Services

WHC works with clients and local, regional, state and federal stakeholders using tools developed to understand project and water supply operational goals, objectives, regulatory requirements, and institutional and physical constraints to develop sound information promoting successful decisions. From a hydrologic modeling perspective, WHC is skilled in many operational modeling platforms (such as OASIS, CALSIM II & III and HEC-ResSIM) as well as the development of custom modeling applications used for water supply operational planning and analysis.

 WHC has developed an operations forecasting method for our power scheduling clients. Using hourly power price forecasts and runoff forecasts from the California Nevada River Forecast Center, we have developed an approach that schedules discretionary water supply on both a daily and seasonal basis for multiple runoff forecast traces.  Our forecast products help our clients manage risk while maximizing revenue.   

 WHC has adapted our Hydropower Operations Forecasting to provide Hydro-Economic Modeling to support our Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing clients.  Our approach uses historic or climate change hydrology and power price data to test various operating criteria to evaluate economic impacts.  Using this process we can support a cost-benefit analysis of new facilities, facility improvements or changes to environmental or recreational operating criteria.  As energy demands continue to grow and renewable energy gains importance, hydropower is becoming more and more significant. 

WHC works with clients to develop sound approaches to technical and strategic water right efforts. This includes defensible approaches to secure new water rights, prove-up existing rights and optimize water right accounting and reporting. WHC’s support includes technical analysis using robust project computer modeling to document water rights usage, preparing Water Availability Analyses to demonstrate the likelihood of unappropriated water being available, and developing accounting and reporting techniques. 

WHC, in collaboration with our affiliate, Western Hydrologic Systems (WHS), offers complete surface water gaging services, including installation, operation and maintenance, field data collection, data analysis, and development of streamflow, diversion and storage records in accordance with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) standards. Electronic records are developed using USGS approved software. We also offers maintenance, service, and data collection and record development of weather stations and water temperature loggers. 

SB 88 contains flow and storage monitoring and reporting requirements. WHC and our affiliate WHS work together with our clients to evaluate and update existing monitoring programs and provide reporting options to bring the entire program into compliance.  Our systems offer satellite radios that provide real-time data reporting and configurable notifications through a password protected website.