of GSAs, creation of GSPs, and conducting groundwater basin studies and regional conjunctive use programs. He collaborates with DBS&A’s hydrogeologists and modelers who support water agencies working toward compliance with SGMA, by developing and providing expert review of groundwater budgets and numerical models, estimating sustainable yields, and implementing groundwater monitoring programs and other groundwater management strategies.
In his role as corporate Market Leader for Water Planning and Development, Tony draws upon his considerable expertise in SGMA compliance, including forming GSAs and GSPs, as well as regional conjunctive use programs. .
GSP Experience
This work for OVGA follows shortly behind our successful completion of the groundwater budgets for four groundwater basins for the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency’s GSP development effort. DBS&A applied our distributed parameter watershed model (DPWM), which estimates key components of the groundwater/surface water balance, to reduce data uncertainties in the hydrologic balance to acceptable levels resulting in greater accuracy. DBS&A has successfully applied this technique at groundwater basins throughout southern California.
On behalf of the New Mexico Environment Department Drinking Water Bureau (NMED DWB), DBS&A is offering free training for water systems operators, board members, and water sample technicians throughout New Mexico on Water Chemistry, Breakpoint Chlorination, Distribution Systems; Water System Sampler Training; Pumps and Motors, Groundwater Hydrology & Wells, and Operator Math; Water Chemistry, Groundwater Hydrology & Wells, and Distribution Systems; Chlorine Contact Time; and Revised Total Coliform Rule.
For more information on training content or to register, visit https://www.dbstephens.com/services/water-workshops-training/.
For additional information on courses throughout New Mexico, visit www.env.nm.gov/dwb/training.