Brian Hastings is a geomorphologist and professional registered geologist in California and Oregon with over 24 years’ experience in watershed sciences, fluvial processes, and water resource issues. Since 2003, Brian has been one of Balance’s leaders in geomorphic and watershed assessments, post-fire hydrology, stream restoration, and fish habitat enhancement. His restoration designs are based on a geomorphic approach, focused on restoring processes, with techniques that reflect years of streamflow and sediment gaging, aerial photograph interpretation, geomorphic mapping, and hydrologic analyses. He oversees construction and implementation, often of his own designs, and manages post-construction monitoring for up to 10-years after project implementation. Brian has completed restoration projects across California, Nevada, and Oregon including the Truckee River Basin, Klamath River Basin, Columbia River Basin, and streams along the Central California Coast. Separately, Brian is a certified UAV remote pilot and uses drone technology to support his stream and wetland reconnaissance, geomorphic mapping, post-flood evaluation, and fluvial and landform imagery for assessment and interpretation. Throughout his career Brian has been involved in a broad spectrum of projects throughout the Western United States from soil and groundwater contamination studies for an environmental consulting firm to water rights measurement and evaluations for the State of New Mexico Engineers Office, and evaluation of watershed restoration efficacy for the U.S. National Park Service. Outside of work, Brian and his family often find themselves on an adventure, domestic and foreign, in the mountains, deserts, or on a river.

  • California PG 8373
  • Oregon PG G2258
  • M.S. Watershed Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 2002
  • B.A. Geology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, 1995
  • Juneau Icefield Research Program, Southeast Alaska, 1994
  • North Fork Sprague River Restoration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath County, OR
  • Upper Penitencia Creek Mitigation and Habitat Enhancement Project, Valley Transit Authority, Santa Clara County, CA
  • Coho Salmon High-Water Refuge and Rearing Habitat Enhancement, Santa Cruz RCD, Santa Cruz County, CA
  • Increasing suspended-sediment loads in a semi-arid mountain basin in a changing climate: Implications for water resource management and aquatic habitat in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, Nevada-Placer Counties, CA (In Preparation)
  • Geologic Influence on Sediment Supply and Transport, Case Study from Laguna Creek and Majors Creek, Santa Cruz California, presentation: River Restoration Northwest, Stevenson, Washington
  • Sediment yield from a rapidly eroding pinon-juniper woodland: Response to slash treatment, 2004, J. of Env. Quality, v.32, p. 1290-1298.

I get to witness the results of a restoration project on improved ecological richness, integrity, and functions.

I enjoy the company of dedicated professionals and their desire to do good.

Mountain biking, alpine skiing, skate skiing, rock climbing, home improvement, photography, and music.