Stetson Engineers Inc

What Stetson Engineers Inc does

Stetson Engineers Inc. is an independent, employee-owned water resources engineering consulting firm founded in 1957 by Thomas Stetson and headquartered in San Rafael, California. The firm operates as a professional engineering practice serving three primary customer segments: federal agencies (including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Justice, and U.S. Marine Corps), local water districts and conservation agencies, and Indian tribes across the western United States. It maintains five office locations across California (San Rafael, Covina, Carlsbad), Arizona (Apache Junction), and Oregon (Medford), plus operational reach into Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Washington.

The firm's service portfolio spans fourteen interconnected practice areas covering the full project lifecycle: civil engineering design and construction management, flood and stormwater management, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling using HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS 1D/2D, MIKE FLOOD, and RiverWare, groundwater basin evaluation and modeling, water rights consultation and watermaster services, reservoir and river system operations, irrigation engineering, water and recycled water engineering, watershed management and restoration, water quality monitoring, GIS and database services, inundation mapping for dam safety, expert witness testimony in water rights disputes, and a dedicated Indian Country services offering for tribal clients.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees, retainer contracts with government agencies, and on-call professional services agreements with water districts, with the firm serving as prime contractor or subcontractor under multi-year federal contracts. Marketing and business development rely almost entirely on institutional reputation, professional relationships built over decades, technical advisory appointments, and expert credibility in water rights litigation rather than active sales campaigns.

Name

Stetson Engineers Inc

Legal name

Stetson Engineers Inc.

Website

https://stetsonengineers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stetson Engineers Inc. is an employee-owned water resources engineering consulting firm founded in 1957 in San Rafael, California, serving federal agencies, water districts, and Indian tribes across the western United States with modeling, groundwater, water rights, and dam safety expertise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ), Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Water resources engineering
• Civil engineering consulting
• Groundwater basin evaluation
• Hydrologic hydraulic modeling
• Watershed management services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering consulting services including civil engineering design, construction management, water resources planning, hydraulic modeling, groundwater studies, and expert witness testimony. Revenue generated through project-based fees, retainer contracts with government agencies, and on-call professional services agreements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Stetson Engineers is a water resources engineering consulting firm providing specialized professional services in civil engineering design and construction management, water rights consultation and watermaster services, groundwater resources evaluation, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, flood and stormwater management, watershed management and restoration, irrigation engineering, reservoir and river system operations, water quality, GIS and database services, dam inundation mapping, and expert witness testimony for water rights disputes. The firm serves federal agencies, water districts, Indian tribes, municipalities, and private clients across the western United States under multi-year contracts, on-call professional services agreements, and court-appointed watermaster appointments.

Product overview

Stetson Engineers Inc is a water resources engineering consulting firm providing specialized professional services since 1957. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected engineering and consulting services organized around water resources management. Core offerings include civil engineering design and construction management, flood and stormwater management, water rights consultation and watermaster services, groundwater resources evaluation, irrigation engineering, reservoir and river system operations modeling, watershed management and restoration, water quality programs, GIS and database services, and inundation mapping for dam safety. The firm also provides expert witness and litigation support for water rights disputes, and dedicated services for tribal (Indian Country) water projects. These services work together to address the full spectrum of water resource challenges facing clients across the western United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Engineering Design and Construction Management Full project lifecycle support from concept through construction, including design, alternative evaluation, permitting, topographic land surveying, and construction document preparation for water system storage, distribution, and conveyance projects; serving water and wastewater clients in the western United States.
• Flood and Stormwater Management Hydraulic and civil engineering analysis for flood and stormwater management at watershed-wide or residential development scales, applying hydrology expertise to develop site-specific solutions for public agencies and developers.
• Expert Witness, Negotiations, and Litigation Support Expert witness testimony and litigation support for water rights disputes in federal and state court proceedings, including surface water rights and groundwater cases that have shaped western water law.
• GIS and Database Services Geographic information systems and database services including water rights determination, groundwater storage analysis, water use calculations, and custom web mapping application development for client-facing data access.
• Groundwater Resources Groundwater supply and basin evaluations including field work, well drilling, testing, hydrogeologic analysis, and numerical modeling for private, state, federal, and tribal clients throughout the western United States.
• Inundation Mapping Dam inundation mapping and Emergency Action Plan (EAP) preparation services using HEC-RAS 1D/2D unsteady-flow hydraulic modeling and GIS to comply with California SB 92 and FEMA P-946 guidelines.
• Irrigation Engineering and Soils Engineering Agricultural irrigation project design including sprinkler, surface, and drip systems; water storage, conveyance, and delivery systems; crop water requirements; and Practicably Irrigable Acreage (PIA) studies.
• Reservoir, Diversion and River System Operations Computer simulation modeling of reservoir, diversion, and river systems using RiverWare and other tools to evaluate operating rules and balance competing water development needs with public resources.
• Water and Recycled Water Engineering Potable, recycled, and Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) water project engineering services from permitting through economic analysis, including innovative cost-effective solutions meeting regulatory requirements.
• Water District Support Management, administrative, technical, and operations support for water and wastewater clients, including Urban Water Management Plans, Master Plans, Capital Improvement Plans, and rate studies.
• Water Quality Water quality program development and implementation including surface water and groundwater monitoring, database construction, Nutrient Numeric Endpoint analysis, and continuous in-situ monitoring.
• Water Rights Consultation and Watermaster Services Expert consultation and testimony on all aspects of water rights, including quantification of surface and groundwater rights, preparation of appropriative water rights applications, and watermaster services for stream systems and groundwater basins.
• Watershed Management and Restoration Watershed management and restoration services including geomorphic characterization, sediment source inventories, stream restoration planning, and integrated multidisciplinary assessments.
• Indian Country Services Water resources planning, quantification, and development services for tribal clients including irrigation system design, groundwater management, water storage and conveyance planning, and wetland restoration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 groundwater supply and basin evaluations conducted throughout western United States
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mike Love and Associates (MLA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStetson teamed with Mike Love and Associates to design and construct a concrete pool and chute fish passage structure on San Anselmo Creek under Lansdale Avenue. Working under a grant from California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the partnership combined Stetson's structural engineering design with MLA's expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering firm with strong water practice serving municipalities, water districts, and federal clients across North America. Competes with Stetson on district engineering and water supply studies but at materially larger scale.
• Black & Veatch: Black & Veatch is a global engineering and construction firm with extensive water and wastewater utilities practice. Competes for federal water infrastructure work but does not specialize in tribal water rights or water rights adjudication, which is Stetson's defensible niche.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a global engineering and consulting firm with deep water resources, dam safety, and environmental practices serving federal and municipal clients. Overlaps directly with Stetson's water resources portfolio but operates at vastly larger scale with broader geographic reach.
• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with major water resources, dams, and environmental practices serving federal agencies (Bureau of Reclamation, USACE) and tribes. Competes with Stetson on large water infrastructure programs but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• HDR Inc. HDR is a large employee-owned engineering firm with substantial water resources, dam, and federal infrastructure practices. Direct competition on federal water contracts but with much broader service breadth and bench depth than Stetson.

Direct peers

• Montgomery & Associates: Montgomery & Associates is a hydrogeology and water resources consulting firm providing groundwater supply evaluations, basin studies, and modeling — closely mirroring Stetson's groundwater resource practice in the Western U.S.
• Daniel B. Stephens & Associates: DBS&A is a water resources, hydrology, and environmental services firm with strong groundwater and watershed modeling practices serving Western U.S. clients. Comparable in scale and service mix to Stetson's groundwater and watershed management groups.
• Brown and Caldwell: Brown and Caldwell is a specialized environmental engineering and consulting firm focused heavily on water and wastewater for municipalities and utilities across the Western U.S. It is a direct peer in water resources engineering with comparable federal/agency client mix and PG&E-like project lifecycle services.
• Kennedy Jenks Consultants: Kennedy Jenks is an employee-owned engineering firm specializing in water infrastructure, water resources, and environmental engineering with strong West Coast presence. Direct overlap with Stetson in water supply, groundwater, and water rights work for districts and municipalities.
• Luhdorff & Scalmanini Consulting Engineers: LSCE is a California-based water resources consulting firm specializing in groundwater, water supply, and agricultural water management. Highly comparable niche focus and regional Western U.S. client base to Stetson Engineers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stetson Engineers Inc