Legal disputes involving water are rarely clear cut. That’s where High Water Mark comes in. We specialize in helping legal teams understand, translate and leverage complex hydrologic, stormwater and civil engineering evidence in support of your case theory.
Led by Chad Ballard, PE, CFM — an experienced expert witness and civil engineer with a background in public infrastructure and environmental restoration — we provide strategic guidance and authoritative testimony that holds up under scrutiny.
From poorly designed detention basins to overwhelmed culverts and disputed flow paths, we reconstruct storm events and evaluate drainage systems using forensic modeling tools and design standards. Chad’s stormwater analyses have been central to successful verdicts and settlements in dozens of cases.
Water is a shared resource — and a frequent legal battleground. We analyze historic flow records, diversion structures and hydrologic data to assess compliance, quantify impacts and clarify rights under state and local codes.
Challenging a FEMA map revision? We offer technical analysis and support for Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) and Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) filings, as well as litigation involving floodplain designation disputes.
Depending on the scope and access to data, we deliver reports in as little as 3–6 weeks. Rush services are available upon request.
Yes, Chad has testified in multiple jurisdictions and supported several water-related cases.
Absolutely. We frequently support alternative dispute resolution with clear technical positions and visual aids.
We focus exclusively on water and expert-level insight. Chad Ballard combines decades of engineering with courtroom-tested experience. We don’t offer every kind of service — we specialize in the ones that matter most in high-stakes environments.
We use industry-standard tools including:
Yes. We understand the demands of legal schedules and project deadlines. We prioritize scoping early and deliver clear, deadline-driven workplans for all clients.
Chad holds active PE licenses in multiple states and can obtain temporary licensure if needed. We’re experienced in multi-jurisdictional projects and are happy to assist with compliance review before engagements.
Frequently. We partner with architecture/engineering firms, attorneys and municipalities as a subconsultant, joint expert or technical reviewer depending on the scope.