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Backsights Foresights
Spring/ Summer 2022
Semiannual newsletter on company projects, news, and events.
CALM AFTER THE STORM INSIDE THIS ISSUE Resilient Infrastructure Cyber Security Featured Service Area: Rail Project Snapshots Employee Spotlights News and Events Project Awards
Historic flood protection comes to the Mouse River Valley In 2011, residents of the Mouse River Valley, North Dakota, weathered an unimaginable flood. Now, residents are writing a new chapter in their story. One with protection from future flooding, armed with big infrastructure and a collective drive to move forward. continued
CALM AFTER THE STORM
Historic flood protection comes to the Mouse River Valley HARD DAYS ALONG THE RIVER
For residents of North Dakota near the Canadian border, the Souris (Mouse) River brings life to agricultural lands and a notable backdrop to many cities like Minot, ND. However, along with the life-giving international waters comes the threat of extreme flooding. As intense rains fell in Canada in spring 2011, the threat of emergency flooding quickly escalated across the north-central region of the state and the river's 23,600-square-mile drainage area.
The 2011 flood brought unimaginable impacts to the Mouse River Valley:
The community focused on prevention and emergency flood control measures, but ultimately leaders had to call for evacuations because of the severity of the flooding. The Mouse River reached historic levels in Minot and the surrounding area, overtopping temporary levees and inundating homes, businesses, and farms with feet of floodwaters. The resulting flood was beyond a once-in-a-lifetime event. Its size was one that is expected only once every several centuries.
Evacuations Ordered
As the storm clouds cleared by the crest in late June, flooding could easily be seen from aerial views. The City of Minot and areas all along the Mouse River had been devastated by the water's intense path as it flowed through the area. As cleanup and assessments began, harsh realities set in. Many homeowners did not carry flood insurance, and the costs of the aftermath quickly added up for the community. While initial estimates put the damage at around $600 million, it is now thought to be closer to $1 billion.
River Flow
202,000 for more than 11,000 residents leaving homes behind
gallons per second
4,700 buildings damaged
significant, lasting damage to agricultural land
5x the current FEMA effective 100-year flow rate
$600M$1B estimated damages
1882 the last year with flood levels even approaching 2011
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"It was insurmountable, no matter what we tried to do," said David Ashley, chair of the Souris River Joint Board, as he recalled the flooding. "It took a huge toll on the basin, not only monetarily, but also psychologically." Quote from the American City & County Crown Communities Award
SOLUTIONS TAKING SHAPE
In the aftermath of the disaster, the Souris River Joint Board (SRJB) initiated the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project (MREFPP). This ambitious effort includes many stakeholders, a basinwide approach to flood planning, and several consultant partners, including Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI).
Learn more about the SRJB's work at: https://www.mouseriverplan.com/
As a firm with a long history in North Dakota's flood regions, HEI was honored to play a key role in designing and overseeing construction of many of the project's large infrastrucuture improvements as part of the MI-1 phase. With a local office in Minot, many of our employees felt the Mouse River flood firsthand and also contributed to emergency flood fight activities. The basinwide approach has both rural and urban components with an expansive variety of features, including: • flood protection (floodwalls and levees), • transportation (roads and bridges), • municipal (sidewalks and public utilities), • architectural, • electrical, and • mechanical.
With such a massive project, funding key elements was a major challenge. Over the last 10 years, financing has been secured from a variety of sources, including the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, North Dakota State Revolving Funds, and a City of Minot sales tax. While the investment is great, the visible outputs are seen throughout the region, and the community has rallied to not just rebuild the area but incorporate strategic components that will prevent or minimize future disasters. The project also needed to meet strict requirements established by the US Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA to secure accreditation for 100-year flood events. Our team used the 2011 event as the baseline for design.
Flooding on roads in 2011, where emergency earthen levees were constructed to minimize damage.* * Photo Credit: US Army Corps of Engineers
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS
FLOODWALLS HEI led flood protection components near 4th Avenue Northeast in Minot. Our work began with detailed modeling to determine boundaries and the effects for a greater than 100-year flood event. To keep progress moving forward simultaneously, mutliple consultant teams led design and construction phases in tandem. Working in close collaboration, HEI worked to provide a cohesive approach to unify a range of elements. Building floodwalls to protect homes and businesses along the river presented some clear design challenges. While nearby residents require protection from rising waters, they also wanted to enjoy the beauty and natural appeal of the riverfront. Our design team was strategic with development, using concrete to build a solid, but decorative, barrier that also served as an aesthetic feature for the community. To maintain a connection to the water, a river walking path was created on the wet side of the wall, allowing residents to engage with nature and enjoy the views day-to-day. The floodwall opens at Broadway Plaza, creating a focal point for the city with access to the scenic riverfront views. During flooding, the plaza gate can be closed to protect major intersections and area businesses from rising waters.
Construction of permanent floodwalls shows the size and strength to withstand future floods.
Floodwall and gates that can be closed in case of emergencies stand guard for the residents and businesses of Minot. houstoneng.com
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Key Project Features of the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project Phase MI-1 1. Sidewalks (900+ cubic yards of concrete) 2. Floodwall (7,000 cubic yards of concrete) 3. STS-4 Pump Storm Structure 4. Concrete Paving (Intersection) 5. Floodwall Closure Structures 6. Broadway Plaza 4
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7. STS-1 Storm Structure 8. Broadway Pump Station 9. Ramstad Loop Structure 10. Concrete Spillway/Intake 11. Discharge Chamber 12. Reinforced Concrete Spillway
Floodwalls provide protection with an aesthetic look.
The Broadway Pump Station has nearly 20x more capacity than a usual station.
BROADWAY PUMP STATION Another major success of Phase MI-1 was the design and construction of the Broadway Pump Station. One of the largest municipal pump stations in the region, it's able to discharge 180,000 gallons per minute at peak capacity. On an ordinary day, the pump station provides stormwater drainage for a 640-acre area north of the Mouse River. When floodwaters threaten the area through rainfall or snowmelt, the pump station will prevent another disaster of 2011 proportions. During these flood events, decision-makers can use the large pumping capacity to quickly move water through a high-flow diversion, removing water from the most at-risk portions of the floodplain.
AWARD-WINNING WORK
The large spillway allows the pump station to control the output of water.
With construction completed in fall 2021, this $43-million investment in flood protection and civil infrastructure will help reach the plan's goal: to remove as many people from the floodplain in the shortest possible timeframe.
With a project of this magnitude, the SRJB and its consultant partners have quickly been recognized with a variety of awards: • North Dakota Society of Professional Engineers (NDSPE) Outstanding Design Award 2022 • NDSPE Project Design of the Year Award 2021 – Chapter 4/FM Engineers Level • ND Ready Mix and Concrete Products Association Gold Star Award • American City & County 2021 Crown Communities Award
WHAT'S NEXT?
On May 6, the SRJB hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to pause and celebrate the milestone accomplishments to date. However, the group is keenly aware that there is still work to be done. While the SRJB is well on its way to reaching 60% flood protection for Minot and area residents, they will embark on upcoming projects currently under development with HEI, including phases MI-4, MI-5, and MI-6. "You look at the things you've accomplished and it's so rewarding," says Dan Jonasson, Minot's Public Works Department Director, "I've been doing this in some way, shape, or form...for about 40 years. To me, it's an honor to be involved in a project of this magnitude – it's a once-in-a-lifetime [opportunity], to be able to say that you were involved in something this big." Floods will continue to challenge our region. Even with a distance of 10 years and impressive infrastructure in place, the scars of past floods can still be felt in this community. A weather alert may spark the fear and loss of the 2011 flood event in Mouse River residents. However, with this project-of-a-lifetime well underway, the Mouse River Valley is already so much better prepared to face future challenges head-on. https://bit.ly/3lNrGIM houstoneng.com
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A removable floodwall in Minot gives the community flood protection during flood events and maintains access to the Mouse River greenway during normal flows.
RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Designing Communities that Last WHY RESILIENCE MATTERS
No person or place is immune from disasters or disaster-related losses. Infectious disease outbreaks, acts of terrorism, social unrest, or financial disasters in addition to natural hazards can all lead to large-scale consequences for the nation and its communities. Organizations face difficult fiscal, social, cultural, and environmental choices about the best ways to ensure basic security and quality of life against these disasters. One way to reduce the impacts of disasters on communities is to invest in enhancing resilience— the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events. Enhanced resilience allows for better anticipation of disasters and better
The Broadway Pump Station, part of the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project, discharges 190,000 gallons of water per minute. 6
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planning to reduce disaster losses, rather than waiting for an event to occur and paying for it afterward. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, by 2050, "moderate" (typically damaging) flooding is expected to occur, on average, more than 10 times as often as it does today1. This flooding can be intensified by local factors. As disasters continue to occur, communities are taking action now to enhance resilience. Rather than waiting for a disaster to strike—which can lead to destroyed homes and businesses, ultimately uprooting thousands of people in a moment—proactive actions will reduce many of the broad societal and economic burdens. The prevalence of disaster declarations and recovery costs over the last decade, which are in the billions per year, demonstrate the need for local communities to improve their preparedness for predictable natural events2. Building more resilient communities and investing in mitigation measures are the best ways to reduce risks to local communities such as from the loss of life, economic disruption, and infrastructure restoration.
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https://bit.ly/3znKvdH https://on.natgeo.com/3znzF7h
FUNDING VS. FLOODING
The US Department of Homeland Security and the State of Minnesota are supporting communities to encourage self-sufficiency long before disasters arise by emphasizing pre-disaster mitigation efforts. These efforts strengthen infrastructure and reinforce existing structures, which can save lives and exponentially decrease postdisaster recovery costs. Additionally, this will enable communities impacted by natural disasters to rebuild better, stronger, and more resilient infrastructure to protect taxpayer investments and adequately prepare for future disasters. Throughout the past few decades, the Upper Midwest has faced devastating flooding events that caused incalculable damage. Cities, water management organizations, non-profits, tribal councils, and state and federal agencies are working RESILIENCE LEADS Mike Love, PE Project Manager mlove@houstoneng.com 701.499.2062 David Johnson, ENV SP Project Manager djohnson@houstoneng.com 763.321.3879
We are excited to begin this work to enhance Moorhead’s resilience to large rainfall events. This grant will enable us to identify vulnerable areas and seek solutions to mitigate risks to critical infrastructure, private property, and disadvantaged members of our community. This grant represents another step on a path to becoming a resilient, sustainable city. - Robert Zimmerman, City Engineer for the City of Moorhead
The City of Moorhead was awarded the MPCA's Resilience Grant in March 2022.
hard to combat this threat. For instance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Resilience Grant Program is calling for cities, water resources managers, watershed districts, and others to use projections from available climate hydrology models to identify critical areas or infrastructure that are at risk due to large rain events. With this valuable data, the cities can develop targeted projects to increase their infrastructure's resilience to large rain events.
INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT FOR THE COMMUNITY
At HEI, we look beyond the obvious pain points of an issue to bring sustainable resilience, environmental benefits, and community amenities to the projects we design. Whether this means creating a removable floodwall that gives pedestrians access to a waterbody or designing a water quality project that blends into the natural landscape, we have innovative ideas for green infrastructure in any location.
The 2nd Street/Downtown Fargo project boasts flood protection with greenspace access through removable, decorative floodwalls, several plaza areas, and the Spirit of the Sandbagger art installation dedicated to the sandbagging volunteers who worked to protect the city from the Red River floods. Johnson Street Northeast Reconstruction After Construction
Shingle Creek Parkway Storm Sewer Reconstruction Before Construction
Our transportation projects for the City of Minneapolis don't only create better corridors for travelers. Our team updated precipitation and hydrology models during these projects to ensure the corridors are more resilient to large rain events as well as improve downstream water quality. houstoneng.com
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CYBERSECURITY
Best Practices and Risk Awareness Tips Like many companies, HEI relies on the internet and associated technologies to do business, and as a result, takes cybersecurity very seriously. Every year, HEI expands its cybersecurity footprint by educating all staff, implementing security controls, updating hardware/software, and adding advanced authentication techniques to guarantee that only authorized personnel have access to our data. Cybersecurity is aimed at preventing unauthorized acess to networks, computers, and data, so knowing the risks involved is becoming more vital to our business. Ransomware, data theft, and stolen personnally identifiable information (PII) are just a few of the risks. Poor cybersecurity can result in financial losses as well as a loss of customer confidence. A cyberattack does not have to be directed at a large corporation, even an individual should have a cybersecurity plan. Understanding a few terms can help you minimize the risk of poor cybersecurity.
TERMS TO KNOW
come in the form of free software downloaded from the internet, an email attachment, or a threat actor who has already gained access to your network. Malicious software can offer an attacker command and control on your network, exfiltrate your data, monitor your devices, or encrypt all of your data and keep it for ransom. Phishing is a social engineering strategy that usually involves impersonating a CEO, HR Department, or co-worker. Vulnerabilities are flaws in software, firmware, or hardware that can be exploited by a threat actor to perform unauthorized actions in a system. Threat actors take advantage of these errors to infect computers with malware or perform other malicious activity. Here is a list of best practices to minimize the risks of cyberattacks: Perform Updates. Update software and hardware monthly. Run Current Endpoint Protection. This is also known as an anti-virus.
A Threat Actor might be an outsider looking to take advantage of flaws in software or hardware. A threat actor can also be an untrained employee who has their laptop stolen because they left it in the backseat of a car.
Strong Passwords. Invest in a password manager rather than using sticky notes to remember passwords and refrain from repeating passwords.
Malware is a harmful application that is installed on your computer. It might
No Default Usernames. Use custom passwords on equipment or
appliances. At a minimum, you should be able to change the password. Multi-factor Authentication (MFA). If MFA is an option, you can use your phone for the second form of authentication, whether it is in the form of an SMS message or using an authenticator app that generates random codes. Firewall. Consider a firewall if you don't have one already. If you have a firewall, be sure you are checking the configuration yearly and keeping it current with the latest patches. If you need assistance with this, check with your local solutions provider. Email Usage. Be wary of emails that you didn't expect and that seem to have a feeling of urgency. The act might be as simple as clicking a link that leads to a malicious website or opening an attachment that contains malware. Training and Testing. Training and testing on a regular basis allows everyone to understand the importance of cybersecurity and keeps it fresh in their minds for when it is required.
HEI WELCOMES FYRA ENGINEERING
In May 2022, HEI announced the acquisition of Omaha-based FYRA Engineering. FYRA specializes in providing water resource and environmental engineering services across Nebraska and Iowa, with offices in Omaha and Des Moines. With this acquisition, HEI broadens its market to offer services from 10 offices in five states.
“One of the goals of our HEI strategic plan focuses on growth and geographic expansion to enable us to take the services we do into other geographic markets. FYRA is a great fit that 8
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allows us to expand our presence into Nebraska and Iowa. FYRA’s culture and skills align well with ours at HEI, and we are excited to have them become part of the HEI Team.” – Gregg Thielman, President/CEO, HEI
“There is a great deal of alignment in our two firms’ principles, goals, and cultures. I am confident our clients will benefit from this move because it adds water resources expertise and capacity as well as
an experienced and well-developed leadership and operational structure that will only improve the focus and service we bring to our clients’ projects.” – Charles Ikenberry, Des Moines Office Lead, FYRA
ON TRACK AND ON TIME
Featured Service Area: Rail SAFETY AND STRUCTURE
When more than 10,000 tons of steel and cargo get started on railroad tracks, it’s nearly impossible to stop. That’s why the top priority when working on rail projects is safety, followed closely by maintaining the precise schedule of trains that traverse the entire nation. Given the critical aspect of these projects, only the most trusted engineering firms are given the responsibility to coordinate with railroad companies to repair and improve their infrastructure. For more than 30 years, HEI has provided rail services throughout the Upper Midwest. Over the years, we’ve developed skills and close contacts that help us deliver projects of all sizes to a variety of clients and
Hydrodynamic Separator
have made us a reliable resource in the industry. Trent Berg, HEI’s railroad sector lead, shares some of the most important things he’s learned while working on railroad projects over the last decade.
BEST PRACTICES
TRACK MAINTENANCE To keep these large trains running, it’s important that they run on well-maintained tracks. HEI frequently assists railroad companies and private industries with drainage, track bed design, track bed geometry, track components, and operation plans. One of the most important aspects of designing tracks is the drainage. Ensuring that the ground under tracks stays dry greatly increases the longevity and structural integrity of the tracks. CRITICAL COMMUNICATION Beyond designing the actual tracks, one of the main responsibilities of the HEI team is to facilitate coordination between everyone involved on the job. This includes the engineering departments of railroad companies, local roadmasters, signalers, and the project team.
Knowing who to contact and how to get a hold of them is vitally important for ensuring projects are completed safely and efficiently. Even when roadway or structure projects aren’t specifically for a railroad company but are located near them, HEI's relationships with rail companies across the region are an invaluable resource. The rail team commonly assists with communication with the railroad and provides critical information about requirements such as track geometry, minimum clearances, utility depths, casing pipes, and more. Whether it’s designing, repairing, coordinating, or sharing their knowledge, the HEI rail team uses their extensive experience to deliver high-quality deliverables time and time again. Trent Berg, PE Grand Forks Officer Manager tberg@houstoneng.com 701.746.0200
North Dakota Mill and Elevator Rail Expansion Grand Forks, North Dakota
New Tracks Regraded Ditches
HEI assisted the North Dakota Mill and Elevator with an expansion project that gave them the capacity for additional processing. The major portion of the project involved expanding the rail infrastructure to fully capitalize on an increased processing capacity and lower unit train rates. https://bit.ly/3tBf3VE houstoneng.com
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PROJECT
If we showcased all that we do at HEI, we'd quickly run out of pages! Here's a short overview of some recent project updates.
Snapshots Legend
Intake
Existing
Water Treatment Plant
Under Construction
Water Storage
Future Construction
Pump Station
Sherwood
North Dakota
Antler
Bottineau
Mohall Tolley
The NAWS 7-2A/4-3A Phase I of the Donnybrook Biota Water Treatment Plant will treat and pump up to 12.5 million gallons of water per day (ultimate capacity of 24.5 MGD). Construction will be completed in 2024.
Gardena
Under Construction
Kenmare Lansford Lake Darling
Glenburn Carpio
The NAWS 2-2C Pipeline stretches 14 miles from Souris to Bottineau. Construction will be completed in summer 2022.
Burlington
Berthold
Des Lacs
Northwest Area Water Supply (NAWS) Update
North Dakota Department of Water Resources (NDDWR) | Statewide North Dakota
Minot
Max
The NAWS 5-2A South Prairie Reservoir begins construction this year. It will provide 10 million gallons of raw water storage. Construction to be completed in 2023.
The NAWS project has been moving full steam ahead since HEI and the NDDWR were able to resume design Sakakawea and construction of the Lake pipeline system in 2019. The ambitious project is comprised of many components that together will distribute water safely and affordably across parts of North Dakota that have limited groundwater supplies and historically fought drought and flooding issues. The NAWS project partners include numerous local, state, and federal partners. It will use the United States Bureau of Reclamation Snake Creek Pumping Plant to house the raw water intake and pump station infrastructure.
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Oxbow-Hickson Bakke Ring Levee Wetland Mitigation Part of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project | Oxbow, ND
3.05 mi
Multiple components that involve treatment, transmission, and storage are currently in design or under construction. Projects in the design phase include the Lake Sakakawea raw water intake and pumping station and potable transmission system storage reservoir and pump station. Projects that will be completed in 2022 include Phase II of the Minot Water Treatment Plant (18 MGD raw water handling, clarification, and softening), a 4.5-million-gallon reservoir and pump station for the distribution system, and 14 miles of 10”-14” PVC transmission main. Multi-year projects that began construction in 2021 and 2022 include the first phase of a raw water “Biota” treatment plant and pump station that will treat 24.5 MGD. They also include a 10-million-gallon raw water reservoir and a hydraulic control structure. Along with providing design, bidding, and construction management services for the NAWS project, HEI works with a diverse team of local and global consultants to deliver all aspects of these complex projects. Learn more from our past newsletter: https://bit.ly/FW19NewsHEI
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This project fulfilled mitigation requirements for certain features of the overall Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project by converting previously developed land that had been acquired for the Diversion (a golf course surrounded by homes) into a natural environment through restored wetlands and an established floodplain forest. The project team restored an old oxbow to be favorable for wetlands and constructed a spillway for floodwater to enter from the Red River to replenish the wetland periodically. This created 12.26 acres of wetland credits. The team is establishing the floodplain forest by planting more than 57 acres of 12" to 18" tree seedlings and more than 5 acres of trees planted from seeds. HEI is part of the Houston-Moore Group (HMG) and led the project by providing design, construction administration and inspection, and survey services. Learn more about the Diversion: www.fmdiversion.gov
View this map online: https://www.nd.gov/ndda/NDLFMAP
NDDA Local Foods Map Modernization
North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) Statewide North Dakota The NDDA hired HEI to redesign and develop a statewide public interactive map viewer allowing thousands of users to browse or search the map for local producers or farmers' markets that meet their search criteria. This interactive map provides NDDA with a more efficient workflow for maintaining produce and farmers' markets. HEI also developed administration tools for NDDA to easily manage the system. After testing, the application was deployed in 2021.
CSAH 34 Reconstruction
Otter Tail County Highway Department Minnesota The Otter Tail County Highway Department enlisted HEI to perform planning, environmental review/processing, and legal survey and platting to complete the final design, construction plans, and an engineer’s estimate for the 5.5-mile reconstruction of CSAH 34 from US 10 to CSAH 35. The reconstructed highway also included an off-roadway, combined-use, paved trail section adjacent to the entire length of the project. This project involved coordination with local, state, and federal environmental jurisdictions throughout the entire project corridor. Construction was substantially completed in the fall of 2021 and will be fully completed this summer.
The combined-use, paved trail runs along the reconstructed highway to enhance recreational use.
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Number of Bridges
South Dakota Bridge Repairs
South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) Various locations across South Dakota
HEI’s team has completed bridge inspection and repair projects for nearly 20 different bridges for the SDDOT from 2018 to 2022. These repairs included steel beam repair, deck repair, mill and overlays, approach slab repairs, and chip seals. Bridge repairs were required for several reasons, including impact damage from over-height vehicles to everyday wear and tear of the bridges. HEI worked closely with SDDOT staff on many of these projects from the initial bridge inspection through final plan completion. These repairs increased safety for commuters and enhanced the bridges' longevity. houstoneng.com
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS Fun Facts has 3 kids, 3 kids-inlaw, and 7 grandkids favorite place visited is sunny Maui, Hawaii Born in California and lived in 8 states coast-to-coast prior to age 29
Getting to know
JEFF LANGAN With 34 years of experience, Jeff Langan leads HEI's transportation services across Minnesota as a Senior Civil Engineer. Before his career at HEI, he worked for county highway departments, private firms, and the Federal Highway Administration. Today, Jeff focuses his efforts on continuing to grow HEI's transportation services. Some of the projects Jeff is currently working on include state aid bridges, multi-use trails, urban and rural highway drainage, municipal street reconstructions, lake outlet projects, and more. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys fishing, hunting, spending time with his growing family, and traveling the country to attend rock concerts.
Q&A
What have you learned from your experience at HEI? Relationships are the most important part of a successful project. Good relationships both with the project development team and the client leads to the highest quality communication, and communication is key to being successful at pretty much anything. Describe a memorable project. Most recently the new southside corridor establishment project in Thief River Falls, MN, that was completed in 2021 by the Pennington County Highway Department. There is not a single element of the project that does not provide a high value to the needs and expectations of the community. Pedestrian and motor vehicle safety, recreation, mobility efficiency, corridor aesthetics, economic growth, and smart community planning are all obvious benefits the community sees. Well planned, properly communicated, smart design, quality construction documents, 12
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minimal environmental impacts, and strategic construction operations were all well executed in this project. I am extremely proud to have led this project and be a part of the project team.
Jeff enjoys regularly fishing at Lake of the Woods in northern Minnesota.
What professional advice would you like to pass along to others? Hard work and good intentions will always get you to a good place at the end of a project. What do you like most about your job/role? The sense of value I get from my efforts, helping young people develop their careers, and providing our community with high-quality public works projects that help us all live prosperous and high-quality lives. Job satisfaction is great at HEI, which makes going to work rewarding.
Jeff with other staff singing karaoke at HEI's Christmas party.
Jeff and his wife, Kim, regularly go to rock concerts, including Pearl Jam a few years ago in Missoula.
Getting to know
MIKE BUERKLEY
Originally from Fargo, ND, Mike was working at a local shoelace company as a shoelace tipper when George Houston, HEI's founder, came in to pick up an order of custom HEI shoelaces. He was so impressed with the workmanship (especially the lace tips!) that he said, "Mr. Buerkley, I feel you can play a key role in the success of HEI. Please come work for me." Luckily, Mike did.
Handmade fishing rods.
When Mike isn't providing his trademark high-quality services to HEI's clients as a resident project representative, he is spending time with Ann–his wife of 36 years (the 'she' in his 'nanigans'), his three grown children – Joshua (married to Nikki), Jessica, and Lucas, and his three busy grandkids – Owen, Leo, and Emmitt. The family also boasts two dogs!
Q&A
What has been the most rewarding project you've worked on thus far at HEI?: I have been involved in so many interesting projects that it's hard to pick just one. I guess one that still stands out is the Devils Lake outlet project in Minnesota. It consisted of a large concrete control structure lowered through the ice. There was a scuba diver involved with installing the pipe and cleaning out the structure. Many cabins and homes were being inundated with high water levels, so it was rewarding to help those people.
surrounded by an ocean of flood water, that were protected by the farmstead ring dikes I had a hand in creating.
community but also the states of North Dakota and Minnesota. I have enjoyed building many positive relationshps throughout many communities.
What professional advice would you like to pass along? If you talk with a national reporter during a flood after working 26 hours straight...be careful what you say. It might end up in papers all over the world.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Archery, fishing, spending time at the lake with family and friends, especially when it involves bonfires and beer (maybe even an occasional firework thrown into the firepit when nobody is looking). I also enjoy building custom fishing rods for family and friends.
What do you feel is the most important aspect of your job? I'm proud of the end results During the 2009 flood, a friend of all the HEI projects took me for a plane ride. It was I've been a part of and extremely rewarding to see how our projects have all these little farm islands, benefitted not only the local
What are your goals? My main goal after I retire is to work part time at the shoelace factory and regain my title as "the best dang lace tipper in the Upper Midwest".
As a licensed drone pilot, Mike can capture footage during construction projects.
Mike spending some time in the outdoors. houstoneng.com
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NEWS AND EVENTS RECOGNITION, COMMUNITY, AND CULTURE 1.
Drew Kessler was appointed as the new Chair for the Headwaters Agriculture Sustainability Partnership (HASP). HASP was formed in 2018 as a way to incubate and implement farmer-led conservation projects.
2. Kiah Sagami was recognized in the Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium member spotlight in November 2021. 3. Stan Hanson has transfered to HEI's Sioux Falls office in South Dakota. 4. HEI celebrated our team during Engineers Week (February 20-26) and Surveyors Week (March 20-26) with good food and fun activites. 5. Congrats to Bjorn Berg for earning the Young Engineer of the Year Award from the Fargo-Moorhead Chapter of the North Dakota Society of Professional Engineers. 6. Steve Strack became a nationally certified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer® (PTOE)! This certification is given to specialized professionals who are skilled in solving and implementing traffic and transportation solutions to enhance communities.
7.
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Congrats to those who earned their professional engineer licensure since December 2021. Pictured left to right: Ryan David, Cody Oltz, Paul Strong, Jennifer Kern, Nate Renner, and Gabe Brien.
8. After 45 years of devoted service in the environmental consulting field, Tim Kenyon retired from HEI on April 8, 2022. HEI celebrated with a small gathering of friends and colleagues.
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9. Alan Kemmet earned his place on the 2021 40 Under 40 list published by Prairie Business Magazine. 10. Congrats to those who graduated from Dale Carnegie training. Pictured top left to right: Josh Hengel, Moriya Rufer, Jun Yang, Mike Ferrie, Bjorn Berg, Tom Kornkven, Hannah Passolt, Ted Rud, Heidi Joarnt, Patrick Johanneck, and Cody Oltz. 11. Jennifer Kern and Brian Pattengale shared their engineering knowledge to inspire future STEM professionals during the Avenues of Scientific Discovery conference in April. This one-day event is hosted by North Dakota State University for up to 300 middle and high school students to cultivate an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
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Be part of our team!
NEW EMPLOYEES Welcome to our team!
Visit our careers page to find open positions across our firm or sign up for email alerts: www.houstoneng.com/careers
Jeff Bentz Technician/Civil Construction
Nitsa Dereskos, EIT Civil Engineer
Tessa Grabow Administrative Assistant
Bev Jung Administrative Assistant
Jackson Kamrud Civil Engineer
Isaac Larson Technician/ Survey
Dave Marshall, CMWP Engineering Specialist
Adam Omlid CAD Technician
Megan Otten, MS GIS Technician
Megan Spence Administrative Assistant
Kalvin Strecker, EIT Civil Engineer
Jackie Thompson Accounting Assistant
Josh VandenBos, PE Civil Engineer
Clarence Zimmel Technician/Civil Construction
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Learn More!
Visit the Recent News section of our website to learn more about these topics and other news from our team: www.houstoneng.com/news houstoneng.com
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1401 21st Avenue North • Fargo, ND 58102
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Iowa Des Moines
CELEBRATING Client Project Awards 52nd Avenue South Corridor | City of Fargo Engineering Excellence Award | Amerian Council of Engineering Companies of North Dakota (ACEC/ND) Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project: Phase MI-1 | Souris River Joint Board 1. Gold Star Award | ND Ready Mix & Concrete Products Association 2. Crown Communities Award | American City & County 3. Outstanding Design Award, State Level | North Dakota Society of Professional Engineers 16
Spring/Summer 2022
SF, BC, and W Parking Lots and Steam Vault Replacements Project North Dakota State University Gold Star Award | ND Ready Mix & Concrete Products Association
New South Side CSAH 8 Corridor Project Pennington County Highway Department 1. Project of the Year | Minnesota County Engineers Association (MCEA) 2. Honor Award | American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota (ACEC/MN)