OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE
SOURCING WATER RIGHTS
Water supplies can vary drastically from year to year in the Western United States. At the Aqua Exchange, we have helped both municipal and agricultural clients transfer both short-term and long-term water resources for supplemental water in drought years, water for storage in wet years and permanent water rights purchases to satisfy the requirements of their city or agricultural operation for the long-term.
​
Oftentimes potential market participants, both public and private, want to know what current market rates are for water in a particular region or water type, and the historical cost trends of these water supplies. The Aqua Exchange monitors transactions in a variety of basins across the Western United States and can provide you with a holistic perspective of cost trends for a particular water type.
DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
As water rights become more scarce, many jurisdictions are requiring that new developments provide water supplies to dedicate to the city where the development will be located prior to issuing building permits. Aqua Exchange provides advisory services to developers to identify the types of water that will satisfy the permitting requirements and assistance in acquiring the water resources necessary for the long-term needs of the project. We also assist development groups in identifying water supplies to assist during construction activities such as grading water.
REGULATORY ADVISORY SERVICES
For water rights transactions, sourcing water is just the first step. Successful water rights transfers further require the regulatory permitting to approve the transaction and oftentimes require “wheeling agreements” which move the water from one place to another. The Aqua Exchange has navigated these complex regulatory and transfer challenges and has the expertise to assist you with getting your water rights transaction from concept to execution.
WATER RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
Years of plentiful water supplies can often precede drought conditions and vice versa, making forward planning an important element of any water rights management program. At the Aqua Exchange, we have a long track record of providing water rights management advisory services to assist with forward planning and water rights management. This includes water banking and supplemental water strategies as well as forward planning to mitigate future water supply risks.
“The team at the Aqua Exchange (Todd & Jeff) have assisted us with advisory services related to development in our Southern California market. Their expertise in the intricacies of water supply and their knowledge at the cross section of water supplies and their implications on real estate development has been very helpful in our project’s rollout.”
—Jonathan Weldy, President of Meridian Land Development
STATES WE OPERATE IN
Case Study:
Supplemental Water Supplies for an Agricultural Client
Aqua Exchange has worked with a large agricultural operator for a number of years to assist them in determining potential options for supplemental water in drought conditions. During the last drought, many entities including this operator needed supplemental water supplies to address the lack of water delivered in the drought year. The Aqua Exchange team was able to find water supplies on the open market and navigate the regulatory and transfer hurdles to deliver this water successfully to the client during the growing season.
Case Study:
Long-Term Water Supplies for a Master Planned Community
Over the last two years, the Aqua Exchange has worked with a large master planned community to identify water supplies and address their long-term needs. Aqua Exchange staff has assisted them in long-term planning for future water rights purchases, secured short-term water leases necessary for their construction phase and assisted them in working with the local water agency to discuss long-term planning and future water supply needs.
Case Study:
Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority
In conjunction with project lead the Capitol Core Group, Todd and Jeff have worked with the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) since 2019 on implementing their Groundwater Sustainability Plan. The IWGA covers parts of San Bernardino, Kern and Inyo Counties in California and is home to the China Lake Naval Weapons Air Station, a critical Navy research and development base. The Basin must bring its groundwater overdraft into sustainability by 2040. To achieve this, we are working with the Groundwater Authority to secure between 3-5,000 acre-feet of permanent water supplies and the agreements to deliver that water through neighboring agencies.