Forensic Hydrology
Atlanta Engineering Services has been providing hydrology services for more than 19 years. Whether it is the need to design the size of a storm water piping system, a detention pond system or a diversion ditch channel, AES has the skill and expertise to design hydrology projects.
Our clients are fully aware of our storm drainage design expertise and now attorneys are asking for our assistance in evaluating stormwater damage cases.
We advise attorneys where damage has been done and determine the underlying cause. Forensic Hydrology is a
relatively new term which associates hydrology to legal matters.
The term “forensic hydrology” means “the relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge of stormwater to legal problems.” Our hydrologist evaluates and documents the damage caused by stormwater and presents the information to the court.
Our Professional Hydrologist is certified through the American Institute of Hydrology and has more than 35 years of experience designing hydrology systems. Undeveloped wooded lands that have been developed into parking lots and buildings increase the amount of runoff and the rate of runoff. The rain water that once soaked into the wooded ground now races downstream at a much faster rate. An improperly designed or improperly constructed stormwater system can cause harm and damage to
the downstream property owners. The Clean Water regulations address the quantity of stormwater discharge
and also the quality of the stormwater released.
Our engineers have designed and analyzed hundreds of storm water systems and can quickly determine the cause of the storm water damage. They have represented hundreds of clients in both the design and the analysis of all types of damage cases. They are also certified as erosion and sediment control specialist and provide expert testimony in the release of erosion and siltation from construction sites. The Erosion and Sedimentation Act of 1975 was passed in Georgia to help protect soil and water resources. A few examples of these kinds of hydrological and erosion control problems are:
- Flooding
- Improper storm drainage
- Stormwater conveyance channels such as pipes and ditches are too small
- Clogged or improperly sized storm drain inlets
- Malfunctioning detention ponds
- Sink holes
- Siltation of water ways, water bodies and land
- Lack of BMP’s such as silt fence, rip rap, temporary sediment basins, inlet sediment traps,
etc. to reduce silt from eroding downstream to neighboring properties.