Climate change is affecting people, infrastructure, and ecosystems across Canada. Although the impacts are currently most pronounced in coastal regions, people and infrastructure everywhere are at risk. Many communities and infrastructure built in floodplains are at increased risk of flooding due to the projected effects of climate change and other non-stationary factors such as wildfires, dams, and other anthropogenic changes. In response to these risks, both the Canadian federal and provincial governments are mobilizing to identify and respond to flood hazards.

The goal of flood hazard mapping is to provide the first step towards tangible improvements to public safety. Real improvement comes from planning, analyzing, and developing adaptation and mitigation projects that are successfully implemented in communities.

Once a hazard has been identified, we often conduct flood risk assessments that evaluate the path of a potential flood and quantify the damages expected to people, infrastructure, and assets (such as houses, parks, or culturally significant places). This information helps secure funding for adaptation and mitigation projects by providing a quantifiable return on investment, and helps decision-makers prioritize adaptation or mitigation projects or areas.

Custom-built GIS tools are a key part of identifying flood hazards and determining adaptation and mitigation strategies

To facilitate flood hazard and flood risk assessments, Associated Engineering uses custom-built GIS tools to identify flood hazards. With the development of new, custom-built processes, work that was previously labour and time intensive can now be completed more efficiently. This allows our team to focus on collaborating with our clients to discuss risks and mitigation strategies, and design solutions that provide tangible improvements to public safety and flood risk reduction.

These tools have been used successfully on projects, and more are in active development to expand our suite of modelling and mapping tools. Additionally, our team is working on a research assignment to further optimize flood hazard mapping and make analysis more efficient and effective.

Automation in GIS data processing, including the tools discussed below, allows our team to more efficiently identify flood hazards so that we can focus on implementing solutions.

The Tools

Our team developed these automated, GIS data-processing tools to support flood mapping for 165 kilometres of rivers in BC, as part of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program. The visuals shown are not final; final mapping will be available online within one year of project completion. The tools address the challenges of providing large-scale, high-detail flood mapping. Some of these tools include:

Survey Processing and DEM Development: Linearizing, interpolating, and overlaying bathymetric survey with LiDAR to create a representative surface for use in hydraulic modelling. These automated methods help preserve data and expedite the processing time.

Model Results Extraction and Processing: Automated comparison and combination of result surfaces allows for robust analysis of multi-hazard scenarios.

Automated Generation and Review of Legal Flood Maps: Application of required freeboard and preparation of flood construction levels using a data-driven methodology.

About the Authors:

Andromeda MacIsaac, P.Eng. is Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. She has 11 years of experience in hydrology, hydraulics, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling, and integrated water resources management. Her expertise includes modelling, analysis, and design of minor and major surface water systems and related hydraulic structures, including flood-plain mapping, existing system capacity analysis, fish passage structures, bridge sizing, stormwater best management practices, inflow/infiltration, and scour protection.

Chloe Sirges, E.I.T. is a Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. Her water resources experience includes hydraulic modelling, flood-risk assessment and mitigation, site inspection, bridge scour condition assessments, and coastal work. Chloe is proficient in GIS data processing and flood-plain mapping

The post Automation in GIS Data Processing helps identify flood hazards and determine possible responses first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Water Resources Engineer, Eric Finney, will be presenting a case study titled “Colquitz Park: Applying Green Shores Principles in an Estuarine Environment in Southern Vancouver Island” during the third day of the conference (October 10th) in Session 7 beginning at 1:00pm.

Colquitz Park lies on the left bank of the Colquitz River which discharges into a shallow basin (Portage Inlet) in Saanich, BC.  The shoreline has experienced significant erosion and loss of riparian habitat due to encroachment of residential areas and regular mowing. The District of Saanich desired that the park be restored using nature-based solutions, whilst aiming for Green Shores for Shoreline Development (GSSD) accreditation. Objectives included to stabilize the shoreline, improve the riparian habitat, identify climate-related risks and solutions, and provide guidance to recreational activities.

Recognizing that riverine flows in the urbanized Colquitz River would play a significant role in erosion processes, our project team, led by Associated Engineering with support from DHI, focussed on modelling this channel. We conducted a frequency analysis on available flow data and adjusted these values for an assumed return period based on an analysis of projected climate change effects. We then developed a HEC-RAS 2D model of the channel and the basin considering various tidally-influenced boundary conditions that reflected different sea level rise scenarios.

The modelled results were used to develop several restoration concepts for review by the client. These concepts incorporated specific nature-based solutions intended to embody green shores principles, with the goal of gold level certification. Techniques implemented include strategic vegetation selection and placement, redesigning existing storm outfalls to include more natural features, main channel regrading, restraining public access to designated areas, and inclusion of limited erosion protection through adding channel roughness. The hydraulic model also represents a value-added feature of the project which can serve as a backbone for future flood mapping for the client.

Implementation of the design is planned for the summer of 2025, with final assessment of Green Shore certification occurring shortly thereafter.

The post Case study presentation at the 2024 Pacific Workshop on Nature-based Coastal Solutions first appeared on Associated Engineering.

We are excited to be a supporting sponsor of the Canadian Water Resources Association’s Annual Conference, as it returns to the east coast and the City of Halifax from June 18th to 21st! Our bronze-level support will be in the form of our carbon neutral travel sponsorship. Associated Engineering’s Vice President, Water Resources, John van der Eerden, will speak about our support at this year’s event. 

The post Associated supports CWRA 2023 National Conference first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Associated is pleased to be among the expert roster of presenters in the education program at the BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA) Annual Conference held next week in Penticton, BC. Staff in our BC Water and Environmental practices have been selected as speakers, workshop facilitators, and moderators in the following sessions during the two-day event on May 15th and 16th. 

Monday, May 15th

Truth and Reconciliation in the Water Sector
Presenter and Workshop Facilitator: Freda Leong
1:45pm-3:15pm | Salon D

Energy Neutral WWTF Ponderings
Presenter: Dean Shiskowski
3:30pm-4:00pm | Salon C

The idea of an “energy neutral” (or even positive) wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) has been around for quite some time. By definition, an energy neutral facility is essentially one where the energy needed for its operation is met in equal measure by the energy recovered within its analyst-defined, physical boundary. The Strass in Zillertal Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility in Austria is probably the bestknown example, and it achieved this outcome almost 20 years ago. Thus, it is doable and achievable using today’s technologies. The trick, though, are the many site- and situation-specific nuances that apply to a given facility and thinking through the possibilities. This presentation provides Canadian context perspective, drawing on the findings of various analyzes, to assist facility owners in their consideration of the topic. 

Small Wastewater Facility Design That Doesn’t Stink
Presenter: Robyn Casement
4:00pm-4:30pm | Salon B

Small wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (less than 500 m3/d) are designed, constructed, and managed to achieve the same environmental performance objectives as conventional WWTPs, yet a small treatment plant is not and must not be regarded simply as a scaled down version of a larger installation. Unique attributes of small WWTPs serving small groups of houses and individual establishments such as hotels and resorts include variable organic and fluctuating hydraulic loadings, and often reduced levels of operational attention and staffing, while being required to meet the same regulatory requirements as conventional WWTPs, including the management of sludge and biosolids. These items must be considered during the design of updates to develop successful solutions that will future proof the facilities. This presentation will address the unique considerations for registration, planning, design, and implementation of small WWTPs, and includes case studies. There are currently over 300 small wastewater systems operating in British Columbia. 

Tuesday, May 16th

Grey Water Reuse Impact Assessment
Presenter: Cameron Macdonell
9:00am-9:30am | Salon B

Grey water is collected from household water sources such as baths, showers, bathroom basins, and laundry, but does not include wastewater from toilets, kitchen sinks, or dishwashers. Grey water treatment systems collect, store, treat, and may disinfect grey water to standards specified by a local authority for reuse. Water scarcity will increase due to increased drought frequency and increasing population projections. Reuse of greywater will allow populations to better cope with turbulent water supply issues yet will impact municipal potable water and wastewater systems. A model was developed to assess changes to potable water demand, and wastewater treatment plant influent flows, concentrations, and mass loadings due to grey water reuse. Two scenarios were modeled to investigate different rates of uptake in newly constructed homes for a medium-sized municipality. Results were determined up to the year 2051 using population and housing development projections. The impacts of reduced flows on sewage collection systems were also assessed at a high level.

Young Professionals Symposium
Panelist: Sylvia Woolley
1:15pm-2:45pm | Salon D

Lessons Learned from City of Merritt’s Drinking Water System Flood Recovery Plan
Presenter: Marta Green
3:00pm-3:30pm | Salon A

In November 2021, an atmospheric river caused significant flooding in the City of Merritt which led to a number of infrastructure failures including the water distribution system. This presentation outlines how an established source protection plan was a key factor for the timely recovery of the City’s drinking water system. The collaborative approach taken by the City with environmental health officers, operations and consultants contributed to a successful recovery. Also discussed is the flood recovery plan and water quality monitoring that was completed to ensure the return of high quality of drinking water in the system.

The post Associated presents at BCWWA 2023 first appeared on Associated Engineering.

November 2021 saw a series of atmospheric rivers (heavy rainfall events) in southwestern BC, which resulted in extreme flooding of many communities. Associated Engineering received numerous requests for flood management assistance from various provincial agencies and municipalities. Our specialists in water resources, transportation, environmental management, water quality, hydrogeology, community resilience, and emergency response and recovery responded to our clients’ urgent calls for support. 

Our staff responded swiftly, travelling to locations along Highways 1, 3, 5, and 7, as well as secondary roadways and other sites throughout the Fraser Valley and the BC Interior. They assessed major bridge and culvert washouts, channel avulsions, and general flooding and erosion issues. Our team also played a key coordination role with Emergency Management BC in their Emergency Operations Centre. These efforts have continued with recovery activities in early 2022, as permanent repairs are required for flood-damaged infrastructure.

Senior Water Resources Engineer, Geoffrey Cahill, led our emergency flood response efforts for the City of Merritt following the Coldwater River flood of November 15. This was a large event and is now the flood of record for the area. Flood extents in Merritt were vast, causing dike breaches, dike and bank overtopping, two avulsions, a bridge failure, and extensive overland flooding. The city’s wastewater treatment plant was compromised and the FortisBC gas main supplying the city was scoured and suspended in the new avulsion channel. This led to an evacuation order for the City of Merritt’s 7000 residents. 

“We provided an emergency channel assessment and design recommendation for a river diversion to put the Coldwater River flow back in the pre-event channel.” 

Our team then completed rapid dike inspections, with the threat of further atmospheric river events, and provided recommendations for emergency dike repairs, temporary works (HESCO Barriers and Tiger Dams), vehicle and trailer removals from the river, and a second river diversion. In addition, we provided hydrotechnical engineering guidance to the City’s Emergency Operations Centre, field reviews of all dike and bank repairs, and construction oversight at 12 sites, working in collaboration with ten contractors and the Canadian Armed Forces. 

On the weekend of November 28, Associated Engineering received a request from Emergency Management BC and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to assist in closing a gap in the flood protection infrastructure along Highway 1 at the Sumas River crossing in Abbotsford, BC. 

Jamie Fitzgerald, Manager, Water Resources, tells us, “Our staff immediately attended the site and identified the required flood protection measures.” We provided flood management and structural engineering advice and collaborated with the military, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Abbotsford Fire Department, and local contractors. A Tiger Dam representative was also on-site and provided assembly instructions to the team. As a result of their efforts, the Tiger Dam was successfully assembled by 5 am on November 29. 

The Associated Engineering team continues to support the City of Merritt and the BC Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure with their flood recovery efforts 

Associated Engineering staff involved in the emergency response and recovery efforts on the engineering services include Jamie Fitzgerald, Trevor Friedmann, Nate Antonides, Michael MacLatchy, Kyle Eckart, Eric Finney, Geoffrey Cahill, Carly Davis, John van der Eerden, Chris Duncan, Andrew Wiens, Matt Bowen, Shawn Bidulka, Amr Mohamed, Pat Stancombe, Matt du Toit, Shane Cook, Katrin Habel, Mike Lumb, Ethan Wilkinson, David Harvey, Nik Cuperlovic, Marta Green, Matt Lozie, and several others active in the field monitoring ongoing construction activities.

The post Timely response and support for worst flooding in BC’s history helps accelerate community restoration and protect vital infrastructure from further damage first appeared on Associated Engineering.

Lisbeth Medina, a Water Resources Engineer in our Calgary office, credits her parents as early influencers in her life. She saw their discipline, dedication, and hard-working attitude and sought to emulate them. Her father, a mechanical engineer, always told her, “Everything is possible in this life, as long as you work hard and have a clear vision of you goals.”

As an undergraduate studying civil engineering in Venezuela, Lisbeth was attracted to water-related disciplines, including hydraulics, hydrology, water and wastewater treatment, and fluid mechanics. She was inspired to understand the science behind water and its impacts on infrastructure, the economy, and people’s lives. This led Lisbeth to move to Canada to pursue a Master’s degree in water resources engineering, with the added challenge of having to learn a new language. She says, “Earning a Master’s degree was always my goal as a junior engineer. It was very challenging to study and learn technical vocabulary in a different language, but I was determined to achieve this goal.”

After graduating, Lisbeth decided to take a job with a small consulting engineering firm in Peace River, AB. However, she always wanted to work for a big, successful consulting firm. She says, “Associated Engineering has always been known as an industry leader for quality of work, technical excellence, and innovation.” So, in 2011, Lisbeth moved to Edmonton and joined our Water Resources team. 

“Now, I can’t see myself doing anything else, but consulting. I love the projects and the diversity of clients as a consultant, as well as the problem-solving, fast-tracked learning, design processes, goal-oriented work, and teamwork. We get to experience all of this in the consulting engineering world.”

Lisbeth reflects that being a female engineer has had its challenges, especially early in her career. She recalls, “As a young professional, some people on construction sites were disrespectful. With time and confidence, I learned to be more thick-skinned and focus on the goal and project deliverables.”

She adds, “My experiences as a water resources engineer and project manager have been absolutely great. I really enjoy connecting with clients and working with a team. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing the team working together toward a common goal and hearing clients express their appreciation for the completed work. Strong communication and teamwork are the keys to success.”

Lisbeth believes that mentoring young staff is a great way to promote a successful work culture, foster positive relationships, and share knowledge and experiences. Lisbeth feels that by providing support, guidance, and opportunities, young staff get to develop and meet their professional and personal goals. She encourages young staff to always ask questions, be curious, and be open to new ideas.  

In her free time, Lisbeth enjoys working out, playing golf, hiking, spending time with friends, and exploring new places. One of her new adventures is modeling in charity fashion shows. She is also a Zumba fitness instructor and teaches classes a couple of times per week, incorporating some Latin-American inspired dance moves. Lisbeth is a strong advocate in motivating others to achieve their personal fitness goals, as well as their professional goals.

The post Perseverance and goal-setting led Lisbeth Medina to find her true calling in consulting engineering first appeared on Associated Engineering.

At an early age, Akinbola George learned about groundwater by spending time with his father, a geologist who specialized in hydrogeology, on various field investigations to locate groundwater. This led to his interest in studying civil engineering at university. Akinbola then attained a Master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering, specializing in hydraulic and hydrotechnical engineering.

Akinbola tells us, “During my research, I focused on the application of 3D numerical models on controlled flows and sedimentation transport within open channels. This sparked my love for hydraulics and hydrotechnical engineering.” After working in Manitoba for over ten years, his interest transitioned from hydraulics and hydrotechnical engineering to water resources engineering. 

Asked about his early career, Akinbola tells us, “When I first entered the consulting industry, I had the notion that you had to perform – to prove yourself. I was very determined to figure things out myself. I spent lots of time researching and learning.” Akinbola advises that this phase of his career was quite challenging, but he is grateful that he never gave up.

Reflecting on this time, he tells us he now advises young professionals, “Always ask questions; no question is silly. Everyone is ready to help you, regardless of their position within the company.”

“Never spin your wheels on any design when you can ask someone who has proven experience doing the same thing.”

Akinbola shares that he has always enjoyed learning, from coding, to design tools, to designing. He still carries this learning philosophy with him. “I have completed a number of designs and developed many 1D, 2D, and 3D numerical models related to water resources engineering. I consider every one of them a huge success.” Akinbola credits his research background and early career experiences to his ability to accomplish difficult and challenging tasks.

When seeking a career change and new opportunities, Akinbola shares that he was attracted to Associated Engineering because he was impressed with the thought-leadership and projects shown on the company’s website.

“I just had a feeling that this environment would be different compared to my experiences with other organizations.”

A visit in Winnipeg with our Senior Vice President, Civil Infrastructure, Chris Skowronski, helped to convince Akinbola that Associated was the right company for the next phase in his career.

Since joining Associated, Akinbola says he has had the opportunity to complete many exciting and interesting projects with amazing team members. He tells us that his most memorable experience so far was also his first project with Associated, the Mill Creek Erosion Study. He says, “The project was quite challenging with regard to the scope and our proposed methodology. We used an innovative approach to address the project’s objectives. Today, the approach is still being used and recognized by the City of Edmonton (Drainage), now EPCOR.”

“With hard work and the will to succeed, you can do whatever you set your heart and mind to do.” 

Today, Akinbola is a Senior Water Resources Engineer and Manager of the Water Resources group in our Edmonton office. As a manager, Akinbola has more responsibilities which he finds interesting. He says he continues to research and learn in his new role. 

Akinbola advises that, before he joined Associated in 2015, he never had a formal mentoring relationship. He appreciates participating in the company’s formal mentoring program as both a mentee and a mentor. Akinbola advises, “I love mentoring young staff. I don’t want them to go through what I went through when I was a young engineer.”

Away from work, the musically talented Akinbola spends his free time playing the guitar. He is also learning to play the piano. Akinbola also works with kids from his church community, guiding the next generation of engineers and leaders.

The post Akinbola George credits his career success to dedication to research and learning, and determination to succeed first appeared on Associated Engineering.