Expert Witness
Hydrology, Water, & Engineering
Brian LaCas, P.Eng., FEC
Senior Hydrotechnical Engineer/Hydrologist
Hydrology, Water, & Engineering
Brian LaCas, P.Eng., FEC
Senior Hydrotechnical Engineer/Hydrologist
HYDROLOGY EXPERT WITNESS | FLOODS EXPERT WITNESS | DRAINAGE EXPERT WITNESS | FORENSIC FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT |
MVA EXPERT WITNESS
SPECIALIZATION
Brian Lacas is founder and President of LaCas Consultants Inc. (LCI), a hydrology and hydrotechnical consulting engineering company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada since 1991. His career and expertise span over three decades of hydrotechnical engineering, specializing in the modeling of surface water resource systems, forensic hydrology, hydraulics, as well as alternative flood control mitigation. He has been qualified as an expert witness in the Supreme Court of Canada and has vast experience testifying as an expert witness.
Brian is a Registered Professional Engineer: Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia, Canada. His education and training include a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (B.A.Sc.) in Civil Engineering (Water Resources Option) from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in 1981. In 2004 he completed a Proper Functioning Condition Trainer Program (US Bureau of Land Management), and a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional Program, U.S. Green Building Council. 2005 garnered him an Expert Witness Seminar Certificate of Completion, Engineers & Geoscientists, BC.
Brian specializes as a court recognized Expert Witness Hydrologist and Hydrotechnical Engineer (Water Resources Engineering Consultant), providing expert opinions, review, and rebuttal reports. He offers court expertise specializing in the analysis of floods, flooding and floodplains, stormwater and drainage, dams and reservoirs, rivers, streams plus Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) road flooding. He is an expert in, and is qualified to testify on the following:
In 2019, Brian received the Certificate of Fellowship (FEC) from Engineers Canada, in honour of exceptional contributions to the engineering profession in Canada. Since 2002, he has been a technical reviewer for the Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia, carrying out confidential reviews of Professional Engineers for standard practice review and has provided technical support for potential disciplinary action by the association. As a former Toastmaster, Brian engages frequently in public speaking, explaining technical terminology in lay terms to assist the court.
His experience covers in excess of 500 projects, including:
AWARDS
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
EXPERT OPINIONS
1997 Shapiro & Hankinson, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for ENCON insurers after detailed review of rainfall runoff calculations of a Vancouver based engineering firm (Defendant).
1998: Bellamy & Long, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on flooding on Arnold Creek in Chilliwack, BC.
2001: Scarlett Manson Angus, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion relating to the alleged flooding of 6092-224th Street in Langley, BC for Alantic Contractors Ltd. (Defendant).
2002: George Kincaid and Sharon Radcliffe, West Vancouver, BC
Expert opinion regarding drainage onto the Kincaid/Radcliffe property (Plaintiff).
2003: Murdy & McAllister, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion regarding land drainage at #24-35060 Clayburn Road, Abbotsford, BC for the City of Abbotsford (Defendant).
2003: Lindsay Kenny, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on impact of fill on Brohm Lake levels near Squamish, BC for local contractor (Defendant).
2003: Lindsay Kenny, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on drainage at Westwood Plateau Golf Course in Coquitlam, BC (Defendant).
2004: Miller Thomson, Barristers & Solicitors, 2004
Expert opinion as part of legal team on bridge hydraulics, flooding including review of memoranda and site visit for a MVA in Langley, BC (Defendant).
2007: Whitelaw Twinning, Barristers & Solicitors, 2007
Expert opinion regarding land drainage issues at Westwood Plateau Golf Course, Coquitlam, BC (Defendant).
2012: Alexander, Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP – Langley, BC
Expert opinion relating to the alleged flooding of a business on the Langley Bypass (Defendant).
2013: Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for the Tyson Creek Hydroelectric Project, Sechelt, BC relating to hydrology, lake taps, turbidity, sediment, and responsibilities of hydrologists. (Defendant).
2015: Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a drainage problem in Comox, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant).
2019: Morelli Chertkow, LLP
Millard v. Village of Cache Creek, Cache Creek, BC, (Plaintiff) [on-going].
Expert opinion on flooding on Lopez Creek.
2019: Morelli Chertkow, LLP
Kuipers v. City of Kamloops et. al., Jorgensen v. City of Kamloops et. al., Kamloops, BC, (Plaintiff)
Expert opinion on flooding on unnamed gulley.
2018: Rush, Ihas, Hardwick, LLP
Waterway Houseboats Ltd. et. al. v. HMTQ et. al. (Plaintiff), Sicamous, BC.
Expert opinion on flooding on Sicamous Creek.
2018: Whitelaw Twinning, Barristers & Solicitors, 2018
Expert opinion regarding flooding and land drainage issues near Silver Star Mountain, BC (Defendant).
2018: Alexander Hollyburn Beaudin + Lang LLP
Fletcher v. Wallberg, Victoria Registry (Defendant) [on-going].
Expert opinion on road and land drainage issues in Saanich, BC.
2017: Bernard LLP
Bandrova Farms Ltd. v. District of Kent, Vancouver Registry, (Plaintiff).
Expert opinion on flooding issues along Fraser River within District of Kent.
2019: Branch McMaster, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for road drainage issues for MVA in Chilliwack, BC Cache Creek, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant).
2019: Branch McMaster, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Cache Creek, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Plaintiff) [on-going].
2019: Edwards, Kenny & Bray LLP
Expert Opinion on restoration of Brooklyn and Pup Creeks in Brooklyn, BC, including a hydrological assessment.
2019: Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Naramata, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant) [on-going].
2019: Kwasnicki Law Corporation
Expert opinion for a land drainage issue in West Kelowna, BC (Defendant)
2019: Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Naramata, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant) [on-going].
2019: Kwasnicki Law Corporation
Expert opinion for a land drainage issue in West Kelowna, BC (Defendant)
ABOUT THE LCI GROUP
Brian Lacas and the LCI Group provide innovative and cost effective engineering solutions, offering a wide range of professional services, including but not limited to the following:
Rainfall
Rainfall Analyses and Return Period
Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves
Weather Radar Image Interpretation
Rivers
Water Surface Profile Modeling
Gravel Removal Planning
Riverbank Protection Design
Drainage
Numerical Stormwater Runoff Modeling
Ditch/Channel Hydraulics & Road Drainage
Pump Stations & Hydraulic Gates
Snowmelt
Snowpack Analysis
Altitude Temperature Adjustment
Snowmelt Analysis
Flooding
Forensic Flood Hazard Assessment
River Flood Construction Levels
Floodplain Inundation & Evacuation Planning
Structures
Dikes, Bridge, Culvert & Canal Hydraulics
River Pipeline Crossings
Spillway and Reservoir Routing
Streamflow
Regional Hydrological Analysis
Flood Frequency Analysis
Watershed Numerical Modeling
Ocean
Numerical Wave Modeling
Coastal Flood Construction Levels
Seawall and Shoreline Protection
Mining
Mine Water Management Project Planning
Ditch & Sedimentation Pond Design
Dam Safety Inspection
MNP Tower
1021 West Hastings Street
Suite 900
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6E 0C3
Main Telephone: 604.688.2535
Facsimile: 604.588.5101
Brian@thelcigroup.com
LaCas Consultants Inc. (LCI)
www.theLCIgroup.com
Innovative and Cost Effective Hydrotechnical Engineering Solutions. thelcigroup.com
| HYDROLOGY | RIVER MODELLING | RIVER & OCEAN FLOOD CONTROL | FORENSIC ENGINEERING | MINE WATER MANAGEMENT |