WHAT WE DO

Water Resources

Water is an essential natural resource, but there is still much we don’t understand about the hydrology of our area and the communities we serve nationally and internationally. Water research is necessary to ensure we have clean and plentiful water for future generations.

Sustainability may seem like a buzzword, but it’s been CAESER’s focus for more than 25 years. We understand the challenges water managers face in meeting the demands of municipalities, industries, and agriculture without causing irreversible damage to the natural water system or the ecological dependencies of that system. 

Our water research encompasses groundwater, surface water and atmospheric contributions to surface processes:

Environmental Assessments

  • Visual Stream Assessments to determine impacts to the river and riparian ecosystem by mapping stream impairments and recommend remedial action
  • Identify potential contaminant sources to drinking water supplies
  • Assessment of land-use change to water resources

Groundwater Assessment and Modeling

  • Local and regional water level surveys
  • Water sampling including geochemical and age-dating analysis
  • Aquifer characterization (pump tests and slug tests)
  • Perform numerical modeling to simulate complex flow conditions and predict long-term stressor impacts
  • Water mass balance (atmospheric, surface and subsurface inputs) and estimation of groundwater recharge

Contaminant Fate and Transport

  • Perform numerical modeling to delineate contaminant plumes, their migration and possible remediation actions
  • Identify contaminant sources and concentrations through extensive regulatory file reviews

Groundwater - Surface Water Interaction

  • Hyporheic exchange flows in stream channels and riparian areas
  • Determine groundwater – surface water mixing regime from geochemical signatures
  • Perform physical measurements on exchange rates and defining streambed characteristics that govern water exchange

Hydrological Studies

  • Flood inundation modeling – a range of simple to complex techniques to predict flood inundation.
  • Surface water quality and stream discharge and gaging
  • Weather stations and precipitation analyses with emphasis on extreme events
  • Suspended sediment and bed sediment loads
  • Water mass balance

Subsurface Mapping of Geologic Features and Strata

  • Utilize surface geophysics (P-wave, S-wave, electric resistivity, GPR) to perform near-subsurface mapping of features
  • Characterize geologic properties from borehole logs and analysis of drill cuttings/cores
  • Perform borehole geophysical logging (gamma, SP, resistivity)
  • Soil moisture profiling using neutron probes

Public Outreach and Awareness

  • Working with our robust Education and Outreach team, we interact with K-12 audiences; local, state and federal stakeholders; and community groups.
  • Public events regarding the importance of water sustainability and protection of community’s drinking water source
  • Serve as a community repository for regional water information
  • Find out more about educational programming!
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