Mark Cross selected for Herman Bouwer Award

Mark Cross, P.G., C.Hg., principal hydrogeologist and past president of Montgomery & Associates (M&A), was honored Friday, April 5, 2024, with the prestigious Herman Bouwer Award. This award, which recognizes people or agencies that have significantly advanced the understanding of Managed Aquifer Recharge, was presented to Mark in Tucson at the 18th Biennial Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, a collaboration between Arizona Hydrological Society and the Groundwater Resources Association of California.

Mark’s peers wrote letters in support of his nomination, noting his many contributions to the field of aquifer recharge in Arizona. From the earliest days of Arizona’s water banking/groundwater recharge program, Mark was involved in siting and feasibility studies, permitting, conceptual design, and operations. His recharge work has extended to California, Mexico, Spain, and Chile.

Mark was at the forefront of evaluating technical feasibility, selecting sites, and obtaining regulatory permits for various recharge basins in Arizona. He was integral to establishing hydrogeologic characterization and testing as a critical component of successful large-scale recharge projects.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mark provided technical expertise that was essential to the Tucson Recharge Feasibility Assessment, a comprehensive regional study for identifying potential recharge sites and conducting pilot recharge projects in the Tucson and Avra Valley basins. For the next 20 years, he assisted in siting, feasibility, permitting, and conceptual design for most of the large-scale recharge projects in southern and central Arizona.

In 1997, Mark was recognized by the Arizona Department of Water Resources for his contributions to the Regional Recharge Committee coordinated by the Tucson Active Management Area office.

Mark also contributed his expertise and leadership to Southern Arizona Water Resources Association, Tucson Regional Water Council, and Advisory Boards for University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center and Water Sustainability Program.

Having worked on more than 40 recharge projects, Mark’s work was instrumental to the storage of more than 5 million acre-feet of water–more than half the water stored at recharge projects in Arizona. Some of the larger projects include:

• CAP: Pima Mine Road, Tonopah Desert, Superstition Mountains, Avra Valley, Agua Fria, and Lower Santa Cruz Recharge Projects
• Tucson Water: CAVSARP, SAVSARP, and Lower Santa Cruz Managed Recharge Project
• Other municipalities: Effluent recharge projects for City of Glendale, Town of Prescott Valley, and City of Peoria

Mark’s career as a quantitative hydrogeologist spans more than 40 years, 35 of which he has spent at M&A. He served as M&A president from 2005 to 2018 and continues to be an active project manager and technical advisor.

From left, Errol “Monte” Montgomery, Ph.D., President Hale Barter, Mark Cross, P.G., Tim Leo, P.G., Juliet McKenna, P.G., and Jeff Meyer celebrate the Herman Bouwer Award.

Mark takes his place among past Herman Bouwer Award winners David Pyne (left), Bob Rice, and Mario Lluria.