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Water Resources

Three images of drainage ditches, roadways, and a bridge

Water Resources

Protection of our most critical resource, water, is paramount in roadway construction projects. Water resources, and the specific focus of stormwater management, is a specialized skill set. Isthmus is at the forefront of stormwater modeling to ensure that our designs capture and clean water as it travels over roads, bridges, parking lots, and other infrastructure. Our expert designers ensure conveyance through transportation infrastructure to limit damage during freeze-thaw months and reduce flood potential.

We balance our client’s needs for practical, realistic, and cost-effective solutions. Our suite of modeling software and cutting-edge technological tools integrate water resource design into roadway plan sets from start to finish. The engineers on our Water Resources team are certified in Design of Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP).

Areas of Specialty

Highway Stormwater Modeling
Isthmus creates stormwater models using OpenRoads Designer, Civil 3D Analyze Gravity Networks, HydroCAD, XPSWMM, ArcGIS, HEC-RAS, and HY-8 to prevent or mitigate flooding of highway infrastructure or private property. Using the best modeling software available to the industry allows us to analyze storm sewers, culverts, inlet spacing, ditches, rivers, and ponds and recommend temporary and permanent stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) for our projects. The accuracy of the model sets the foundation for temporary and permanent BMP design and implementation. Demonstrating our commitment to elevating our industry, our Water Resources team members are sharing their understanding of OpenRoads Designer drainage tools to support MnDOT and others across the local industry in adopting new workflows.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Protection of water begins with pollution prevention at the source. Our team is well-versed in local, state, and federal regulations and naturally works permitting and compliance into every civil design project. Our designers have experience successfully leading projects through environmental permitting of various types from multiple agencies including Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), local Watershed Districts, Watershed Management Organizations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Minnesota DNR. Agencies value the accuracy and efficiency of our technical work and modeling, therefore trusting the design and implementation which expedites the permitting process.

Featured Experience

Featured Team Members

Stephanie Rathburn, PE

Intelligent and curious, Stephanie brings technical expertise and a commitment to sharing knowledge to her roles on project teams and as the lead of the Isthmus Water Resources group. Her understanding of how disciplines work together enhances team collaboration and project delivery.

Andy Wells, PE

Andy is a keen observer and inclusive leader who has focused his career on helping others succeed. Whether supporting design tasks, leading teams as a project manager, or implementing strategic planning initiatives, Andy is able to adapt as needed to navigate toward the desired outcome.

Nina Myszkowski, EIT

With enthusiasm and a team-focused attitude, Nina has literally rolled up her sleeves and put on her field work boots to support Isthmus and her project work. Her interest and passion for water resource management practices help our clients, the community, and the environment.
headshot of Alex Lopez

Alex Lopez, EIT

While he takes his work seriously, Alex's quiet smile is a calming reminder for the team not to take ourselves too seriously. Alex combines his strong academic understanding of hydraulics with his evolving technical capabilities to develop thoughtful, practical design solutions. 

Hunter Smoak

With a background as a geologist, Hunter discovered a passion for how infrastructure interacts with the natural environment and pivoted his career to focus on water resources. His experience and attention to detail are a reliable asset for our team, our projects, and our partners.
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