H2 Analytics

Sample Projects

Nuclear Waste Storage in Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Client: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commision.

Yucca Mountain is the nation's proposed location for the storage of high level commercial radioactive waste. A prominent DOE scientist hypothesized that the site would be prone to water invasion caused by earthquakes. Our work showed that both observations and theory run counter to such a scenario. End result: Whatever the future of Yucca Mountain as a waste repository, the idea that it would be susceptible to flooding from below has been dismissed by both the National Academy of Sciences and the Nuclear Regulatory Commision.

Water Supply To A Major Subdivision in North Carolina. Client: North Carolina Law Firm.

A national home builder bought extensive land in the Piedmont region of North Carolina with the intent of building a major subdivision. After failing to find suitable groundwater supplies, the firm sued the former landowner for failure to inform the buyer of the absence of water on the property. Our work showed that in this region of North Carolina, ample groundwater supplies for major projects can never be expected. It was likely that the home building firm failed to do necessary background work and was simply being overly optimistic about water availability. End result: Case settled out of courth.

Land Subsidence and Water Use in the California Delta: Client: California Department of Water Resources.

Sinking lands in the Califoria Delta are a threat to a critical part of the state's water supply network. Through novel means, we measured the impact of several factors thought to cause major land subsidence in the region. End result: Our work was the foundation of a major part of the multibillion dollar CALFED program.

Water Quality At A Major Subdivision in North Carolina. Client: North Carolina Law Firm.

A regional home builder was sued by a homeowners association for failure to disclose the potential damage to water heaters and staining of dishwashers caused by hard water. Our work showed that hard water is common in groundwater supplies, poses no health hazard, and can easily be softened using widely available and relatively inexpensive water softening equipment designed for home use. End result: Case settled out of court.

Water Quality At A Small Subdivision in Calfornia. Client: California Law Firm.

A manufacturing firm that injects its waste at depth was sued by a homeowners association for the presence of arsenic in some of the homeonwers' wells. Our work showed that arsenic at the small quantities found in the wells was a widespread nationwide problem caused by natural chemical processes at shallow depths. Given the great depth of the injection well and the fact that no arsenic was used in the firm's manufacturing, it was not possible that the manufacturing firm was at fault. End result: Case settled out of court.

Water Rights in State Lands. California Department of Parks and Recreation.

A member of Forbes 500's wealthiest people was removing water from a State Park spring under the assumption that it was the source for the water under his own neighboring property and as a result, he was legally entitled to its use. Our work showed that the spring water was chemically different than the water under the homeowner's property. Also isotopic evidence indicated that the two water supplies originated as rainwater at different elevations. End result: Homeowner was forced to stop appropriating State Park water.