GeoEngineers Puts Whales on the Map – Literally
GeoEngineers’ technology team created an interactive whale-tracking map of the waters surrounding Hawaii that has received national attention this past week, including being named WIRED magazine’s “Science Graphic of the Week.” Other publications such as Huffington Post, Gizmodo, Fast Company, and local Hawaiian news channel KITV have done stories about the map, calling it “hypnotically beautiful.” […]
The Story Behind Canada’s First Avian Protection Plan
A few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Nikki Heck, an environmental advisor for AltaLink, at the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee conference in Cape May, NJ. In the video above, she tells the story of how she came to introduce the first avian protection plan in Canada on behalf of AltaLink, Alberta’s […]
How Data Collection Can Help Prevent Costly Power Outages
As we move further into autumn and large flocks of birds start migrating south for the winter, the risk for power outages increases. Birds and other wildlife are the third leading cause of power outages in the US, something electric utilities can’t afford when temperatures dip. There was a compelling presentation recently about this topic […]
Spokane Office Laboratory Receives A2LA Accreditation
GeoEngineers’ concrete and soil/materials lab in Spokane, WA, received another two years of accreditation by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). A2LA—a nonprofit, non-government, public service, membership society—is one of the leading accreditation bodies in the construction materials and special inspection and testing industry. A2LA accreditation is based on internationally accepted criteria for competence […]
The New Guidelines for Drafting Avian Protection Plans
An avian protection plan, also known as an APP, is a voluntary, utility specific plan for reducing risks to birds and system reliability that result from avian interactions with power lines and electric utility facilities. In 2012, the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee updated these guidelines, which were originally drafted in 2005. If you have […]
Wind Turbines and Bird Mortalities: How to Accurately Track and Report Data
A recent Associated Press article on the number of eagles killed by wind farms in the last five years has been widely circulated among major media outlets, such as NBC News, ABC News, The Weather Channel, and multiple newspapers. The article, and the study it cites, highlights the importance of accurately tracking and reporting bird […]
Emergency Response Considerations That Go Beyond Geology
I recently talked about landside emergency response procedures for the American Public Works Association’s (APWA) Washington Chapter Emerging Professionals Committee. The original request was to focus on the Whidbey Island landslide that occurred this spring. However, considering the audience, I thought it would be more helpful to incorporate discussions of other emergency-response scenarios I’ve encountered […]
My Herrenknecht European Tour
In the course of my career, while on work assignments, I’ve had the opportunity to visit some really cool places—from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York to the beaches of Florida and many other beautiful and interesting places. However, these US highlights pale in comparison […]
How to Get the Most from Your Consultant
If I were to hire me, here are a few things that I would keep in mind. Most engineers accumulate charges on an hourly basis. Sucessful project budgets typically have a reasonable time line, and not a lot of delays or drawn out schedule. More time usually equals more charges. Who do you interact best with in […]
Direct Pipe™ Driving Innovation in Trenchless Technology
GeoEngineers recently suggested that one of our long-time energy market clients consider Direct Pipe™ (DP) for a difficult interstate highway pipeline crossing. DP is essentially a curved or directional microtunnel that utilizes proprietary equipment developed by Herrenknecht Tunneling Systems in Germany. Less than 20 of these installations have been made in the world (most of these in […]