Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) augments its water supply through groundwater pumping located in nine wellfields in the Owens Valley in Inyo County, California. Following litigation between LADWP and Inyo County, the two parties entered into a 1991 Agreement which outlines the management of the wellfields based on a combination of depth to groundwater, soil moisture, groundwater storage, recharge, and other factors that affect the health of related vegetation communities. If the two parties fail to reach agreement on the annual level of pumping allowed under their agreement, the Agreement allows for assignment of an arbitrator to make the final determination. Stetson has acted as the sole arbitrator to assess the relationship between recharge, groundwater storage and plant vegetation as outlined in the Agreement. To perform this task, Stetson utilizes our expertise to assess the relationship between surface flow, groundwater recharge, pumping and their relationship to vegetative health.