Lisa Porta, P.E.

Principal Water Resources Engineer
California Water Strategy Lead

Areas of Specialization

Groundwater Modeling

Water Supply Planning

Impact Analysis

Groundwater Management

Lisa Porta is an engineer whose expertise includes groundwater and integrated water planning, and she has worked extensively on water resource studies across California and the Western United States. She has developed groundwater models and planning documents for several state and local agencies that are helping water and irrigation districts to better manage their groundwater supplies and to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment (related to California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act [SGMA] and Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program [ILRP]).

In addition to her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Lisa earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Water Governance: Frameworks and Negotiations from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She also completed a two-year, bilingual engineering preparation program in Southern France. Lisa has an international background and is fluent in French, German, and Italian.

Lisa Porta

Qualifications
At A Glance

Experience since 2008

M.S., Environmental Science & Engineering
Colorado School of Mines

B.S., Biological Systems / Agricultural Engineering (Water Specialty)
Texas A&M University

Select Publications / Community Involvement

Publications

SGMA Implementation: The Story of Conflict, Collaboration, and Lessons Learned to Reach Groundwater Sustainability.” Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA), HydroVisions, Fall 2023

Summarizing Technical Aspects of Inadequacies in 2023 DWR Determinations on Re-Submitted 2020 GSPs.” GRA HydroVisions, Summer 2023

“Key Technical Aspects of DWR Reviews on Submitted 2020 GSPs.” GRA HydroVisions, Spring 2022

M&A uses GoldSim software to support decision making in water supply projects

Keep Calm and SGMA On!

SGMA Experts Interpret DWR’s GSP Assessments

M&A’s Lisa Porta attends International Groundwater Conference in Paris

Community Involvement and Professional Affiliations

International Water Resources Association (IWRA), member

Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA), member

SGMA Implementation Summit and Conflict Resolution Workshop co-chair

GRA former Board Member and Technical Committee Chair

GSA Summit Planning Committee and Chair

Western Groundwater Congress planning committee