Reliable monitoring and insightful interpretation of environmental data is foundational to water resource management. Our goal at Davids Engineering is to provide environmental monitoring services that are customized to meet our clients’ needs for data collection and data analysis.
We perform individual measurements using our state-of-the-art arsenal of specialized equipment to develop data sets that give water managers the information they need to make good decisions. We also design and implement seasonal and permanent monitoring networks, ranging from temporarily installed gages to larger SCADA systems. We also offer various data analytics and application services that help our clients interpret and use their data to its fullest potential; from establishing historical baselines, identifying trends and developing numerical models, to designing and implementing adaptive management programs.
Beginning in early 2020, DE began supporting Sutter Mutual Water Company (SMWC) in their efforts to modernize their water distribution and drainage systems. SMWC’s primary function is to supply high quality irrigation water at a reasonable cost to Landowners within the service area. SMWC serves roughly 47,000 acres mostly south of the Tisdale Bypass between the Sacramento River to the west and the Sutter Bypass to the east. The Company operates and maintains over 200 miles of open channel canals systems and 500 turnouts.
Our initial efforts focused on creating comprehensive inventories of their water management infrastructure, field delineations and cropping patterns. After successfully completing the first phase of work, we are continuing our efforts to implement turnout level flow measurement with the RemoteTracker system at all 500 farm-gate deliveries. This includes data management systems for managing water delivery data and using this data to develop individual customer invoices.
DE has also been providing on-call modernization support services, including identifying and securing grant funding opportunities, advancing designs from conceptual level through final designs, construction management, incorporating remote monitoring and control (i.e., SCADA), and other needs as specified by SMWC.
For the Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District (SVRCD), DE has been subcontracted to collect additional data to better understand hydrological and hydrogeological processes in the Shasta Valley and support groundwater resource management under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This includes the installation and monitoring of piezometer transects at select locations along surface water features in the Shasta Valley to evaluate surface water-groundwater interactions.
Monitoring shallow groundwater elevations adjacent to surface water features can help identify the direction and gradient of groundwater flow near the stream0aquifer boundary. We led the study design (including transect location recommendations; equipment specifications and setup; and development of data management protocols), equipment installations, site commissioning and initiation of data collection. This study is currently ongoing, and DE is supporting SVRCD to maintain piezometers and equipment. Once the study concludes, we will lead development of a technical report summarizing the study findings. The study objective it to gain insight into stream-aquifer interactions that will be valuable to local stakeholder and water managers and support sustainable groundwater management in the Shasta Valley.
These are just two examples that illustrate DE’s passion to use technology for collecting, managing, analyzing, visualizing, and sharing data to enhance our understanding of how water systems work. Learn more about our technology solutions here.
