Terms and Conditions

The Terms and Conditions were last updated on September 17, 2024

1. Introduction

These Terms and conditions apply to this website and to the transactions related to our products and services. You may be bound by additional contracts related to your relationship with us or any products or services that you receive from us. If any provisions of the additional contracts conflict with any provisions of these Terms, the provisions of these additional contracts will control and prevail.

2. Binding

By registering with, accessing, or otherwise using this website, you hereby agree to be bound by these Terms and conditions set forth below. The mere use of this website implies the knowledge and acceptance of these Terms and conditions. In some particular cases, we can also ask you to explicitly agree.

3. Electronic communication

By using this website or communicating with us by electronic means, you agree and acknowledge that we may communicate with you electronically on our website or by sending an email to you, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement, including but not limited to the requirement that such communications should be in writing.

4. Intellectual property

We or our licensors own and control all of the copyright and other intellectual property rights in the website and the data, information, and other resources displayed by or accessible within the website.

4.1 All the rights are reserved

Unless specific content dictates otherwise, you are not granted a license or any other right under Copyright, Trademark, Patent, or other Intellectual Property Rights. This means that you will not use, copy, reproduce, perform, display, distribute, embed into any electronic medium, alter, reverse engineer, decompile, transfer, download, transmit, monetize, sell, market, or commercialize any resources on this website in any form, without our prior written permission, except and only insofar as otherwise stipulated in regulations of mandatory law (such as the right to quote).

5. Newsletter

Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may forward our newsletter in the electronic form to others who may be interested in visiting our website.

6. Third-party property

Our website may include hyperlinks or other references to other party’s websites. We do not monitor or review the content of other party’s websites which are linked to from this website. Products or services offered by other websites shall be subject to the applicable Terms and Conditions of those third parties. Opinions expressed or material appearing on those websites are not necessarily shared or endorsed by us.

We will not be responsible for any privacy practices or content of these sites. You bear all risks associated with the use of these websites and any related third-party services. We will not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage in whatever manner, however caused, resulting from your disclosure to third parties of personal information.

7. Responsible use

By visiting our website, you agree to use it only for the purposes intended and as permitted by these Terms, any additional contracts with us, and applicable laws, regulations, and generally accepted online practices and industry guidelines. You must not use our website or services to use, publish or distribute any material which consists of (or is linked to) malicious computer software; use data collected from our website for any direct marketing activity, or conduct any systematic or automated data collection activities on or in relation to our website.

Engaging in any activity that causes, or may cause, damage to the website or that interferes with the performance, availability, or accessibility of the website is strictly prohibited.

8. Idea submission

Do not submit any ideas, inventions, works of authorship, or other information that can be considered your own intellectual property that you would like to present to us unless we have first signed an agreement regarding the intellectual property or a non-disclosure agreement. If you disclose it to us absent such written agreement, you grant to us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, store, adapt, publish, translate and distribute your content in any existing or future media.

9. Termination of use

We may, in our sole discretion, at any time modify or discontinue access to, temporarily or permanently, the website or any Service thereon. You agree that we will not be liable to you or any third party for any such modification, suspension or discontinuance of your access to, or use of, the website or any content that you may have shared on the website. You will not be entitled to any compensation or other payment, even if certain features, settings, and/or any Content you have contributed or have come to rely on, are permanently lost. You must not circumvent or bypass, or attempt to circumvent or bypass, any access restriction measures on our website.

10. Warranties and liability

Nothing in this section will limit or exclude any warranty implied by law that it would be unlawful to limit or to exclude. This website and all content on the website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and may include inaccuracies or typographical errors. We expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, as to the availability, accuracy, or completeness of the Content. We make no warranty that:

this website or our content will meet your requirements;
this website will be available on an uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free basis.

Nothing on this website constitutes or is meant to constitute, legal, financial or medical advice of any kind. If you require advice you should consult an appropriate professional.

The following provisions of this section will apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and will not limit or exclude our liability in respect of any matter which it would be unlawful or illegal for us to limit or to exclude our liability. In no event will we be liable for any direct or indirect damages (including any damages for loss of profits or revenue, loss or corruption of data, software or database, or loss of or harm to property or data) incurred by you or any third party, arising from your access to, or use of, our website.

Except to the extent any additional contract expressly states otherwise, our maximum liability to you for all damages arising out of or related to the website or any products and services marketed or sold through the website, regardless of the form of legal action that imposes liability (whether in contract, equity, negligence, intended conduct, tort or otherwise) will be limited to the total price that you paid to us to purchase such products or services or use the website. Such limit will apply in the aggregate to all of your claims, actions and causes of action of every kind and nature.

11. Privacy

To access our website and/or services, you may be required to provide certain information about yourself as part of the registration process. You agree that any information you provide will always be accurate, correct, and up to date.

We have developed a policy to address any privacy concerns you may have. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy and our Cookie Policy.

12. Accessibility

We are committed to making the content we provide accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and are unable to access any portion of our website due to your disability, we ask you to give us a notice including a detailed description of the issue you encountered. If the issue is readily identifiable and resolvable in accordance with industry-standard information technology tools and techniques we will promptly resolve it.

13. Export restrictions / Legal compliance

Access to the website from territories or countries where the Content or purchase of the products or Services sold on the website is illegal is prohibited. You may not use this website in violation of export laws and regulations of United States.

14. Assignment

You may not assign, transfer or sub-contract any of your rights and/or obligations under these Terms and conditions, in whole or in part, to any third party without our prior written consent. Any purported assignment in violation of this Section will be null and void.

15. Breaches of these Terms and conditions

Without prejudice to our other rights under these Terms and Conditions, if you breach these Terms and Conditions in any way, we may take such action as we deem appropriate to deal with the breach, including temporarily or permanently suspending your access to the website, contacting your internet service provider to request that they block your access to the website, and/or commence legal action against you.

16. Force majeure

Except for obligations to pay money hereunder, no delay, failure or omission by either party to carry out or observe any of its obligations hereunder will be deemed to be a breach of these Terms and conditions if and for as long as such delay, failure or omission arises from any cause beyond the reasonable control of that party.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses and expenses, relating to your violation of these Terms and conditions, and applicable laws, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights. You will promptly reimburse us for our damages, losses, costs and expenses relating to or arising out of such claims.

18. Waiver

Failure to enforce any of the provisions set out in these Terms and Conditions and any Agreement, or failure to exercise any option to terminate, shall not be construed as waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the validity of these Terms and Conditions or of any Agreement or any part thereof, or the right thereafter to enforce each and every provision.

19. Language

These Terms and Conditions will be interpreted and construed exclusively in English. All notices and correspondence will be written exclusively in that language.

20. Entire agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with our privacy policy and cookie policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and HydroFocus Inc. in relation to your use of this website.

21. Updating of these Terms and conditions

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. It is your obligation to periodically check these Terms and Conditions for changes or updates. The date provided at the beginning of these Terms and Conditions is the latest revision date. Changes to these Terms and Conditions will become effective upon such changes being posted to this website. Your continued use of this website following the posting of changes or updates will be considered notice of your acceptance to abide by and be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

22. Choice of Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of United States. Any disputes relating to these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of United States. If any part or provision of these Terms and Conditions is found by a court or other authority to be invalid and/or unenforceable under applicable law, such part or provision will be modified, deleted and/or enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to give effect to the intent of these Terms and Conditions. The other provisions will not be affected.

23. Contact information

This website is owned and operated by HydroFocus Inc..

You may contact us regarding these Terms and Conditions through our contact page.

24. Download

You can also download our Terms and Conditions as a PDF.

Steven Deverel - Resumé

Qualifications

Steven Deverel has over 30 years of hydrologic problem-solving experience in the western United States. Dr. Deverel analyzes groundwater systems, quantifies chemical and physical processes in soils and groundwater, and evaluates groundwater- and surface-water quality. He is a registered Professional Hydrologist certified by the American Institute of Hydrology, a California licensed Professional Geologist and a Texas licensed Professional Geoscientist.

Dr. Deverel:

Conducts surface and groundwater quality assessments.
Develops models to evaluate water movement and solute transport.
Quantifies chemical and physical processes in the saturated and unsaturated subsurface.
Applies statistical techniques to analyze land and water resources.
Determines water sources using geochemical and age-dating techniques
Evaluates subsidence and subsidence mitigation

Professional Experience

February 1996 to present

Consulting Hydrologist in Private Practice and Principal Hydrologist and co-founder, HydroFocus, Inc. since January 1998—Davis, CA

Recent example experience includes the following.

Hydrologic analysis and modeling of proposed development.
Groundwater hydrologic and quality analysis related to agriculture.
Expert witness for groundwater contamination litigation which includes extensive data collection and groundwater flow and solute transport modeling.
Provided expert testimony in Delta island flooding litigation on subsidence-related causes of levee failure.
Geochemical analysis and groundwater and heat flow modeling of stream aquifer interactions in agricultural watersheds in northern California.
Evaluation of subsurface flow and seepage. Used water isotopes and modeling to determine effects, rates and nature of leakage.
Evaluation of groundwater supply, flow and quality in relation to land and water management practices in various locations in California.
Evaluation of processes affecting water quality—Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Field data collection and modeling to estimate organic carbon, mercury and salt load for different wetland and agricultural water management practices.
Measurement and modeling of subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Consulting hydrologist for agricultural coalitions in the Central Valley, California.
Evaluation of subsidence mitigation strategies—Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California. Field data collection and modeling to evaluate water quality effects (including mercury) of different wetland management strategies for stopping and reversing the effects of subsidence.

1994 to 1996

Senior Hydrologist, Hydrologic Consultants, Inc.—Davis, CA

Consulting assignments included the following:

Evaluated sea water intrusion, nitrate contamination and flow of groundwater and nitrate movement in unsaturated zone—Salinas Valley, California.
Analyzed water supply and quality issues—Santa Ynez Valley, California.
Developed water resources element of city General Plan—City of Lompoc.
Advised California Department of Water Resources on issues relating to subsidence in organic soils—Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Quantified geochemical processes and groundwater flow for gold mining operations—northern Nevada.

1991 to 1994

Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey—Sacramento, CA

Assistant District Chief: Guided hydrologic research, investigations and data collection programs throughout California:

Supervised and planned research of land- and water-management effects on subsidence and carbon fluxes—Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Facilitated interactions among diverse projects and personnel.
Developed and maintained projects investigating processes affecting land and water resources.
Communicated research results to the resource management community and other audiences using published reports and oral presentations.
Established long range research and data collection activities.
Responsible for over 100 employees and an annual budget of over $11 million.

1984 to 1991

Research Geochemist, U.S. Geological Survey—Sacramento, CA

Project leader: Directed studies of processes affecting constituent mobility and transport. Evaluated transport processes in aqueous and gaseous phases. Conducted regional, subregional and local scale studies. Guided an interdisciplinary team that integrated multi-scaled data:

Defined water and solute movement to agricultural drainage systems.
Identified processes affecting trace element mobility in soil and water.
Evaluated and implement statistical methods.
Directed hydrologic study of water quality, carbon fluxes and subsidence in organic soils—Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:
- Identified processes affecting subsidence.
- Related carbon fluxes from organic soils to subsidence and global carbon balance.
- Developed water and land management strategies for reducing subsidence.
- Determined water management effects on drainage water quality.

Academic Background

Ph.D., June 1983, Soil and Water Science, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California at Davis
Bachelor of Science, December 1979, Agricultural Science and Management, University of California at Davis
Instructor, “Ground-water Solute Transport Concepts”, USGS Denver Training Center, 1988-1993
Lecturer, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources and Associate in the Experiment Station, University of California at Davis, 1988-1992
Post-graduate dissertation, thesis and oral examination committee member for University of California, Davis Hydrologic Sciences graduate students, 2001-present

Professional Affilications

American Geophysical Union
American Institute of Hydrology - registered Professional Hydrologist
California Groundwater Resources Association
International Association of Hydrogeologists

Relevant Publications

Vadose-Zone Hydrology, Biogeochemistry and Subsidence

Deverel, Steven J.; Bachand, Sandra; Brandenberg, Scott J.; Jones, Cathleen E.; Stewart, Jonathan P.; & Zimmaro, Paolo. 2016. Factors and Processes Affecting Levee System Vulnerability. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(4). jmie_sfewss_33460. Retrieved from: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/36t9s0mp

Deverel, Steven J., Ingrum, T., Lucero, Cl, and Drexler, J.Z., 2014, Impounded Marshes on Subsided Islands: Simulated Vertical Accretion, Processes, and Effects, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA USA. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science 12(2). jmie_sfews_12893. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/0qm0w92c.

Jaclyn A. Hatala, Matteo Detto, Oliver Sonnentag, Steven J. Deverel, Joseph Verfaillie, Dennis D. Baldocchi, 2012, Greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, H2O) fluxes from drained and flooded agricultural peatlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment , 150,1-18.

Cathleen Jones, Gerald Bawden, Steven Deverel, Joel Dudas, Scott Hensley, 2011, Characterizing land surface changes and levee stability in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using UAVSAR radar imagery, IGARSS2011 Proceedings

Deverel, S.J. and Leighton, D.A., 2010, Historic, recent and future subsidence, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA, San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 8(2) http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/7xd4x0xw

Drexler, Judith Z., de Fontaine, Christian S., Deverel, S.J., 2009, The legacy of wetland drainage on the peat resource in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA, Wetlands, 29, 372–386

Deverel, S.J., Thomas, J., Decker, D., Earman, S. and Mihevc, T, 2005, Groundwater evaporation estimates using stable isotope and chloride data, Yelland Playa, Spring Valley, Nevada, Desert Research Institute Division of Hydrologic Sciences, DHS publication 41219

D.A. Cohen, S.J. Deverel, L.A. Johnson, 1998, Feasibility Study of Differential SAR Interferometry for Subsidence Monitoring in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, IGARSS'98 Proceedings , pp1629-1631

Deverel, S.J., Wang, Bronwen and Rojstaczer, S.A., 1998, Subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, in (Borchers, J.W., ed.) Proceedings of the Joseph Poland Subsidence Symposium, Association of Engineering Geologists, Special Publication No. 8, Star Publishing, Belmont, California, pp. 489-502.

Deverel, S.J., Rojstazcer, S.A. 1996, Subsidence of agricultural lands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Role of aqueous and gaseous carbon fluxes, Water Resources Research, 32, 2359-2367.

Rojstazcer, S.A. and Deverel, S.J., 1995, Land subsidence in drained histosols and highly organic mineral soils of California, Soil Science Society of America Journal, 59:1162-1167.

Rojstaczer, S.A. and Deverel, S.J., 1993, Time dependence in atmospheric carbon inputs from drainage of organic soils, Geophysical Research Letters, 20, 1383-1386.

Fio, J.L., Fujii, R. and Deverel, S.J., 1991, Evaluation of selenium mobility in soil using sorption experiments and a numerical model, western San Joaquin Valley, California, Soil Science Society of America Journal, 55, 1313-1320.

Rojstaczer, S.A., Hamon, R.E., Deverel, S.J. and Massey, C.A., 1991, Evaluation of selected data to assess the causes of subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 91 -193.

Fujii, Roger, Deverel, S.J. and D.B. Hatfield, 1988, Distribution of selenium in soils of agricultural fields, Western San Joaquin Valley, California, Soil Science Society America Journal, 52, 1274-1283.

Deverel, S.J., L.D. Whittig and K.K. Tanji, 1986, Sulfate reduction and calcium carbonate equilibria in a Central California histosol, Soil Science Society of America Journal, 50, 1189-1193.

Tanji, K.K., and Deverel, S.J., 1984, Simulation modeling for reclamation of sodic soils, in Soil salinity under irrigation-processes and management, Shainberg, I., and Shalhevet, J., eds., Springer-Verlag, Berlin

Groundwater Geochemistry and Quality

Deverel, S.J., Goldberg, S. and R. Fujii, 2012, Chemistry of trace elements in soils and groundwater In Tanji et al (eds) Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management Manual, American Society of Civil Engineers. Manual 71, 2nd edition.

Deverel, S.J., Leighton, David A. and Finlay, Mark R., 2007. Processes Affecting Agricultural Drainwater Quality and Organic Carbon Loads in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science. Vol. 5, Issue 2 (May), Article 2. http://repositories.cdlib.org/jmie/sfews/vol5/iss2/art2

Deverel, S.J., Fio, J.L., Dubrovsky, N.M., 1994, Distribution and mobility of selenium in groundwater in the western San Joaquin Valley of California in Selenium in the Environment, Benson, S. and Frankenburger, W. (eds). Marcel Decker, New York.

Dubrovsky, N.M., Deverel, S.J. and Gilliom, R.J., 1993, Multiscale approach to regional groundwater quality assessment: selenium in the San Joaquin Valley, California in Regional Ground-water Quality (Alley, W.M, editor), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Deverel, S.J. and Fio, J.L., 1991, Groundwater flow and solute movement to drain laterals, western San Joaquin Valley, California. I. Geochemical assessment, Water Resources Research, 27, 2233 - 2246.

Deverel, S.J. and R. Fujii, 1990, Chemistry of trace elements in soils and groundwater In Tanji et al (eds) Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management Manual, American Society of Civil Engineers.

McNeal, J.M., Feder, G.L., Wilbur, W.G. and Deverel, S.J., 1990, Environmental concerns related to selenium in the Western United States in Proceedings of a U.S. Geological Survey Workshop on Environmental Geochemistry (Doe, B.R., ed.) U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1033.

Deverel, S.J. and S.P. Millard, 1988, Distribution and mobility of selenium and other trace elements in shallow ground water of the western San Joaquin Valley, California, Environmental Science and Technology, 22, 697-702.

Deverel, S.J. and Roger Fujii, 1988, Processes affecting the distribution of selenium in shallow groundwater of agricultural areas, Western San Joaquin Valley, California, Water Resources Research, 24, 516-524.

Fujii, Roger and S.J. Deverel, 1988, Mobility and distribution of selenium and salinity In groundwater and soil of drained agricultural fields, western San Joaquin Valley, California: In Jacobs, L.W. and others (ed.), Selenium in Agriculture and the Environment: American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, Special Publication no. 23, pp. 195-212.

Deverel, S.J., Gilliom, R.J., Fujii, Roger, Izbicki, J.A., and Fields, J.C., 1984, Distribution of selenium and other inorganic constituents in shallow ground water of the San Luis Drain Service Area, San Joaquin Valley, California: A preliminary study, U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigation Report 84-4319.

Deverel, S.J., 1985, Selenium in the San Joaquin Valley of California In 1984 National Water Summary, U.S.G.S. Water Supply Paper 2275.

Statistics

Deverel, S.J., 1989, Geostatistical and principal-component analysis of ground-water chemistry and soil-salinity data, San Joaquin Valley, California, In Ragone, S. (ed.) Regional characterization of water quality, International Association of Hydrologic Sciences Publication no. 182 pp. 11-18.

Millard, S.P. and S.J. Deverel, 1988, Non-parametric statistical methods for comparing two sites based on data with multiple non-detect limits, Water Resources Research, 24, 2087-2098.

Ground Water Hydrology

Deverel, S.J. and Gallanthine, S.K., 1989, Distribution of salinity and selenium in relation to hydrologic and geochemical processes, San Joaquin Valley, California, Journal of Hydrology 109, 125-149.

Deverel, S.J., 1988, Geohydrologic aspects of water-quality problems of the San Joaquin Valley, California, Proceedings on Planning Now for Irrigation and Drainage, Irrigation and Drainage Division, American Society of Civil Engineers, Lincoln, Nebraska, July, 1988 pp. 694-699 (invited paper).

Fio, J.L. and Deverel, S.J., 1991, Groundwater flow and solute movement to drain laterals, western San Joaquin Valley, California, II. Quantitative hydrologic assessment, Water Resources Research, 27, 2247 - 2257.

Fio, J.L. and Deverel, S.J., 1990, Interaction of shallow ground water and subsurface drains: Implications for selenium transport and distribution in the western San Joaquin Valley, Groundwater, 28,788-789.

Sustainability

Deverel, Steven J.; Bachand, Sandra; Brandenberg, Scott J.; Jones, Cathleen E.; Stewart, Jonathan P.; & Zimmaro, Paolo, 2016. Factors and Processes Affecting Delta Levee System Vulnerability. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 14(4). jmie_sfews_33460. Retrieved from: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/36t9s0mp

Deverel, Steven J.; Lucero, Christina E.; & Bachand, Sandra. 2015. Evolution of Arability and Land Use, Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 13(2). jmie_sfews_27914. Retrieved from: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5nv2698k

Deverel, S.J., 2012, Impacts of irrigation in California, USA and relevance for the Brazilian semi-arid region (in Portuguese), ITEM, Irrigação e Tecnologia Moderna, Publication of the Brazilian Association of Irrigation and Drainage