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Alex Davani

Alex Davani
Assistant Scientist

Alex Davani

Assistant Scientist

Mr. Alex Davani has a strong background in surface and groundwater monitoring and analysis. He also has a background in geology, primarily sedimentology and petrology, and has experience with field mapping and GIS. Further, Mr. Davani is proficient at multiple programming languages, including Python, C/C++, R, and Matlab. Using these skills, he develops custom automated sampler systems and software for data processing. He assists with multiple projects focused on monitoring pollutants in stormwater and sediment.

Environmental Monitoring

Low-Impact Development Stormwater Monitoring, San Francisco Bay Area, California Installs, calibrates, maintains, monitors, and demobilizes semiautonomous stormwater samplers for monitoring low-impact development biofiltration basins. Handles, processes, and reports hydrologic data for monitored storm events along with yearly data collected for Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano counties. Developed Python scripts to efficiently plot and check data remotely for errors or components needing calibration or maintenance.
Central Coast Long-Term Environmental Assessment Network (CCLEAN), Monterey Bay, California Deploys, routinely calibrates, and monitors semiautonomous, high-volume water samplers in multiple environments including open ocean, rivers, and publicly owned treatment facilities throughout the Monterey Bay area. Also collects mussels (Mytilus californianus) in the Monterey Bay area for passive bioaccumulation data of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and performs surface water grabs for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nutrients, and bacteria. Designs samplers for monitoring ultra-low-level POPs such as pesticides and PCBs. Collaborated on developing software and hardware for custom, autonomous, high-volume marine samplers using C++ and Arduino controllers. All POP concentration data derived are made publicly available.
Surface Water Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring, Ventura County, California Leads sampling teams collecting Calleguas Creek watershed grab samples for analysis. Samples creeks, tidally influenced channels, and urban stormwater infrastructure in Ventura County during storm events and in the dry season for a variety of analytes and general water quality parameters. Monitors, records, and reports storm intensities, stormwater flow volumes, and other relevant hydrologic information. Executes legally defensible stream flow measurement protocols.
Caltrans Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring, Northern California Collected and prepared stormwater samples on Caltrans roads throughout northern California, monitoring for pollutants including 6PPD-Q. Monitored, recorded, and reported storm characteristics such as hourly precipitation intensity and stormwater flow velocities and volumes.
PCBs in Stormwater and Sediment, San Francisco Bay Area, California Samples and processes stormwater and sediment in public rights-of-way and on private property for legacy PCB contamination and source-property tracing.
Trash Outfall Monitoring, San Francisco Bay Area, California Assists in the deployment and retrieval of trash capture nets at stormwater outfalls in Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties. Also monitors hydrology by deploying and routinely monitoring barometric and water-level transducers at trash capture outfalls. Compiles and processes data for hydrologic summaries of storm events and yearly site performance.

Groundwater Monitoring

Managed Aquifer Recharge, Santa Cruz, California Installed and retrieved equipment for sampling basins designed for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in Santa Cruz County. Routinely collected and prepared water and sediment samples from MAR basins and experimental laboratory models. Prepared reagents and analyzed water and sediment samples for a variety of analytes using techniques and instruments such as coulometry, specific ultraviolet absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and automated multiple-nutrient fluid analyzers. Independently developed a suite of Python scripts to compile and crosswalk data from various sources of field data to manage a mass balance for MAR basins. The flexible structure of the program allows for a variety of data sources as well as compatibility with future changes and upgrades to monitoring systems. Data are used in yearly reports to the state on the efficacy of MAR.
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