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FIELD TO MARKET Creating Sustainable, Productive Agriculture

As society continues to grow its awareness of how and where our food is grown, it's more important than ever to support the agricultural industry and its partners. Consumers seek transparency, value, and sustainability from those they buy groceries from. These expectations are leading to breakthroughs in creating sustainable agricultural production.

Just last year, Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI) became a member of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. Field to Market® is an industry leader in uniting the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring, and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber, and fuel production in the . continued

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Building Infrastructure in America's Duck Factory...... 4 What Happens When You Reconstruct the Only Bridge in Town?...... 5 Hansen Park: Big Investment. Big Results.....6 Transportation Innovators...... 8 Drone-based LiDAR...... 9 Featured Service Area...... 10 News and Events...... 11 Project Snapshots...... 13 Employee Spotlight...... 14 THE ALLIANCE THE PROJECT Field to Market was born in 2006 when HEI was hired by Field to Market to bring Fieldprint Platform Metrics stakeholders from across the agricultural their Fieldprint‰ Platform into the next let landowners see the industry came together to discuss a generation. This enhancement puts the sustainability of their sustainable approach to agriculture. This Platform on the forefront of creative farming practices diverse group comes from every step of web applications for the agricultural the agricultural supply chain: community. With a user-friendly interface • Grower organizations and science-based data and models, • Agribusinesses the Fieldprint‰ Platform Version 3.0 • Food, beverage, apparel, restaurant, provides farmers and landowners with and retail companies a convenient tool to voluntarily and • Conservation groups securely analyze how their management • Universities choices impact natural resources and • Public sector partners operational efficiency. This helps farmers assess the environmental performance This group seeks to define, measure, of their management practices against and advance the sustainability of food, local, state, and national benchmarks fiber, and fuel production in the United for key sustainability indicators. States. Field to Market and its members seek to drive continuous improvement in the sustainability of commodity crop production by coming together to accomplish a common goal. HEI is committed to being a steward of our agricultural resources. By serving every level of the agricultural industry, we hope to enhance the ability for today's agricultural community to provide safe, secure, and sustainable food supplies. OUR MEMBERSHIP By joining Field to Market, HEI will work with other members of the organization to help accelerate opportunities for continuous improvement across the agricultural value chain. These improvements include productivity, environmental quality, and human well-being.

2 Fall/Winter 2018 HEI AND AGRICULTURE HEI has a long history offering agricultural services in the Upper Midwest, rooted in rural water supply and drainage water management by our founder George Houston. Today's HEI continues that early commitment with a firm understanding HEI is thrilled to have been selected as the technology vendor of American Agriculture and expanded services that embrace to rebuild the Fieldprint® Platform. The project has been a great the shared values across the supply chain. We work to serve collaboration with Field to Market staff and members. As a result agriculture by enhancing the legacy of land stewardship and of this partnership, the below new features and functionality food production while recognizing the need for clean water and were developed for this upgraded platform: sufficient water supplies.

ps and fe COMMUNITY-FOCUSED ro ed As a community-focused firm located in the Midwest, we meld c p credible water quantity and quality science, natural resources e a r t science, economic information, and policy insight into creative o h

w solutions across many industries and diverse clients. From our m

a humble roots, our future vision is to serve the agribusiness y

s sci industry as a thought leader, bringing multi-disciplinary tter enc be e approaches that break down traditional barriers and change the dialogue about natural resources stewardship and agriculture.

MANY SERVICES, ONE APPROACH HEI provides a wide array of services that unite under one us streamlined approach: to create solutions that are both ved er ro ex implementable and durable. We help boil down complicated p p e science, models, and regulatory issues into understandable m i r i solutions that maintain and strengthen the economic viability of e

n individual farmers and communities.

c e supply ed ch COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS c a n i Such a large endeavor cannot be taken on alone. HEI’s team is a n working diligently to build partnerships with agriculture clients h f e n that recognize the need to sustain productive lands while finding a

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u opportunities to improve the quality and quantity of our water.

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e We seek to honor the legacy of our founder by continuing to build s trusted local relationships with the businesses and families that mic imp have the closest ties to the land and water: farmers. no ro o v r e HEI’s team is committed to several agribusiness partner groups, g m a working collaboratively as part of private-public partnerships e

n to improve water quality and natural resources for American t

s Agriculture. We are excited to support the great work being done to measure and enhance the ability for today’s agricultural community to provide safe, secure, and sustainable food supplies. bust ana ro ly t re ic o s

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gy refr lo es no h h c Building Science to Custom Supporting e t Partnerships Support Software Infrastructure Ag's Story Development

Learn More https://fieldtomarket.org/ https://calculator.fieldtomarket.org

houstoneng.com 3 Prairie Pothole Region in the United States

Building Infrastructure in America’s Duck Factory

merica’s Duck Factory. within the region—even if they “Often, a project can quality of the wetlands. After That’s one name used don’t realize it. According to the wetlands are quantified, A seem straightforward,” to describe what is more the Environmental Protection the scientists, engineers, and properly known as the Prairie Agency, these abundant says Donna Jacob, “but permitting agencies work Pothole Region—an area that wetlands solve many potential then it needs to be together to find the optimal way many cherish for its benefits water resources problems to achieve a project’s outcome to migratory waterfowl and without people having to lift a modified to accommodate while minimizing the impacts to other wildlife. While this area finger by reducing erosion and these systems. Sometimes the natural environmental and is of unquestionable ecological sedimentation, filtering water, it seems daunting to essential ecosystem functions. importance, its benefits come and absorbing floodwater. with some tough challenges adjust plans or projects, SCIENTISTS GET THE JOB for civil engineering projects. A BALANCING ACT but these changes DONE While the wetlands provide help maintain a healthy Scientists are a cornerstone WHAT IS THE PRAIRIE several measurable benefits, of successful engineering POTHOLE REGION? those who live in the region also ecosystem.” projects, especially in the The United States’ portion depend on roadways, drainage Prairie Pothole Region. With of the Prairie Pothole Region ditches, and railroads. Those Donna and other scientists in their help, America's Duck includes more than five-million who maintain and construct that the industry quantify aquatic Factory can keep up its acres of wetlands. These infrastructure must check their resources by mapping the production without halting wetlands are located primarily efforts against their obligation systems and determining the civil infrastructure projects. throughout , to protect the wetlands, , and seeking ways to avoid and/or but are also found in Iowa and offset impacts before moving . The abundant shallow ahead with construction. That's HEI's Aquatic Resources Experts wetlands (i.e., potholes) were rarely a simple undertaking in created by receding glaciers the Prairie Pothole Region. thousands of years ago. The dips in the land’s topography The value provided by became filled with water (some wetlands and other aquatic seasonally, some permanently), resources means some creating one of most significant scientists spend the bulk of wetland regions in the world. their careers—whether in public Mark Donna Emmy Hannah Aanenson Jacob Baskerville Erdmann or private practice—working Every year, millions of waterfowl to identify and preserve Gained Lived and Serves out of Recently pass through or nest in the them. That includes several experience studied in the Twin Cities, earned her after Ireland while providing bachelor's Prairie Pothole Region. Ducks of the scientists at HEI. graduation earning her environmental degree Unlimited describes how with a soil PhD before services for from North waterfowl of every sort, from Scientists like Donna Jacob and water returning to the both urban and Dakota State mallards to Canada geese, rely support civil engineers and conservation United States. rural projects. University and district before is now pursuing on the wetlands to provide food, planners by getting out joining HEI. her master's nesting grounds, and more. of the office and into the degree. field—at least during the The region provides other non-winter months. Her job Certified Wetland Professional Certified Wetland less obvious benefits, many of is to ensure that engineering Delineator Wetland Scientist Delineator In-Training which benefit those who live projects are designed and constructed responsibly. 4 Fall/Winter 2018 A single lane of traffic was maintained throughout the project. Roughly half of the original timber structure was preserved What Happens When You Reconstruct temporarily to allow for traffic while the first portion of the new the Only Bridge in Town? structure was built.

ike many Upper Midwest Residents and businesses in Becker County and BNSF. This The structure was analyzed to L towns in the late 1800s, the Lake Park depend on access crossing also is on a gravel determine its stability before City of Lake Park, Minnesota, between the two halves. surfaced road, has limited half of it was demolished. With was founded along the railroad. Businesses receive traffic advanced warning devices, new load ratings and other Large and small, many towns from US 10, and residents in and no intersection lighting. restrictions in place, traffic throughout the region have the north attend school or was reduced to a single lane the railroad to thank for their commute along US 10 to jobs The County retained HEI to over the timber structure starts and early sustainment. outside the community. serve as civil engineer for the (temporary signals at either end They built businesses, homes, project and come up with a managed traffic flow). After and roads around the tracks A bridge was constructed over solution to keep traffic flowing. the first stage of construction, that were their lifelines. Even the BNSF railroad decades HEI worked with the County to traffic was shifted to the new now, you can see old tracks ago to ensure that there would create a construction phasing adjacent half structure, and running through downtown be unhindered access over plan that would preserve a the remaining half of the initial Lake Park, an offshoot of the the railroad at all times. This grade-separated railroad structure’s demolition was mainline that was used by bridge has served motorists crossing in town through the completed. The rest of the new the town’s grain elevator. and pedestrians well while construction zone by using the bridge was then constructed. also allowing the railroad to existing bridge. A construction Nowadays, train traffic has continue business uninterrupted staging plan was developed In the fall of 2018, construction increased, roads are busier than below. However, the Becker that would allow the new bridge for the bridge was successfully ever, and the Upper Midwest has County Highway Department to be constructed one-half at completed, and two-lane traffic, a more diverse economy. Given recently determined that the a time. A single lane of traffic pedestrian passage, and access the chance to do it all over bridge had reached the end and a pedestrian path would to the future multi-use trail were again, urban planners would of its service life and the time be maintained throughout all restored over the new bridge. probably propose a layout other had come to replace it. construction operations. The new bridge serves the same than one where railroad tracks basic purpose as the old—get run right through the heart of MAINTAINING ACCESS The previous timber structure people over the tracks—but a city. But the tracks are where OVER THE RAILROAD was nearly 75 years old and it will do so with several they are, and cities have found Replacing the bridge in had sustained several train improvements. Pedestrians ways to minimize the challenges Lake Park, while necessary, impacts over the years as well will have a protected shared- of railroads while continuing to threatened to temporarily as a recent vehicle impact. use path, BNSF will have the benefit from their presence. remove residents’ only means of These issues, along with its option to add an additional crossing the tracks in town. This age, created concerns over track, and the stability of the A TOWN IN TWO PARTS was deemed unacceptable. The stability during demolition structure itself will mean it In Lake Park, the railroad runs next closest crossing is located and temporary traffic use. can serve the city for several east and west, splitting the town about 1.5 miles west of town on decades into the future. roughly into two halves. The a gravel road, which would have north part has a large portion not only been inconvenient— of the population as well as a adding miles to travel routes— grocery store, bank, restaurant, but also less safe. The crossing and most of the commercial west of town is at-grade and, businesses. The south half considering a high-speed train includes a school, connects is present every 45 minutes to US 10 (the main corridor and the roadway’s average through the region), and is daily traffic would increase to home to its own significant up to 1,000 vehicles, the risk portion of the population. of a train-vehicle collision was The bridge serves as the only above-grade crossing over the determined unacceptable to railroad in Lake Park.

houstoneng.com 5 e, vativ iron- no en in h , an e c u e iq d n s u a

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r . New dam structure increases HANSEN PARK: water storage. Big Investment. Big Results.

Hansen Park is in the Rice Creek Management Project. The improvements to water quality from the Minnesota Board Watershed District (RCWD) in project would address and flooding in the region. The of Water and Soil Resources New Brighton, Minnesota. The stormwater management and City of New Brighton took HEI’s (BWSR) that included an District recently completed flooding within the drainage findings and incorporated allocation of $1.5 million for a comprehensive project area of Ramsey County Ditch the project into an amended the project. Combined with within the park to improve 2, which flows through the petition. On June 11, 2014, $2.5 million in matching RCWD downstream water quality Hansen Park pond. This petition the RCWD accepted the funds, the grant funding and mitigate urban flooding launched the RCWD and HEI amended petition and began makes Hansen Park the while balancing recreational into the first phase of this to work in earnest to develop largest and most complicated opportunities and improving project: analyzing current the background information project in RCWD's history. wildlife habitat. HEI supported conditions of the drainage and concept plans for the the RCWD to complete the area and how they could be Hansen Park project. GETTING A DESIGN IN project that included: improved with the Basic PLACE • Pond dredging (≈70,000 Water Management Project. FUNDING THE PROJECT HEI worked with stakeholders CY excavated) With HEI's support, the RCWD to design the multi-benefit • Contaminated sediment Through this analysis, HEI and City of New Brighton project. This design removal (≈22,000 proposed the Hansen Park secured a Targeted Watershed married together several tons landfilled) project as a solution for Demonstration Project Grant best management • Dam reconstruction • Installation of new park trails • Habitat improvements HANSEN PARK through native vegetation establishment (aquatic by the Numbers & terrestrial) • Installation of unique -million project construction Iron Enhanced Sand budget start completed Filter (IESF) system $4 ᾿14year ᾿18 GETTING THE FACTS STRAIGHT unique lbs/year of -million In 2013, the cities of New iron-enhanced sediment grant funding Brighton, St. Anthony Village, 1sand filter 235removed $1.5 and Roseville petitioned to create the Basic Water

6 Fall/Winter 2018 practices, including: via the installation of wood- Construction was planned during winter to take advantage of • Targeted removal of chip haul roads. The wood frozen ground to provide a solid foundation to work on and accumulated sediments chips acted as a thermal make transporting equipment much easier. However, several contributing to significant barrier, preventing soils from weather woes created challenges to overcome: phosphorus loading to warming and giving us a firm improve water quality foundation to work on. • Increased flood storage Weather Woes Our Solutions capacity via sediment removal The Contractor also Temperatures averaged We took advantage of warmer and installation of three- implemented the use of a 5.2°F ABOVE normal during weather to complete the sheet stage dam and outlet design composite matting surface to construction, warming soils and pile dam coating, which needed melting snow. warmer weather to seal properly. • Establishment of native prolong trucking access to the plant community pond. Despite their best efforts, Higher temps meant soils Our team provided extensive • Development of an automated continued excavation operations expanded more, leading to less coordination assistance to ensure IESF pumping system were deemed unsuitable and soil hauled off daily than planned, as much material was disposed of more landfill coordination, and as possible. unsafe. As a result, following more difficult excavation methods. Our drone team captured videos installation of the new sheet- of the existing site to be sure pile dam structure and outlet Instead of frozen ground, our crew We used wood chips to create a we had a full understanding. control structure project work dealt with muddy soils, slowing simple, cost-effective means of They have continued to take was suspended for the season. construction equipment and keeping the soil cooler and give making a mess of the site. the team a stronger foundation to more videos to document work on. the construction effort. Project work to complete the dredging effort resumed Due to these conditions, Our team was able to establish MOTHER NATURE HAD during the winter of 2017/2018. excavation was extended into the vegetation easier in softer ground following winter. earlier than expected. OTHER PLANS The IESF system and native The project was developed vegetative restoration effort to accommodate mechanical were completed during dredging (excavation). To do the summer of 2018. so, it was necessary to conduct excavation operations under The IESF system at Hansen frozen conditions to allow Park consists of a series of for access to the pond. It sand beds with iron fillings was initially anticipated that mixed into the sand. When major excavation (dredging) pond water that is heavily laden This project substantially Wood chips created a thermal operations would be completed with phosphorus is pumped reduced flood risk in a barrier and firm footing for during the winter of 2016/2017. to the beds, it chemically community prone to flooding. construction operations. bonds with the iron filings, The temperatures were just greatly reducing phosphorus as cold as anticipated, and discharge concentrations. The everything was running Hansen Park system utilizes smoothly when construction complex controls to automate began in December. Then, in the application of water to mid-January, temperatures sky- the multi-bed system. Initial rocketed. The exposed surface testing of discharges from the of the pond quickly thawed. The IESF system has demonstrated Contractor made a noble effort phosphorus removal to maintain the work surface efficiencies in excess of 90%. This innovative IESF has an advanced control system that automates the pumping process and can be operated remotely.

Our drone team visited the site throughout the project's life span to ensure we had a complete understanding of the area and that the project was completed correctly.

BEFORE AFTER 2016 2018

houstoneng.com 7 Starting with planners and traffic engineers and all the way TRANSPORTATION to roadway designers and landscape architects, HEI uses innovative transportation solutions for the most efficient and safe INNOVATORS transportation infrastructure and operations for our clients.

Consensus Visioning Innovation Building 1 2 3

Engaging the community and Helping our clients define an overall Doing the "same old thing" doesn't work identifying and addressing the public's vision is a main goal of every HEI for every intersection. Our team takes a concerns are top priorities during corridor, facility, or intersection lot of pride in our innovative and out-of- the consensus building process. Here project. Using key takeaways from the the-box thinking as we strive to create are ways we are connecting with consensus building process, HEI works the best possible solution. Part of this invested parties to build consensus. to establish a project-specific vision. process is finding a balance between Our team takes into consideration operations, access, and safety to achieve • Public meetings everything from adjacent land use, the correct fit for each and every corridor. • Social media/website roadway functional classification, access • Newsletters spacing, speeds, corridor aesthetics, HEI's innovative solutions include: • 3D visualizations and multi-modal accommodations when • First roundabout in the City of Moorhead • Face-to-face meetings determining transportation solutions. • First RCUT in the City of Fargo • Stakeholder meetings

Intersections

Innovation Tool Box

At HEI, we have a wide variety of options to choose from when helping our clients find the perfect fit for their community. Intersections • RCUT • Single-lane roundabout • Multi-lane roundabout Interchanges • Media U-turn intersection • Bow-tie intersection • Continuous green T-intersection • Pedestrian improvements Interchanges • Diverging diamond • Single-point urban interchange • Roundabout interchange

8 Fall/Winter 2018 Photo credit: North Dakota Department of Transportation pictured with representatives from HEI and SkySkopes

DRONE-BASED LIDAR ADVANTAGES OF

rones continue to be a buzzword in many industries, including DRONE-BASED LIDAR D the architecture/engineering world. Drones are enhancing how we do traditional work, including survey data collection for Safety projects. Surveyors and drone pilots can capture LiDAR information of rough, unstable terrain Earlier this fall, HEI conducted a drone-based LiDAR survey on ND from a safe location. Highway 3 north of Harvey, ND, for the North Dakota Department of Transportation. This was the first time a drone with LiDAR capabilities has been used on a state roadway project. Cost The traditional aerial LiDAR method cost can start at roughly $5,000 just to mobilize the plane for one day! Drones can collect LiDAR data much faster and more efficiently compared to the traditional aerial LiDAR method or as ground The cost for drone-based LiDAR is established by survey. Acquiring aerial LiDAR data can be a costly investment the time to fly the area and the data processing time, with the traditional method. To mobilize an airplane for one day which costs significantly less than aerial LiDAR. can cost up to $5,000. That's before the plane even gets into the air! In comparison, two hours of a drone LiDAR flight can cost approximately $1,400, and a drone flight can cover roughly 200 Accuracy acres in one flight before needing to recharge batteries. The drone-based LiDAR system can capture survey- grade (cm-level) vertical accuracy with a scan rate HEI and our teaming partner are excited to pioneer the way we use of 700k points per second. Millions of points are this technology to help us work smarter and faster, which helps our collected during this process, resulting in highly clients save time and money. accurate surface models that can be used for project design. Learn more at www.houstoneng.com/drones

WHAT IS LIDAR?

LiDAR (light detection and ranging) uses light in the form of lasers to measure variable distances. It can be used for: 3D Modeling Digital Terrain Models Right-of-Way Mapping and Monitoring The drone is equipped with a state-of-the-art LiDAR system to capture accurate data points for mapping needs.

houstoneng.com 9 Featured Service Area LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

In a society that continues to demand more and more from its design consultants, HEI has held onto our commitment of exceeding expectations by adding landscape architecture to our palette of services. Landscape architecture is the art and practice of designing an outdoor environment. Landscape architects play a major role in the development of our communities by literally shaping the world we live in.

From parks to streetscapes, stormwater management to community development, and beyond, our team combines landscape architecture with civil engineering to create projects that not only get the job done but look good doing it.

Josh Johnson joined HEI's team in "Josh's expertise and September 2018, leading our new Landscape Architecture service area for all previous project experience, HEI locations and clients. After earning his along with his client service bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from North Dakota State University, Josh and management expertise, developed a strong resume providing landscape design services to clients across is a great addition to the country. HEI's team and naturally

MEET JOSH Josh has more than 20 years of design complements our expanding and project management experience for a planning service sector." Josh Johnson, PLA, ASLA variety of public and private organizations. Combining landscape architecture with civil Landscape Architect - Jeff LeDoux, President and CEO engineering components, Josh helps clients 605.271.0378 create places that are not only functional [email protected] but aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.

Registered Professional Grew up in Can serve any client and Landscape Architect in SD, ND, southeastern Minnesota project company-wide MN, WI, and AL (IA pending)

10 Fall/Winter 2018 NEWS AND EVENTS

30 25 Our employees years years Years are the core of of our company, and Service we value their commitment and John Freitag, PE Jeff LeDoux, PE Rick Gunderson, PE Sr Construction President Sr Project Manager contributions. Engineer and CEO 20 15 years years Congratulations to the following employees on their milestone work Mark Aanenson, CWD Brad Johnson Jeremy McLaughlin, Chad Qualley Dave Schwengler Kristi Stroud Greg Thompson, Project Manager/ Engineering MBA, PE Sr Technician Engineering CAD Supervisor PE, CFM anniversaries! Environmental Specialist Sr Project Manager Specialist Project Manager 10 years

Emmy Baskerville, Greg Bowles, PE Daniel Heitzman, Zach Herrmann, PE Alan Kemmet, PE Kate MacDonald, PE Shawn Mistelski Tony Nordby, PE CWD Project PE Project Engineer Project Manager Project Engineer Administrative Project Scientist II Manager Project Engineer Assistant Engineer 5 years

Chris Otterness, PE Brian Pattengale, PE Brenda Stroh Project Manager Project Engineer Controller Trent Berg, PE Chad Cass, EI, LSI Lois Erickson, Michael Ferrie, PE Stan Hanson, PE Engineer III Construction SHRM-CP Engineer III Project Engineer HR Manager Manager

James Hennessy, PLS Dan Korf, PE Cameron Miller, Garrett Monson, Jerry Neu Chad Nunemacher Jeff Renner Jeremiah Sandahl Jun "Jay" Yang, Project Manager/ Engineer II EI MS, PE Engineering Sr GIS Analyst CAD Technician II Software PhD, PE Land Surveying Engineer II Engineer III Specialist Engineer II Engineer III WELCOME EARNED NEW EMPLOYEES PE REGISTRATION

Rob Davis, MS Cory Hartung Josh Hengel, PE Noah Irby Josh Johnson, Russell Kerber, Wes Keller, Dan Korf, PE Scientist II Software Engineer III GIS Analyst I PLA, ASLA EIT MEng, PE Engineer II Engineer I Landscape Architect Engineer I Engineer II

Kelby Laxdal, PE Rusten Roteliuk, PE Nick Shaske Destin Spellman Brady Wall, PE Joe Reiter, PE Jerry Wallace, PE Engineer III Project Engineer Technician I Engineer I Engineer III Engineer III Engineer II

houstoneng.com 11 NEWS AND EVENTS

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1. Gabe Brien took second place 5. HEI's Maple Grove team enjoyed 9. For the fifth consecutive year, 12. HEI's Bismarck and Dickinson in the Adult Division of the 43rd their first annual golf scramble in Prairie Business Magazine team won the 2019 Dickinson Annual International Old-Time September. recognized HEI among the Trap Club Championship. Fiddle Contest in June at the 50 Best Places to Work in the International Music Camp near 6. HEI hosted a tailgating spot northern Great Plains. HEI Dunseith, ND. during the North Dakota State couldn't have received this University Bison football games honor without our wonderful 2. HEI's Thief River Falls team for employees and their families employees! Want to learn more about tossed out candy and treats to enjoy. what's happening inside in the the annual Pennington 10. Hannah Rollin and Sarah HEI? County Fair parade. 7. The North Dakota Chapter of Walker are participating in the the American Public Works uCodeGirl mentorship program 3. In celebration of Shark Week, Follow us on social media Association recognized HEI with through May 2019. The program HEI's Fargo team tested their and visit our website to the 2018 Project of the Year brings together STEM women shark knowledge with a trivia award for the Downtown Minot professionals and teen girls stay connected. break. Infrastructure Improvement to build a support system for Project. academic success. 4. HEI's Fargo team participated in West Fargo's West Fest parade in houstoneng.com 8. Jeff LeDoux, President and CEO, 11. HEI's Fargo team enjoyed September. HEI's float promoted was interviewed by Fargo INC! their annual golf scramble in safety with staff dressed in magazine, sharing 10 tips from September. reflective vests and hard hats. HEI's 50 years of business.

12 Fall/Winter 2018 You spoke and we listened! Your feedback from our spring/summer issue survey P R O J E C T indicated that you are hungry to read more project stories. Here are some project SNAPSHOTS highlights we've been working on this past year. Drain 22 Walsh County, ND New culverts and two riprap outlet structures were constructed in the summer of 2018 to repair erosion that was occurring on the bank of the Red FM-15-F2 Harwood, Hackberry, and River Drive Levees Phase 2 River. The project Fargo, ND also consisted This project will provide flood protection along River Drive in Fargo, ND, of three miles of consisting of approximately 2,645 LF of levee with a 10-foot top and 4:1 ditch cleanout side slopes averaging 7 feet tall. Over 23,000 cubic yards of impervious and more than (clay) material was required for construction. This project started July one mile of ditch 2018 and wrapped up this past fall with seeding happening in the spring. reconstruction.

Drain 87/McLeod Drain North Hill Walsh County, ND Elevated Water Tank A new legal drainage system was established at MInot, ND the request of landowners The 1.5-million- in the drain assessment gallon water tank area to address poor field being completed drainage. Currently, more this fall houses than five miles of ditch three times the are being constructed capacity of the with more than 1.1 million existing tower to cubic yards of dirt being serve the growing moved. It's expected to community. be completed by July 2019.

The Bridges Student Edition Fish Lake Rapids North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND Pelican Rapids, MN This new student housing facility, which HEI provided the The Fish Lake civil site design for, opened in August 2018 with more than Dam sets water 350 units. levels for several lakes as part of the chain of lakes on the Pelican River. The aging dam infrastructure was replaced with a rock ramp and natural Before boulder arch rapids completed this fall. This project improves fish migration, maintains current lake levels, and created Clay County Joint Law Enforcement Center aesthetically Moorhead, MN pleasing natural- This project consisted of expanding/remodeling the looking rapids. existing joint law enforcement center and county jail facility to be the new county jail. A brand new joint city/county law enforcement center was also constructed on the campus. After

houstoneng.com 13 EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Brian Fischer started at HEI 17 years ago as a GIS specialist making maps and performing GIS analysis from our Maple Grove office. Since that time, Brian has led the development of HEI’s technology business sector, which includes GIS services, web and mobile Brian with his application development, and wife, Jennifer, and niche software products. their four children: Peyton, Miah, Owen, and Ella He spends most of his time today leading a team of software engineers and GIS analysts, working on business development, managing projects, and gathering software requirements for HEI’s technology business sector.

Outside of work, Brian enjoys golfing, fishing, watching about any sports, and being involved with his four children’s Getting to know activities—from volunteering at basketball and baseball games to watching dance recitals and tournaments. Brian Fischer Q&A Fun Facts

Tell us about the projects you What has been the most What have you learned from Favorite Home Cooked are currently working on? rewarding project you’ve your experience at HEI? Meal: Tater tot hotdish. I’m currently working with worked on thus far at HEI? No two projects are the same. Field to Market® to rebuild There have been numerous Each has its own challenges and Special Skill: "I'm pretty their Fieldprint® Platform. This projects over that past 17 years, rewards. good at playing guitar hero is a software development but one project that sticks and Madden on Xbox with project to rebuild and enhance out is the data management What book are you currently my kids." their assessment framework system we developed for the reading? that allows the agricultural Metropolitan Mosquito Control Do children’s books count supply chain to measure the District in the Twin Cities. because I read many of those Avid Cornhuskers Fan: environmental sustainability each night! The Nebraska native makes impacts of commodity It was very rewarding seeing it to a game whenever he production and identifies the use of GIS, web, and mobile can. opportunities for continuous technologies come together to improvement. help an organization modernize their data collection and This project has been fun and reporting systems. This included challenging, but HEI has a great everything from tracking public team working on the project calls to helicopter treatments. to make it successful. I have really enjoyed getting back into What do you like most about the agricultural domain after your job/role? growing up in a farm community I enjoy the problem-solving in rural Nebraska. aspect of my job and helping clients use software solutions to meet their business needs.

14 Fall/Winter 2018 Mark with his wife, Michele, and daughters, Bailey and Sidney

Getting to know Mark Aanenson

Mark Aanenson has two offices—sort of. The first is located in Fargo, ND. In it is a brown wooden desk covered in GIS maps, a metal bookshelf weighed down by plant identification manuals, and a north- facing window from which he can see cattails waving when the parking lot empties out. His second office—where he prefers to spend his workdays—is quite a bit bigger. In fact, that same north-facing window looks right into it.

As one of HEI’s environmental scientists, Mark spends much of his time outdoors. He and his team travel overland into fields and forests, down into ditches, and out onto rivers to provide environmental services for clients. This includes biological assessments identification, aquatic resources delineation, and more.

Mark joined HEI in the late 1990s after previously serving as the District Manager for the Mahnomen Soil and Water Conservation District. When he’s not working, he still finds opportunities to get back outside, spending his weekends hunting and fishing, golfing, and snowmobiling. Whether he’s on personal or professional time, one is most likely to find Mark somewhere in the great outdoors.

Q&A

You've been with HEI for Rockies to the west. Living and What has been the most two decades, any stories working out of the Red River rewarding project you’ve from your experience? Valley, we don’t get to see the worked on thus far at HEI? It’s not really a story, but I mountains too often—whether Having personally experienced a have worked out of six HEI for work or in our personal major flood, I would say working office buildings since I started lives—so that was a treat. on flood protection projects. I in 1998. Part of the reason for know firsthand the financial and this has been how much our What have you learned from emotional toll floods can have company has grown. When I your experience at HEI? on peoples’ lives. Our family Fun Facts began, I think we had fewer than A positive attitude and good went through a flood in 1997 50 staff across the company. communication can solve most when we lived in Ada, MN. Passionate Outdoorsman: Now, we have double that in problems. And having a great Being part of a team building He spends as much time in just this office (Fargo) alone! team makes a huge difference. flood protection for people in nature as he can even when When I first started at HEI, I communities like Fargo, Minot, he's not on the clock. Where is the most interesting completed most of my work Warren, and Moorhead—that place you’ve traveled alone. Now, I’m joined by some is pretty rewarding for me. Familiar Face at HEI: for work and why? great scientists who help ease He's been with the firm for 20 I really enjoy both the forested the burden and bring their own years and counting, and he areas in Minnesota and the unique skills to each project. has served clients out of six prairies of North Dakota. Last different HEI office buildings year we worked on some as HEI’s staff and services projects west of Havre, MT. have grown and expanded. This was way up in west-central Montana where we could see the

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RECYCLING IN ENGINEERING

As an environmentally focused engineering firm, we’re always looking for ways to make our projects eco-friendly yet affordable. One of the best ways to do this is to refer to the adage: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Many times the materials we need for our projects are right under our noses— Grand Marais Repurposed Flatcar Bridges we just need to know where to look.

GRAND MARAIS FLATCAR BRIDGES HEI designed small bridges with repurposed flatcars as part of the Grand Marais Outlet Restoration. These flatcars saved our project team time and money during construction as well as extended the useful life of the fabricated structures.

NDSU WE PARKING LOT HEI reclaimed existing pavement from the Reclaimed Base Aggregate for North Dakota State University's WE Parking Lot original WE parking lot to use it as the base aggregate during the recent redesign. Before/After Before/After

REPURPOSED OSGOOD BRIDGE The City of Fargo hired HEI to expand their pedestrian trail system while maintaining historic charm. To do this, a 1920s-era overhead steel truss bridge was converted into a landmark pedestrian Converted Truss Bridge into Pedestrian Crossing over the Sheyenne River crossing over the Sheyenne River.

16 Fall/Winter 2018