EXPERT WITNESS & LITIGATION SUPPORT

Monterey County

Retained as an expert to review well siting and well design & construction services provided by another consultant for an irrigation-supply well in central California. Reviewed local geologic conditions, obtained and correlated electric logs from test well and final water well, and also from wildcat oil/gas wells in the region. Evaluate depth of final well vs. pumping rates, specific capacity and water quality.

Sonoma County

Retained as an expert to review key aspects of the specifying, drilling, designing, constructing, developing and testing of a new municipal-supply water well in northern California. Analysis has included reviewing available geologic logs and electric logs, water level data, final water quality data, and well construction activities.

Worked with attorneys at request of winery owner in regard to developing groundwater resources as part of a winery use permit for a proposed winery within a developed vineyard in Sonoma County. Project involved groundwater monitoring, siting and designing new winery-use water well, developing a program for aquifer testing of the new well, conducting a 72-hour pumping test and using additional onsite water wells as groundwater monitoring wells during the test, analyzing the aquifer test data, preparing a detailed report and making presentations to the County of Sonoma Building and Zoning Adjustment Board.

This site involved alleged contamination of groundwater due to arsenic, purportedly from pesticides. RCS evaluated local geology and groundwater conditions, sampled local wells, monitored surface water runoff quality, sampled native soils for arsenic, reviewed local rock types for arsenic possibilities, designed groundwater sampling program, provided deposition, provided court testimony to judge and jury, and proved arsenic due to natural conditions exacerbated by conditions within key water wells.

Orange County

Provided consultant services with regard to review and analysis of well construction, water level, water quality and available pumping data on a municipal-supply water well that had become impacted by volatile organic compounds. In addition, members of RCS served as both percipient witnesses and as expert witnesses during the course of the litigation.

Collect and provide independent analyses of regulatory data and of data and reports generated by consultants for three adjoining underground fuel storage tank sites, provide expert opinions to attorney, review depositions of others, provide deposition for these hydrocarbon problems.

Consultation, detailed data review, field investigations and groundwater monitoring, and provide deposition regarding large gasoline spill potentially impacting proximal City water wells.

Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties

Retained by attorneys as groundwater consultant to the five “northern cities” involved in adjudication of the entire Santa Maria Groundwater Basin. Work involved collecting and correlating electric logs to help define the base of fresh water and the depths to and continuity of water-bearing materials across the area. Help define surface and subsurface boundaries of the groundwater basin. Part of project involved helping to develop a groundwater monitoring strategy for the area.

San Bernardino County

Retained by attorneys as a special consultant on hydrogeology to help determine correlation and continuity of water-bearing materials in the easterly portion of the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin. Use electric logs and drillers’ logs of wells to help identify the thickness of water-bearing deposits which overlie bedrock in the area.

Designated as an expert witness, provide consultation, and conduct detailed hydrogeologic analyses of groundwater conditions and geology data for entire San Bernardino Valley; project involved litigation between various water agencies and local cities regarding water spreading and widespread artesian conditions reported downstream; provide depositions and review depositions by others.

Los Angeles County

Retained as an expert in hydrogeology to evaluate subsurface conditions groundwater flow, and groundwater contamination in the eastern portion of the San Fernando Groundwater Basin. Case involved groundwater contamination and flow of contaminants toward municipal-supply water wells. Performed electric log correlations, developed groundwater elevation contour maps, and provided opinions to a judge who was mediating the case.

Served as special hydrogeologic consultant to attorneys. Reviewed detailed reports and findings of another consultant, conducted field reconnaissance visits, provided technical input to and review of professional reports by other groundwater experts for project involving a surface spring and its use as a possible source for bottled water.

Retained as independent consultant in hydrogeology to the attorneys for case involving groundwater contamination from industrial use within a groundwater basin in Los Angeles County. Review site conditions, identify and correlate potential aquifers, assess groundwater flow directions, and provide deposition.

Provide hydrogeologic consultation and detailed analysis of water quality and water level data collected by others from hazardous waste facility; site purported to be impacted by numerous chemicals including VOCs; designated as expert witness and provided depositions prior to trial.

Provide detailed hydrogeologic reviews and consultation regarding potential impacts of deep construction dewatering on flows from nearby historical springs; provide expert opinions to attorney and to Los Angeles County Planning Commission, and conduct monitoring of quality and quantity of spring flow.

Represent the City and a private engineering firm for ongoing consultation and analyses of data regarding widespread contamination from a major oil refinery; develop new locations and designs for monitoring wells. Designated as expert witness by City for potential litigation in future.

Retained by attorneys as confidential senior hydrogeologic consultant for providing detailed independent reviews of data and technical reports prepared by site consultant, provide expert opinions on issues with regulatory agencies, provide opinions to attorney and client on EPA reports and PRP activities for site property within this EPA NPL area; project involves VOCs and inorganics.

Consultation to City on significant VOC contamination in City wells; reviewed large collection of reports prepared by others and recommended new locations and designs for additional wells and types of monitoring; represent the City at public agency meetings. Designated as expert witness by City for potential litigation in future.

Function as confidential consultant by providing independent third party reviews of considerable data and reports prepared by others, collect additional data from regulatory agencies, assess accuracy of basic data, evaluate findings and conclusions of prior investigators, reviewed historic aerial photos and original site topography. Site involved VOCs and metals.

Review site conditions, analyze hydrogeologic data collected by others, develop opinion on water quantities and quality at proposed dewatering site, and provide court testimony before judge and jury.

Riverside County

Provide independent and detailed sampling of rock materials, on a confidential basis, to attorneys representing a hillside facility purported to be releasing hazardous wastes to the environment; RCS determined the locations for sampling and defined the complete laboratory testing program for the rock samples; results reviewed for attorneys under attorney-client privilege.

Ventura County

Conduct independent hydrogeologic evaluation of groundwater flow direction and groundwater elevation data collected by others, perform field visits to help verify site conditions, review reports and depositions by others, perform independent monitoring of groundwater levels at selected sites, provide deposition, and provide expert opinions in court to judge on high groundwater conditions in the region.

Provide detailed hydrogeologic evaluations of surface and subsurface geologic conditions, assess water levels and groundwater flow directions and assess water quality changes regarding possible impacts of water spreading operations on wells in downstream groundwater basin; designated as expert witness and provide deposition.

Conduct field visits to observe and assess field conditions at several dwellings, design groundwater monitoring program, evaluate exploration by others, prepare for depositions. Project involved high groundwater and its effects.

Designated as expert witness for hydrogeologic conditions at developed tract near coastline that has reportedly been impacted by oilfield disposal activities in the past; review depositions; meet with attorneys.

Provide detailed reviews of well construction details, review video log surveys of disputed water well, develop opinion on problems in newly constructed water well, and provide deposition.

Assistant General Counsel for a City in Southern California, and then outside counsel Los Angeles County

Provide independent hydrogeologic review of water quality and water level data regarding VOC contamination from hazardous waste and storage facility; water wells threatened by VOC migration; designated as expert witness; prepare opinion letters for counsel.

Lake County

Provide groundwater consulting services to the attorney for vineyard development project in northern California. Project has included well monitoring, pumping test, evaluation of pumping test data, and assessing operational pumping rates in onsite wells.

Santa Paula

Retained by the City as an expert in hydrogeology in the potential hydrocarbon contamination from a service station near an active City well.

San Luis Obispo County

Retained by attorneys together with a geotechnical engineer to review geologic and groundwater data for case involving groundwater extractions over time by municipal-supply purveyor and purported damage to buildings due to differential settlement. Provide deposition and review depositions of others. Provide expert testimony in court.

Napa County

Conduct field work and other hydrogeologic studies as part of ongoing litigation regarding flow from a spring and from a proximal horizontal well. Conduct monitoring of water levels, flow rates and general water quality. Provide opinions to attorney regarding findings.

Conduct detailed hydrogeologic studies and represent the vineyard owner and the attorneys regarding hydrogeologic impacts of proposed groundwater development on proximal water wells; provide testimony before meetings of the Board of Supervisors in Napa County.

Perform long-term aquifer tests of onsite wells, determine local hydrogeologic conditions, monitor water levels in onsite and proximal offsite wells, identify impacts of onsite pumping in other onsite and proximal offsite wells, and make numerous presentations to Board of Supervisors and also Planning Commission in Napa County.

Santa Clara County

Provide hydrogeologic consultation in regard to possible groundwater impacts resulting from construction of a deep slurry trench at a contaminated site undergoing groundwater cleanup.

Merced County

Conduct detailed review of all operations involved in the specifications, drilling, development and pumping tests for a new water well with regard to purported damage to large orchard as a result of discharge of groundwater to ground surface. Provide testimony in court.

San Joaquin County

Provide detailed review of reports and of a computer model by others, prepare detailed cross sections of subsurface conditions, assess potential to contaminate existing City-owned water supply wells; site is near large scale VOC contamination source.

Norwood, Massachusetts

Assisted an engineering firm, via legal counsel, by providing detailed review of site soils, geology and groundwater data generated by others; provide independent analyses of basic data, assess contamination sources and potential migration pathways, assist the engineering firm in preparing for its depositions.