Water Resources Management

ICF integrates natural and social sciences in water resources management. Our experience crosses international borders, and our wide-ranging skills include environmental impact assessment, system operation modeling, conservation analysis, and working with diverse stakeholders.

ICF's policy experts understand the impacts of regulatory change, including government's role in water resource management, flood control, ecosystem restoration, water supply and conservation, and water efficiency. In the field, our biologists, engineers, hydrologists, and climate change experts are supported by in-depth knowledge of regulatory developments and how these can help or hinder individual projects.

Our understanding of the larger economic, social, environmental, and political factors driving water supply initiatives allows ICF to assist clients with:

  • Environmental compliance and permitting support
  • Water resources planning and integrated ecosystem management
  • Ecosystem restoration planning and implementation
  • Decision-support tool development and implementation, such as ecosystem, economic, hydrologic, and water quality monitoring
  • Monitoring implementation and construction

Water resources planning can generate controversy, the kind that can derail a project. ICF has proven methods of engaging the public and reconciling comments, employing our proprietary CommentWorks® software.

Clients look to our technical experts for assistance in water resources management in a changing environment—one where water shortages, rising costs of water treatment infrastructure, climate change, and flooding greatly affect every ecosystem and the development of every dam, flood control system or reservoir.

Water Quality, Wastewater, and Water Supply

ICF works with clients around the world to create strategies for improved water quality, wastewater treatment, and water supply that meet environmental and economic needs.

ICF covers every step of water quality, wastewater, and water supply systems planning, development, mitigation, and implementation, developing sophisticated models and alternative scenarios, analyzing impacts on the entire watershed, and engaging stakeholders on potentially controversial projects.

Our comprehensive water quality services include:

  • Preparation and execution of sampling and monitoring programs
  • Development and implementation of pollution control measures
  • Complex modeling and evaluation of various water quality parameters
  • Permit acquisition, including those for waste discharge
  • Compliance with U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 401, 402, and 404 (including alternatives analysis)
  • Facility planning and compliance documentation
  • Valuation, including nonmarket valuation, of water and ecosystems
  • Public education for recycled water programs (including multilingual outreach)
  • Integrated watershed management
  • Development of habitat mitigation plans and strategies

As regions and communities face water shortages, escalating costs for wastewater treatment, and conflicts over source waters for supply, ICF provides innovative thought leadership and a global environmental perspective to meet these challenges. With 40 years of experience, we have the in-depth capabilities to creatively help numerous industries and cities worldwide and U.S. federal and state agencies in solving their most complex water quality, water supply, and wastewater environmental problems.