Services We Offer - Collective Water Resources

Climate Change

Collective Water is at the forefront of the shift to analytically and holistically driven planning efforts for sea level rise and climate change. The science and analyses are improving rapidly and we are one of the only small water resources firms dedicated to the issues that are emerging at the local level for these analyses. Our science and data-driven approaches are catered to providing meaningful answers for local governments and planning agencies.

Address the integrity of base data.

Too often, base data is neglected at the local scale. While state or federal agencies might conduct modeling, the base data is too coarse or erroneous to provide any helpful information at the municipal level. This data is rarely repaired or addressed. Our firm excels at examining and repairing this data at the local scale because our engineers are fully GIS-enabled. This means we are highly skilled at handling the data that is relevant to this issue (global, regional, water management district, county, and local) and mining this data for the most helpful information and models.

Include the entire spectrum of literature and readily available information.

But it is critical to keep the specific needs of the local government at the forefront. While information from international and regional studies are helpful, downscaling and digesting the information in these studies is critical. Because we are focused on this issue and are one of the only consulting firms that maintains this expertise, we are prepared to quickly assist with this literature review and bring the newest data/information to bear.

Examine complexities concurrently.

Both climate change and sea level rise are integrated and need to be examined together. For example, rainfall is expected to become more variable in the future. For stormwater studies, examining an increase in sea level rise via a more traditional vulnerability/bathtub analysis is not enough. This variability in rainfall, among other complexities in the entire hydrologic cycle, must be considered.

Integrate administrative pressures.

We are prepared to address not only the technical issues related to this issue but also the administrative and educational aspects. We understand the issues and pressures related to municipal programs, education/public relations, and funding – and how these issues will be impacted by a changing climate in Florida. These issues not only impact staff, but considerations must include the perspective of public officials, the public, and the regulatory community – among others.

Elegant projection of scientific analyses into futuristic costs.

We understand how the costs of installing and maintaining infrastructure will change in the future. We are experienced in combining our scientific analyses with practical engineering and financial considerations to project operational and maintenance costs for 30, 50, and even 100 years into the future. Our cost models are dynamic and are not simply based on traditional engineering techniques. We include the realities of a future and changing coastline.

Practical Models

Going beyond models to inform and empower.

Collective Water strives to make modeling and the complex processes it represents as transparent and economical as possible. Models must provide reliable information but they are not the ultimate deliverable. Our clients need ongoing, useful information from our models that empower them throughout the life of their system. We give our clients unbiased, objective guidance on model selection, usage, and future maintenance.

Water Supply

Planning for the future and our clients’ bottom line.

Collective Water wants to participate in environmentally and economically smarter ways of analyzing and planning for water supplies. Technology plays a role in planning for these supplies, but human participation and collaboration cannot be underestimated. Our water supply planning services focus on using the best technologies available today while maintaining a thoughtful focus on the future of the entire watershed.

We look forward to the long-term success of our clients and this means providing consistent, ongoing service that includes planning for future generations’ water supplies as well as our own.

Watersheds

Multi-dimensional solutions for projects big or small.

Our natural environment functions at infinite scales. Usually, civil engineers work at one or two scales. Collective Water is a watershed-focused firm. This means we operate on several scales and on multiple dimensions for any given water issue. We can study the largest watersheds (hundreds of square miles) or provide practical support for projects on a smaller, more local scale.