Steve Cowdin

Steve Cowdin(opens in new window), who graduated from Chico with a BA in economics in 1972 and an MPA in 1977, is a planner and economist at David Ford Consulting Engineers, Inc.(opens in new window) in Sacramento, California.  After completing his graduate degree Steve worked as an economist for the Department of Water Resources(opens in new window) in Sacramento. His areas of expertise are water resource and project planning analysis, including plan formulation and evaluation, consequence analysis, including economic impact analysis, population-at-risk estimation, and life loss estimation. He developed innovative methods for benefit-cost analysis of multi-objective projects and flood damage reduction analyses using Corps of Engineers and FEMA models and methods.  Steve also utilizes risk management, risk assessment, and risk communication.

Steve was the California Department of Water Resources lead economist for flood risk management studies and he contributed economic analyses to several significant Central Valley flood risk reduction studies, including the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins Comprehensive Study, Hamilton City Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study, and Colusa Basin Integrated Watershed Management Study.

Steve retired from state service in 2010 and began working with David Ford Consulting Engineers, still doing flood risk management studies for CA DWR and other agencies, including the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan.  (Last Updated 5/7/19)