THOMAS G. LOOMIS, P.E.

ABOUT ME

Licensed professional civil engineer with 40+ years of experience in hydrology, hydraulics, drainage, and floodplain engineering across Texas. Principal Engineer with Saxon Loomis, a civil engineering firm headquartered in Austin, Texas, and senior testifying expert with Texas Flood Expert, the firm’s forensic engineering and expert-witness practice.
Since 2005, has served both plaintiffs and defendants (property owners, developers, contractors, engineering firms, and counties) in flooding and drainage disputes: performing site inspections, field testing, and hydrologic and hydraulic (H/H) analyses; evaluating causation and the standard of care; preparing expert reports and rebuttals; and testifying in depositions and hearings.
Combines four decades of H/H modeling experience, from early unsteady-flow river models to current HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS 1D/2D platforms, with AI-assisted tools that accelerate document, data, and model review, delivering clear, well-documented, and defensible engineering opinions.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Professional Engineer

Texas P.E. #65969

TXDOT PRE-CERTIFICATIONS

3.2.1 Route Studies and Schematic Design (Major Roadways)
4.2.1 Major Roadway Design
10.1.1 Hydrologic Studies
10.2.1 Basic Hydraulic Design
10.3.1 Complex Hydraulic Design
10.4.1 Pump Station Hydraulics

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Expert user of USACE HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS and other drainage analysis software; directs and reviews 1D/2D, steady and unsteady HEC-RAS and EPA SWMM models.
  • Unsteady-flow river modeling (NWS DWOPER) and calibration of hydraulic models to observed high-water marks and peak flows.
  • Field investigations (site inspections, runoff testing, high-water marks) and forensic review of FEMA, TSARP, design, and opposing-expert models, reports, and plans.
  • AI-assisted workflows to organize and review discovery and records, cross-check model inputs and results, and QA/QC reports, with rapid adoption of new tools.

FLOOD & DRAINAGE STUDIES

  • Onion Creek Flood Study, City of Austin (800+ homes in the 100-year floodplain)
  • Waller Creek Flood Study, City of Austin
  • Red River Lock & Dam #3 Study, USACE
  • Arkansas & Canadian Rivers High-Water Marks Study, USACE
  • Lake Worth Dam Breach Analysis, Fort Worth
  • Drainage Master Plans (Arlington, Longview) and Criteria Manuals (Lewisville, Longview)
  • Barton Springs Zone Water Quality Retrofit Master Plan, City of Austin
  • La Cima Regional Flood Detention and Willow Springs Creek Flood Remediation, San Marcos
  • San Juanito Creek LOMR, Webb County

ADDITIONAL LITIGATION MATTERS

  • Barton Creek Arts Center v. City of Austin, No. D-1-GN-12-003061, Travis Co. (for plaintiff)
  • AAMHA v. Sage Architecture, No. 2007-CI-08872, 73rd Dist. Ct., Bexar Co. (for defendant)
  • Howell v. Crain, No. B-126,543, 161st Dist. Ct., Ector Co. (for defendant)
  • Wallace v. Pipelayers Plumbing, No. 249,141-B, 146th Dist. Ct., Bell Co. (for defendant)
  • Guerrero v. Bui, No. D-1-GN-08-001844, 345th Dist. Ct., Travis Co. (for defendant)

EDUCATION

The University of Texas at Austin
Master of Science, Civil Engineering/Water Resources, 1991
Bachelor of Science with Honors, Civil Engineering, 1984
Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts – Bachelor of Arts, English, 1975

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Saxon Loomis Consulting Group, Austin, TX – Principal Engineer 2018 – Present
Independent Consulting Engineer, Austin, TX – Sole Proprietor 2017 – 2018
Bowman Consulting Group, Austin, TX – Senior Engineer 2013 – 2016
Loomis Partners, Inc., Austin, TX – President/Principal 1993 – 2012
Espey, Huston & Associates, Austin, TX – Staff/Senior Staff Engineer 1984 – 1993

CORE EXPERTISE

EXPERT WITNESS: Consulting and testifying expert in district court, SOAH/TCEQ, Railroad Commission, and AAA arbitration matters on flooding, surface-water diversion (Texas Water Code §11.086), detention and drainage design, FEMA floodplains, landfill and mine drainage, roadway hydroplaning, construction stormwater, and drainage-related building distress.

COMPLEX DRAINAGE: Watershed, master drainage, and flood studies; floodplain mapping and FEMA map revisions; dam-breach analyses; regional detention and water quality facilities; storm sewers; channel and erosion repairs; and municipal drainage criteria manuals.

LAND DEVELOPMENT: Residential, commercial, and school projects across Central Texas, from single sites to 500-acre subdivisions: zoning; grading, drainage, and detention; lift stations, pressure sewers, and treatment plants; permitting; and construction-phase services.

TRANSPORTATION: New and upgraded State and County roadways in Central Texas: routing studies, TxDOT highway drainage, culvert and bridge hydraulics, turn lanes, construction plans, and permitting (Wimberley Bypass, RM 12, FM 150, CR 266, FM 1863).

SELECTED EXPERT WITNESS ENGAGEMENTS

Testifying Expert – Deposition and Hearing Testimony

  • Alexander v. The Woodlands Land Development Co., No. 2018-36108, 215th Dist. Ct., Harris Co. – For defendant LJA Engineering; subdivision flooding (2016, Harvey), standard of care. Report; deposition.
  • Rancho Viejo Waste Management (MSW No. 2374), SOAH No. 582-18-3319, TCEQ No. 2013-1506-MSW, Webb Co. – For ANB Cattle Co.; landfill floodplain, CLOMR/LOMR. Deposition; hearing.
  • San Miguel Lignite Mine (San Miguel Electric Coop.), RRC Nos. MR-21-00006257, MR-22-00010336, McMullen Co. – For McMullen County; haul-road drainage and creek crossings. Deposition; hearing.

Expert Reports and Forensic Investigations

  • Mighty Hui, LLC v. Doucet & Associates, AAA No. 01-18-0002-5783, Hays Co. – Standard of care
  • Floresville 4A v. Greco Constr., No. 12-09-0504-CVW, 218th Dist. Ct., Wilson Co. – Site drainage
  • Corsicana ISD v. Charter Builders, No. D13-21919-CV, 13th Dist. Ct., Navarro Co. – Stadium drainage
  • CTDB Funding v. Chancellor Constr., No. 2010-CI-04918, 37th Dist. Ct., Bexar Co. – Site drainage
  • Tompkins Nance v. Asset Exponential, No. 153-235972-09, 153rd Dist. Ct., Tarrant Co. – Civil design
  • King v. Bright, No. CV 49145, Midland Co. – Settlement from neighboring water-feature leakage

Lead/Senior Engineer – Saxon Loomis Expert Teams

  • Wightman v. Schneider, No. C2023-1949B, 207th Dist. Ct., Comal Co. – Neighbor runoff (pending)
  • Powell v. City of San Marcos, No. 19-3078, 428th Dist. Ct., Hays Co. – Detention and flooding
  • Maya v. Davis, Webber & TxDOT, No. CV350-17, 66th Dist. Ct., Hill Co. – IH-35 hydroplaning
  • VanMeter v. Sunnyvale SC Lot Venture, No. DC-24-00690, 162nd Dist. Ct., Dallas Co. – SWPPP
  • Kipley v. Cedar Park CIC Mgmt., No. 18-0646-C26, 26th Dist. Ct., Williamson Co. – Off-site runoff
  • Moore v. Northstone Builders, No. 2020-32435, 113th Dist. Ct., Harris Co. – Fill and diversion
  • Leazer v. Brad Marshall Homes, No. D-1-GN-16-004516, 353rd Dist. Ct., Travis Co. – Diversion
  • Cambron v. Matt Garcia Design, No. D-1-GN-21-000875, 353rd Dist. Ct., Travis Co. – Site design
  • Diamond Back Recycling & Sanitary Landfill, MSW No. 2404, SOAH No. 582-22-0844 – Drainage
  • City of Waco MSW Landfill Expansion, Limestone Co. – Pre-litigation design review; resolved