Brendan Harley

    Brendan M. Harley, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 80 at home in Weston, MA on May 25, 2026. He was surrounded by his family.
     He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Karen; his sons Brendan (Kate), Peter (Erin), and Colin; and his grandchildren Sam, Eloise, Finnian, Nolan, Edith, and Sean.
     Brendan was born in Cork, Ireland to John and Catherine Harley in 1945 and the eldest of 4 children: Margaret (O’Shaughnessy), John, and Anne (Cahill). He loved spending time with them and his cousin David Hanrahan, especially by the sea in Ballycotton. After studying at University College Cork, he emigrated from Ireland to the United States at age 21 where he earned a Doctor of Science from MIT in 1971, before serving on the faculty as a professor.
     Brendan was an internationally recognized pioneer in water resources planning, management, and development. He co-founded Resource Analysis Inc., where he developed some of the first computer modeling programs to predict groundwater, surface water, and contaminant flows; these programs continue to be the basis for tools still used today. He then served as a senior Hydrologist and Civil Engineer at the international civil engineering firm CDM for more than 45 years. At CDM he helped build urban water supply and sustainable groundwater management systems serving millions
across the globe, from his native Ireland to the Philippines, West Bank, Singapore, and many other locations. His crowning professional achievement was leading the planning, design, and construction of Singapore's iconic Marina Barrage, a landmark project that protects the Singapore River basin from flooding, expanded greenspace for recreation, and helped supply drinking water to the entire nation. Known for his exacting standards and willingness to challenge the status quo, he mentored generations of young civil engineers whose work will carry his influence long into the future.
     Above all else, he was a loving father and ‘Pop.’ He passed on a passion for travel and solving real-world problems to his family and was happiest driving his grandchildren around on his tractor and sharing times in Pacific Grove. He loved reading and watching the sea otters with Karen in Monterey Bay.

     Brendan requested that no services be held and that his ashes be scattered in locations important to him around the globe.

     In lieu of flowers, he asked people to support institutions important to him: the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Pop will be deeply missed.

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