The water budget analysis, or water balance, is a highly effective tool that relates local climatic, geologic and land use conditions to the quantity of water available for ground water recharge and surface water runoff. Alpha personnel have extensive experience and training with the method and have adapted it to assess issues such as:

Determining the quantity of water that will flow into an excavation or mine. Assessing the effects on the water table or aquifer by changing drainage patterns and ground cover during site development. Evaluating impacts to the water table or aquifer level by sustained withdrawals due to well fields, excavation dewatering or mine dewatering. Assessing water balance and cumulative impacts by interbasin water resource transfers. Assessing ground water impacts from subsurface injection of septic waste.

The following are examples of specific types of projects for which Alpha has applied this technique.

Predictied changes in the water table from a proposed housing development. Assessed the potential for an aquifer to meet the requirements of proposed golf course and recreational complex in the New York City Watershed. Evaluated the effects on local springs and trout streams by converting forest land to a golf course and recreational facility in the New York City Watershed. Assessed the yield potential of a drainage basin for a municipal water supply in the New York City Watershed.

Evaluated the effects on the water table by quarrying below the water table and creating a lake. Established aquifer recharge zones to assist a municipality in planning for residential development. Evaluated reservoir yeild for muinicipal water supply and performed drought analysis.