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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 or 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. Expert design also maintains 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 Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP).

Areas of Specialty

Highway Stormwater Modeling
Isthmus creates stormwater models using ArcGIS, HydroCAD, 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, and ponds among other features and recommend temporary and permanent stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) for roadways. The accuracy of the model sets the foundation for temporary and permanent BMP design and implementation. Our mastery of technical software also extends to bridge hydraulics which we used on one of the largest interchange projects in Minnesota.

Stormwater Pollution PreventionProtection 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 all types of permitting 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 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.
Andrew Helmers

Andrew Helmers, PE

Curious and humble, Andrew is an adaptable team member who willingly takes on a versatile range of project roles. At Isthmus this has included utility coordination, traffic engineering, drainage design, and stormwater management.
Nina Myszkowski

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.
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