Peter Savchik
EIT
Staff River Engineer
I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my engineering skillset while taking part in projects that positively impact the natural world, such as fish barrier removal.
Hired
- 2023
Location
- Tacoma, WA
Expertise
As a member of our river engineering team, Peter’s job is all about water and how it interacts with the earth and the structures we build. Peter specializes in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and depending on the project he might help a client design a more resilient bridge, return a river to a naturalistic state, or create fish-friendly stream crossings beneath roadways.
“I was drawn to this line of work due to my interest in hydraulic/hydrologic modeling,” Peter says, “but also because of my desire to create a positive impact, no matter how small it may appear, on wildlife and natural resources.”
Peter knows that sometimes even a small change can make a big impact, and his fish passage projects can do exactly that. The river engineering team regularly works with clients like the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to remove fish barriers at roadway stream crossings. In many areas of the Pacific Northwest artificial features like narrow culverts and steep grades at stream crossings have been blocking salmon and other critical fish species from upstream habitat for more than a hundred years. Peter helps model and redesign stream crossings to remove fish barriers, and sometimes removing a single barrier can restore access to miles of upstream spawning and rearing ecosystems.
Before joining GeoEngineers, Peter worked as a graduate student researcher for the UC Davis Department of Land Air, and Water Resources. His work primarily revolved around enhancing irrigation efficiency for almond farmers in California’s Central Valley. His work and research experience gave Peter a strong foundation in engineering principles, practical expertise in GIS, and a deep understanding of agricultural water usage that inform his work at GeoEngineers.
Peter joined GeoEngineers in 2023 looking for the chance to work on challenging interdisciplinary projects. He appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with engineers, biologists, ecologists, and geomorphologists, which allows for a diverse range of perspectives and expertise.
Outside of work, Peter enjoys camping, cooking, playing guitar, attending live music shows, and dabbling in electronic music production.
“I also enjoy a bit of fishing from time to time, so improving fish access to rivers throughout the Pacific Northwest certainly helps my personal interests as well.”
