Happy Anniversary to Zan, Brian, and Eric!

Zan Rubin worked with Balance from 2005-2007 and again since 2015, 2018 marks his fifth year working with Balance. Zan spent his time away from Balance earning his Ph.D. in Environmental Planning from University of California, Berkeley and his M.S. Geosciences from Colorado State University. We’re pleased Zan returned to Balance, bringing with him the knowledge gained while working on his dissertation which focused on restoration effectiveness monitoring “Metrics and Approaches for Quantifying Ecosystem Impacts and Restoration Success,“ Zan systematically analyzed the methods and metrics used in 26 studies of stream restoration projects that sought to increase habitat heterogeneity. Since returning to Balance his projects have included sediment transport, water quality, channel evolution, watershed assessments, stream, and wetland restoration design projects. Currently, Zan is wrapping up a two-year hydrologic study to evaluate pond habitats in Joseph D. Grant Park, Santa Clara County. Zan can also be found teaching at UC Berkeley’s RiverLab.

Brian Hastings is celebrating his 15th year with Balance. Brian started out in our Berkeley office, then transferred to the Truckee office. Brian is a professional geologist with over 21 years of experience addressing water resource issues and has worked in five western states with particular experience with the restoration of mountain and high-desert streams, montane meadows, and wetland habitats. In 2017 Brian earned his UAS Remote Pilot license, using a DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter, he conducts aerial assessments including reconnaissance and time-lapse, oblique and plan view aerial photography, and orthomosaic photographs. Brian manages the City of Reno effort for implementing a stormwater monitoring program for the larger regional permit area, primarily to monitor and assess current conditions, analyze trends, and identify improvements to the monitoring program and that will eventually lead to the implementation of new stormwater management strategies for selected areas. Brian has led many watershed assessments creating a comprehensive inventory and basic description of recommended restoration actions; these assessments have led to many stream restoration projects in Coastal California, the Upper Klamath Basin, and the Sierra Nevada including the restoration of the Little Truckee River, where Balance partnered with Trout Unlimited to enhance fish habitat.

Eric Riedner celebrates his 16th year with Balance; he is a licensed professional engineer in both California and Wisconsin, with a background in surface water hydrology and hydraulics, flood control and floodplain management, riparian restoration, and urban runoff treatment design. On the day of Eric’s interview, he was given a pair of Wellies and went on his first site visit at Refugio Creek, this was the first and last time Eric wore a suit and tie in the field. Eric is a senior hydraulic and hydrologic modeler using a variety of platforms including HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS (one- and two-dimensions), SRH-1D, and SRH-2D used for FEMA floodplain mapping, dam break simulations, sediment transport and scour analyses, design feasibility assessments, CEQA analyses, and stormwater management plans. For the past couple of years, Eric’s project work has been focused on assisting Stanford University to assess downstream sediment and flood impacts associated with various project alternatives for Searsville Dam.