Expert Witness

Brian LaCas is founder and President of LaCas Consultants Inc. owner of the LCI Engineering Group, a hydrology and hydrotechnical consulting engineering company based in Vancouver, BC, Canada since 1990’s.

His career and expertise span over more than three decades of hydrology and hydrotechnical engineering, specializing in the modeling of surface water resource systems, forensic hydrology, hydraulics, as well as alternative flood control mitigation.

REGISTRATIONS/CERTIFICATES/CONFERENCES

• Registered Professional Engineer: Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia, Canada. 
• Water Resources Engineer on Engineers Canada’s Mobility Register in accordance with the International Professional Engineers Agreement (IPEA) and the APEC Engineering Agreement.
• 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.
• Technical Reviewer for the Engineers & Geoscientists of BC.
• Certificate of Fellowship (FEC) from Engineers Canada, in honour of exceptional contributions to the engineering profession in Canada
• Expert Witness Seminar Certificate of Completion 2005
• Expert Witness Training Certificate 2024, EGBC
• UK Bond Solon Expert Witness Conference 2024

CONTACT

Brian LaCas, P. Eng., FEC, Intl PE (Canada)

Senior Hydrological/Hydrotechnical Engineer/President

LaCas Consultants Inc.

MNP Tower, Suite 900-1021 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6E 0C3 

Main Telephone: +1.604.688.2535
Facsimile: +1.604.588.5101 

E-mail:Brian@thelcigroup.com
www.theLCIgroup.com 

COURT EXPERTISE

He offers court expertise specializing in the analysis of floods, flooding and floodplains, stormwater and drainage, dams and reservoirs, rivers, streams plus vehicular accident road flooding.

He is an expert in, and is qualified to testify on the following:

• The meteorology and hydrology of flood events for the range of types of watershed and river systems
• The hydraulics of bridges and  culverts 
• Agricultural land drainage, pump stations, mine tailings pond failures 
• Flood frequency analysis, watershed numerical modeling, water surface profile modeling
• Flood construction levels, floodplain mapping, ocean wave modeling, ocean flood construction levels 
• River pipeline crossings, drowning and forensic engineering flood damage assessment

• Flood protection works 
• Land and road drainage, creek restoration, river gravel deposition assessment and removal programs 
• Forestry road bridge and culvert hydraulics design and construction review, urban bridge and culvert hydraulics design/construction review, dike design, instream weirs, multiple pipeline creek crossings 
• Shoreline protection works, flood construction level determination, aerial photography interpretation, dam spillway design, side cast weir design, channel assessment of logged watersheds, large scale flow measurement weir design 
• Dike inspection/manual, selection of creek flow monitoring station locations, channel stabilization works 
• Mine water management plans, review of intake works, hydrological and hydraulic numerical computer modeling of clear-water and debris floods 
• Channel relocation, channel geomorphology, and creek erosion control works

AWARDS 

• 2017: Environmental Award, Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia for Mark Creek Flood Restoration, Kimberley, BC, joint with Aqua-Tex Scientific Consultants Ltd. and Exp Services Inc.
• 2010: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Committee, Prime Minster of Canada, and Premier of BC, for work on Olympic projects in Callahan Valley, Cypress Bowl, Greater Vancouver, and Whistler BC, joint with EBA Engineering Ltd.
• 2002: US Green Building Council, LEED v. 2.0 for hydrotechnical design for Vancouver Island Technology Park, Saanich, BC joint with Aqua-Tex Scientific Consultants Ltd.
• 2002: Federation of Canadian Municipalities Award for Blenkinsop Creek Restoration, Saanich, BC, joint with Aqua-Tex Scientific Consultants Ltd.
• 2001 Canadian Home Builders Association of Victoria for Swan Creek Restoration, Saanich, BC, joint with Aqua-Tex Scientific Consultants Ltd.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 

• 2002-2020: Technical Reviewer, Engineers & Geoscientists BC
• 2017-2018: Committee Member, Environment and Social Responsibility Society, Canadian Institute of Mining
• 2017-2018: Member Institute of Corporate Directors 
• 2014-2018: BC Director Canadian Water Resources Association
• 2004-2018: National Director, Canadian Water Resources Association
• 2014-2014: BC Vice-President, Canadian Water Resources Association

EXPERT OPINIONS/WITNESS SERVICES

Shapiro & Hankinson, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for ENCON insurers after detailed review of rainfall runoff calculations of a Vancouver based engineering firm (Defendant).

Bellamy & Long, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on flooding on Arnold Creek in Chilliwack, BC.

Scarlett Manson Angus, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion relating to the alleged flooding of 6092-224th Street in Langley, BC for Alantic  Contractors Ltd. (Defendant).

George Kincaid and Sharon Radcliffe, West Vancouver, BC
Expert opinion regarding drainage onto the Kincaid/Radcliffe property (Plaintiff).

Murdy & McAllister, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion regarding land drainage at #24-35060 Clayburn Road, Abbotsford, BC for the City of Abbotsford (Defendant).

Lindsay Kenny, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on impact of fill on Brohm Lake levels near Squamish, BC for local contractor (Defendant).

Lindsay Kenny, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion on drainage at Westwood Plateau Golf Course in Coquitlam, BC (Defendant).

Miller Thomson, Barristers & Solicitors
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).

Whitelaw Twinning, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion regarding land drainage issues at Westwood Plateau Golf Course, Coquitlam, BC (Defendant).

Alexander, Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP
Expert opinion relating to the alleged flooding of a business on the Langley Bypass (Defendant).

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).

Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a drainage problem in Comox, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant).

Morelli Chertkow, LLP
Millard v. Village of Cache Creek, Cache Creek, BC, (Plaintiff) [on-going].
Expert opinion on flooding on Lopez Creek.

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.

Rush, Ihas, Hardwick, LLP
Waterway Houseboats Ltd. et. al. v. HMTQ et. al. (Plaintiff), Sicamous, BC.
Expert opinion on flooding on Sicamous Creek.

Whitelaw Twinning, Barristers & Solicitors

Expert opinion regarding flooding and land drainage issues near Silver Star Mountain, BC (Defendant).

Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP
Fletcher v. Wallberg, Victoria Registry (Defendant) [on-going].
Expert opinion on road and land drainage issues in Saanich, BC.

Bernard LLP
Bandrova Farms Ltd. v. District of Kent, Vancouver Registry, (Plaintiff).
Expert opinion on flooding issues along Fraser River within District of Kent.

Branch McMaster, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for road drainage issues for MVA in Chilliwack, BC Cache Creek, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant).

Branch McMaster, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Cache Creek, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Plaintiff) [on-going]. 

Edwards, Kenny & Bray LLP
Expert Opinion on restoration of Brooklyn and Pup Creeks in Brooklyn, BC, including a hydrological assessment.

Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Naramata, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant).

Kwasnicki Law Corporation
Expert opinion for a land drainage issue in West Kelowna, BC (Defendant)

Harper Grey, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors
Expert opinion for a flooding issue in Naramata, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Defendant) [on-going]. 

Lakes, Whyte LLP

Expert opinion for Kilmer Creek flooding issue, District of North Vancouver, BC (Plaintiff)

McQuarrie Hunter LLP

Expert opinion for 232nd Street Flooding, Langley, BC (Defendant).

Boyle & Company Lawyers

Expert opinion for Prairie Creek Flooding, Summerville, BC (Plaintiff) 

Kia Law Firm

Expert opinion drowning and lake currents at a beach in Georgian Bay, District of Tiny, Ontario (Plaintiff) [On-going]. 

Wagners Lawyers

Preliminary verbal opinion regarding Nalcor Energy’s  Muscrat Falls Dam (now folded into Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro) with respect to Churchill River flooding of Mud Lake, Newfoundland/Labrador in May 2017, (Plaintiff).

Whitelaw Twinning, Barristers & Solicitors

Expert opinion regarding flooding and land drainage issues in West Vancouver, BC (Plaintiff).on-going

Mackoff Mohamed, Lawyers

Expert opinion on impacts of decommissioning Rolla Creek Dike, Rolla Creek, BC (Plaintiff), on-going

Branch McMaster, LLP, Barristers & Solicitors

Preliminary expert opinion for a flooding issue in Cache Creek, BC, including a hydrological analysis (Plaintiff) [on-going]. 

Taylor, Tait, Ruley & Co, Lawyers

Preliminary expert opinion for a flooding issue in Langley, BC, (Defendant].

Lewis Brisboi, Lawyers, 2024

Expert  opinion for a drowning in a tunnel in San Mateo, CA, (Defendant).

Aziz Trial Law, PLLC, 2024

Preliminary advice for flood product in Houston, TX, (Plaintiff).