Experience Dr. Neuman is an internationally recognized expert in subsurface flow dynamics in saturated and unsaturated soils, in-situ determination of saturated and unsaturated soil hydraulic and pneumatic properties, hydrology of fractured rocks, finite element analysis of flow and transport in saturated and unsaturated soils, parameter estimation, geostatistics, stochastic flow and transport theories, uncertainty assessment, and environmental and geophysical scaling. ISI Most Highly Cited Author, 2001-current, in the categories of “Environmental Science” and “Engineering.”
Consultants
Testimony Dr. Neuman’s mathematical model (formulae and equations) was used by the DNRC during their analysis of the MAWC pump test data. Dr. Neumann forcefully testified that the DNRC misused his model to such an extent as to render the DNRC’s analysis meaningless in this situation.
Testimony Dr. Myers’ analysis corroborated Dr. Weight’s model’s finding that one of the test wells used to study the affects of the MAWC well was not in the ‘Deep Aquifer’ as had been asserted in MAWC’s permit application, but was instead in the shallow aquifer. Since MAWC’s pump test data showed that pumping from MAWC’s well would drawdown the water level in that well, and that well was in the shallow aquifer, it was clearly evidenced that MAWC’s operation would affect wells in the shallow aquifer. This entirely contradicts the assertion made by the DNRC that wells drilled into the deep aquifer would have no affect on the shallow aquifer wells and springs, thereby furthering and upgrading the understanding of our Valley’s water resources to include actual scientific data and analysis.
Experience Dr. Maddock’s research focus is on hydrologic capture processes, i.e. capture processes through computer modeling (there is no direct measurement in the field): what they are, why they are of critical interest, and how they are calculated. Has developed regional mathematical models and tools to determine capture that occurs from streambeds, evapotranspiration processes, and external inflows and outflows from regional boundaries. Water resources management and water resources systems; expert witness testimony for many legal cases in the western United States. Development of multiple packages of the U.S. Geological Survey’s groundwater-flow model, MODFLOW.
Testimony Dr. Maddock assisted in Dr. Weight’s and Dr. Myer’s analyses. He substantiated the assertions by Dr. Myers and Dr. Weight that the surface water bodies would be negatively impacted by the presence of the MAWC operation. He also provided crucial modeling insight and peer review of Dr. Weight’s numerical model during development, vastly speeding up its development and making it available in such a short time frame for presentation to the DNRC’s administrative hearing.
Professor of Engineering. Dr. Weight earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming in Mathematical Geology. He is a practicing hydrogeologist, a registered Professional Engineer in Montana, and President of his own Consulting Company. Dr Weight leads the Environmental Engineering track of Carroll’s Civil Engineering department and has been the Carroll EWB Chapter faculty mentor for the Guatemala Project since 2009.
He has 20 peer-reviewed articles and is most recently recognized for his newly released Hydrogeology Field Manual (2nd edition) published by McGraw-Hill. He teaches courses in Energy and Environment, Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Water Quality, Public Health & Environment, Field Methods, and Groundwater Modeling. He has also taught over 60 professional short courses, including some in Indonesia, Peru, and Mexico.
Testimony Dr. Weight created a computerized 3-dimensional numerical model to demonstrate the affects of water extraction from the MAWC bottling plant. He was able to do in a remarkably short time what the State of MT was not able to do — generate a numerical model that simulates the hydrogeology of much of the Flathead Valley in order to better understand the consequences of water extraction on the aquifers that underlay the valley’s floor. He showed that MAWC’s well’s operation would draw water down from the surface water sources to replace the water being extracted for bottling, thereby depleting or eliminating local surface water bodies such as springs that feed creeks, wetlands, and the sloughs which are such a vital aspect of our landscape. It was an immense leap forward in understanding the nature of our valley’s water and geology, an understanding which will serve the valley residents and policy makers for many years to come.
Testimony Ms. Siemens of Core Water Consulting in Kalispell, MT analyzed the MAWC water permit application for adherence to state mandated requirements for submission. She outlined numerous locations in the application where legally mandated information was missing or only partially available (i.e. the well characteristics of one of the observation wells: nobody knows how deep it is or where in the well the water flows from the aquifer into the well casing — both critical pieces of information in understanding its role as an observation well). She showed that the application as submitted was incapable of meeting MT Administrative Rules of compliance for a complete and accurate application.
Ms. Siemens also played a critical role in the development of the 3-dimensional groundwater flow model developed by Dr. Weight. Her in-depth knowledge of the geology, hydrology, and other features of the valley was relied upon heavily by Dr. Weight during the development and calibration phases of the projects evolution to make sure that the model accurately represented the actual physical characteristics of the valley.