Welcome to The Levee Was Dry, a water law blog from Downey Brand. While our roots are in flood risk and floodplain management, our focus has expanded to explore the broader legal and policy issues shaping California’s water landscape. Our goal is to provide timely insights into developments involving water rights and supplies, flood protection, water infrastructure, regulation, water projects, and the disputes and policy decisions that affect communities, agencies, landowners, and businesses.
Water issues rarely fit neatly into a single legal or technical category. They often involve a complicated intersection of federal, state, and local law, public policy, engineering, science, and competing interests. Our attorneys work across these disciplines and bring a practical perspective to issues that are complex, evolving, and often misunderstood. We invite you to follow The Levee Was Dry, explore our posts, share your questions and perspectives, and join us in the conversation about the legal issues shaping California’s water future.
Blog Contributors
 Scott L. ShapiroEmailScott Shapiro is known for his expertise in flood protection improvement projects throughout California’s Central Valley. He is helping clients with more than a billion dollars in projects in California's Central Valley and issues involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) throughout the Western United States.View all blog posts |  Meredith E. NikkelEmailMeredith Nikkel is a seasoned water law litigator who helps agricultural, municipal, and public water agencies navigate complex water rights and environmental challenges across California. Her experience spans administrative proceedings before the State Water Resources Control Board to state and federal trial and appellate courts.View all blog posts |
 Rebecca R. A. SmithEmailRebecca Smith helps public agencies, agricultural interests, and private clients navigate complex water rights, groundwater, and environmental issues throughout California. Her practice combines deep knowledge of water law with a practical understanding of the regulatory and operational challenges facing water users today.View all blog posts |