Services we provide
Water Resources
Our water resources are threatened by increased demand, poor land use practices, emerging contaminants, climate-related effects of drought and changes to the hydrologic cycle, aging infrastructure and insufficient investment.
GZA's water resource expertise and experience starts at the watershed, including best management practices, ecological restoration, and stormwater and wastewater management. We assist in water supply exploration and development, conveyance, storage and treatment. Our expertise includes planning and permitting, geology, civil engineering, ecology, hydrology and hydraulics and numerical modeling.
Water constitutes 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and 65 percent of the human body. It is an essential natural resource that is currently challenged by increasing demand, deteriorating infrastructure, emerging contaminants and climate change.
GZA has a highly qualified and technically diverse staff working across the United States that allows us to develop comprehensive and multi-disciplinary water resource solutions.
GZA's water resource expertise and experience starts at the watershed, including watershed best management practices, ecological restoration, stormwater and wastewater management, and sustainable water resources management. It also includes water supply exploration and development, conveyance, storage and treatment. Our expertise includes planning and permitting, geology, civil engineering, ecology, hydrology and hydraulics and numerical modeling.
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Watersheds cross jurisdictional lines. The sustainable management of watersheds involves multiple stakeholders and requires multi-disciplinary expertise. GZA works with all stakeholders to assess and develop strategies for maintaining the quality of watersheds and managing new challenges presented by a changing climate.
GZA has expertise and experience in watershed management including water quality, water supply, drainage and flooding, and stormwater and wastewater management.
- Watershed Management Planning/EPA 9 Elements
- Land Use Best Management Practices
- Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis
- Precipitation, River and Coastal Modeling
- Ecological Restoration
- Pollutant Source Control
- Impaired Waters/TMDLs
- Public Education and Training
- Geographic Information Management
- Water Supply Sustainability
- Water Exploration
Ecosystem Consulting Service, a division of GZA, works in concert with the natural features of a lake or reservoir ecosystem to diagnose and correct the causes of water quality problems.
Addressing concerns at the source before treatment offers cost-effective methods of improving raw water quality control and increasing treatment method efficiency. We work closely with utilities and municipalities to determine the causes of treatment problems and solutions by reservoir management in concert with the supply infrastructure.
- Water Supply Limnology
- Diagnostic-Feasibility Studies
- Monitoring Programs
- Method and Apparatus Development and Design
- Artificial Circulation
- Hypolimnetic Aeration
- Layer Aeration
- Oxygenation
- Flow Routing
- Off-Grid Technologies
Stormwater includes run-off from precipitation, snow and ice melt. Management of stormwater, including collection, conveyance and treatment is essential to prevent flooding and maintain water quality and supply. Stormwater management challenges include inadequate and aging infrastructure, contamination of groundwater and surface water due to pollutants and nutrient loading and climate-related, increased precipitation event intensity and frequency.
GZA has expertise and experience in all aspects of stormwater management, ranging from hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, infrastructure survey, modeling, design and permitting.
- Stormwater Master Planning
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans
- Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- Erosion and Sediment Control Design and Monitoring
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) and Low Impact Development (LID)
- Stormwater Infrastructure Inventory Survey and Geospatial Mapping
- Stormwater Infrastructure Design and Numerical Modeling
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE)
- NPDES Permit Compliance including MS4, MSGP, RGP and CGP
- Operation & Maintenance Planning & Inspections
- Stormwater System – Modeling, Civil Design, Permitting, and Construction Phase Services
- MS4 Permitting
GZA possesses the full spectrum of technical capabilities required to conduct groundwater supply exploration and development projects in the most complex and challenging hydrogeologic settings.
GZA has a successful history of finding, developing and protecting groundwater aquifers and production wells. We provide turnkey services ranging from exploration to analysis to development and permitting.
- Geologic Mapping
- Exploratory Aquifer Drilling
- Geophysical Surveys
- Watershed Sanitary Surveys
- Watershed Contamination Investigation
- Groundwater Numerical Modeling
- Nitrogen Loading Analysis
- Production Well Construction
- Hydrogeological Assessments
- Production Well Development, Evaluation & Rehabilitation
- Analyses for Aquifer Zone of Contribution and Yield
- Groundwater Monitoring Program
- Withdrawal Permitting
Groundwater Monitoring Program
- Withdrawal Permitting
GZA is the leader in providing innovative groundwater protection services, including groundwater yield enhancement programs, that provide water supply solutions to a diverse range of clients.
As a direct result of GZA’s efforts, our clients have routinely saved money, been proactive in mitigating their water supply risks, expanded their strategic water supply options and advantages, and bolstered their sustainability initiatives.
- Aquifer Protection Zone delineation
- Design and Construction of Artificial Recharge (AR) Systems
- Groundwater Yield and Water Quality Monitoring
- Emerging Contaminant (including PFAS) Vulnerability and Impact Assessments
- Numerical Modeling of Groundwater and Surface Water Systems for Resource Management and Optimization
- Drought Mitigation and Management Plans
- Expert Testimony
Water delivery and storage systems, including pumping facilities, aqueducts, transmission and distribution mains, service lines, tanks and reservoirs are critical to customer service and fire-flow protection, yet water supply infrastructure often remains in use beyond its design life, increasing operational disruption and increased cost.
GZA’s approach to water distribution and storage balances long-term repair and replacement costs and system reliability, using an asset-management-based and predictive approach to water main replacement and forward-thinking maintenance programs.
- Master, Asset Management and Regulatory Planning
- Pumping Station Inspection, Testing, Evaluation, Design, Renovation & Upgrades
- Instrumentation, SCADA Design and Controls
- Vulnerability Assessment, Risk & Resiliency, Emergency Response Plans
- Hydrant Fire Flow and Pipe Condition Tests
- System Hydraulic Modeling
- Watermain Rehabilitation & Replacement Designs
- Leak Detection & Repair Programs
- Unidirectional Flushing Program Design and GIS Mapping
Water quality is declining in many areas due to aging infrastructure, inadequate water treatment, and increasing presence of contaminants such as salt, resulting in threats to human health and the environment.
GZA has expertise and experience with the design and construction of surface and groundwater treatment systems and regulatory compliance.
- Treatment Bench and Pilot Scale Studies
- Water Quality Evaluations
- Sodium Chloride Reduction Strategies
- Treatment Alternatives, Adequacy & Efficiency Evaluations
- Planning for Future Regulations & Quality
- Regulatory & Environmental Permits
- Filtration and Chemical Treatment Facilities
- Facility Design, Evaluation, Rehabilitation, & Upgrades
- Contaminant Transport Modeling
- Nitrogen Loading Analysis
- Groundwater Monitoring Programs
- Piloting, Permitting, Design and Construction-Phase Services
Proper planning and management of water supply systems reduces operational issues, ensures that capital and operational budgets are efficiently spent, assures regulatory compliance, and helps water authorities plan for a complex and uncertain future.
GZA provides water supply system managers with the tools and services to optimize their operations.
- Staffing and Organizational Evaluations
- Energy Conservation Programs
- Water Master Planning, Asset Management Planning, Phased Construction Programs
- Facilities Inspection and Testing
- Regulatory Planning and Permits
- Utility Mapping Systems
- Environmental Assessments
- Cost Opinions, Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Rate Studies
- Water Audits
- Risk/Resilience Assessment & Emergency Response Plans
GZA has led the field in successfully permitting newly developed groundwater resources at Local and State levels throughout our footprint.
We are also conducting a very substantial number of permit compliance monitoring programs focused on assessing potential impacts of groundwater withdrawals on local groundwater resources, wetlands, and other environmental concerns. The programs are central to determining the long term sustainability of groundwater resources and also serves as a means to provide early warnings to groundwater resources if there is a concern of possible contaminant transport toward the wells.
- Proceeding successfully through the various rigorous State and Local permitting programs to obtain Groundwater withdrawal permits
- Designing and implementing effective short term and long term groundwater and environmental monitoring programs
Over two and half decades, GZA has developed and refined a unique exploration and development program to predictably identify and develop previously overlooked groundwater supplies throughout many complex hydrogeologic terrains.
GZA's GIS platform enables us to incorporate both hydrogeologic datasets and key socio-economic factors – including areas of particularly critical need, existing infrastructure locations, habitat considerations, and land use requirements, etc. – into the determination of optimal well drilling locations. We are able to predictably identify and incrementally develop new low-cost, low-impact, distributed groundwater resources closer to the point(s) of use than other water supply alternatives.
We have developed the highest yielding wells on record in many of the regions where we have conducted exploration programs. We are committed to only developing groundwater resources where it is clear that such withdrawals will not adversely impact existing users or the environment. We routinely secure new permits from the applicable regulatory agencies by providing scientific evidence that our withdrawal rates are sustainable, and that the natural resources proximal to developed supplies can be adequately protected and preserved for future generations.
- Satellite imagery analysis
- Geologic mapping
- Geophysical analysis
- Hydrogeologic testing
- Sustainability analysis
GZA is the leader in providing innovative water supply sustainability programs that provide water supply solutions to a diverse range of clients.
As a direct result of GZA’s efforts, our clients have routinely saved money, proactively mitigated their water supply risks, expanded their strategic water supply options and advantages, and bolstered their sustainability initiatives.
- Groundwater Yield Enhancement Programs
- Aquifer Protection Zone delineation
- Design and Construction of Artificial Recharge (AR) Systems
- Groundwater Yield and Water Quality Monitoring
- Emerging Contaminant (including PFAS) Vulnerability and Impact Assessments
- Numerical Modeling of Groundwater and Surface Water Systems for Resource Management and Optimization
- Drought Mitigation and Management Plans
- Expert Testimony
GZA provides a wide range of services to farming and dairy operations [DS2] across the US that present different challenges in regulations, climate, geography, hydrology, water sustainability, and public interest
GZA incorporates new techniques and applications developed by industry and professional specialists such as New Mexico State University and the NRCS to assist farms and dairies in their efforts to stay current and in compliance with federal and state regulations, and has provided expert support to facilities under environmental scrutiny, whether legal or by agencies.
- Dairy & CAFO Permitting
- Environmental Monitoring
- Nutrient Management
- Site Assessment
- Water Rights
- Ground Monitoring and Production
Water rights are a complex subject where regulations and accounting procedures vary from state to state. Many water rights have a complicated history that requires an excellent working knowledge of regulations and water rights records to determine the validity and transferability of a right.
GZA staff are experienced in all water right processes, and can assist in developing an initial strategy that best suit a client’s needs: from verification of the water right, filing the appropriate application(s), to providing technical and expert witness services if the application results in a hearing or litigation. We help you minimize the risk associated with purchasing offsite water rights by having a clear and comprehensive purchase agreement that clearly states that you are purchasing only the consumptive use rights (or crop irrigation requirement, if irrigation right) approved by state authorities .
- Water Rights Research and Management
- Litigation Support & Expert Witness Testimony
- Groundwater and Surface Water Modeling
GZA works in concert with the natural features of a lake or reservoir ecosystem to diagnose and correct the causes of water quality problems, and to address the impacts of fires, floods, and other impacts on water quality.
Addressing concerns at the source before treatment offers cost-effective methods of improving raw water quality control and increasing treatment method efficiency. We work closely with utilities and municipalities to determine the causes of treatment problems and solutions by reservoir management in concert with the supply infrastructure.
- Water Supply Limnology
- Diagnostic-Feasibility Studies
- Monitoring Programs
- Method and Apparatus Development and Design
- Artificial Circulation
- Hypolimnetic Aeration
- Layer Aeration
- Oxygenation
- Flow Routing
- Off-Grid Technologies
Proceeding successfully through the various rigorous State and Local permitting programs to obtain Groundwater withdrawal permits
Designing and implementing effective short term and long term groundwater and environmental monitoring programs
- Hydrological modeling
- Groundwater modeling
- Hydraulic modeling
Assessment of the Availability of Groundwater Resources on a National Scale within the Dominican Republic
Development and Permitting of Artificial Recharge System – Spruce Hole Aquifer, University of New Hampshire/Town of Durham, NH
Route 1 Reinforcing Water Main
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