Built + Beyond AtkinsRéalis

The Army corps of engineers recently estimated that, historically, roughly 30 percent of dredge volume in the US has been beneficially reused.

Reuse encompasses a wide range of applications including construction materials, beach nourishment, enhancing flood protection, and creating habitats; but it isn’t a common practice.

In this episode we’ll talk about the barriers to reuse – technical, economic, institutional, and regulatory.

We’ll also discuss how the narrative around dredging has shifted in the last decade or so. It’s no longer about just disposal, it’s about how dredge material is adding value to the ecosystem, keeping channels open so that ships can access ports and providing economic and social benefit.

It all comes down to managing dredge material in a cost effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable manner. Encouraging the beneficial use of dredge material is critical. Plus, it’s just good environmental stewardship.
Joining this discussion:
Christin Perkinson, Coastal Practice Director, AtkinsRealis
Justin Bartusek, Coastal Senior Engineer, AtkinsRealis
Jeff Wright, VP, Water Practice Director, AtkinsRealis

Today’s episode is all about biosolids, including gaining insight into global trends and discussing some of the key challenges and opportunities faced by the sector and recognizing that there’s a paradigm shift happening.
Biosolids production continues to grow due to many factors—population growth, increased connectivity to our sewers, increased environmental production level and improved standards of living. It’s a critical part of the wastewater process.
We’ll chat about how managing bioresources in an efficient and effective manner presents an immense opportunity to reduce the carbon impact of the wastewater industry and in the water sector as a whole. We’ll also talk about the benefit of diversifying strategies.
Joining the discussion:
Rick Lancaster, Global Bioresources DirectorTyler Hewitt, US Water Market Lead Jeff Wright, VP, Water Practice Director

Why water asset management? Good question. Join us as we talk about the challenges facing water utilities—climate change, financial and commercial pressures, depleting availability of the workforce—and how asset management can help.
Utilities are facing continuing pressure to do more with less. To achieve that, they need greater control and visibility of their assets—how they're performing and how they're deteriorating.
Asset management provides a framework to help you get a good understanding of where your assets are in terms of their lives and their performance.  An asset management risk-based approach means thinking about your assets and continuously prioritizing them. 
We’ll also chat about intergenerational equity, passing on value and equity in your asset portfolio from one generation to another.
Through this discussion, we’ve realized that water asset management is a journey. We’ll discuss Organizational Change Management (OCN) or change transformation and how it’s a big part of that journey. As Peter Drucker says, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” 
Joining this discussion:
 Shiv Iyer, Technical Director, Asset Management, Atkins Bill Irvine, Technical Director, Water Infrastructure, Atkins Jeff Wright, VP, Water Practice Director, Atkins

Know your risk.There is something you can do to make a difference in your community’s dam risk resilience.

This second-in-a-series of podcast episodes highlighting dam safety focuses on risk associated with dams. We’re talking about the National Inventory of Dams (NID), an essential component in a community’s understanding of risk and a great pre-planning tool.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is in the process of modernizing the NID, which will include inundation mapping that historically has not been available. Understanding the demographics of the downstream community impacted by a potential dam incident through information available via the NID will play a key role in reducing negative impacts.

We’re also talking about the Collaborative Technical Assistance (CTA) program. FEMA is providing leadership in the development and implementation this initiative which is aimed at providing the tools a community needs to effectively plan for and respond in the event of a dam incident. We’ll discuss CTA’s hands-on work with communities to ensure they know their role when an incident occurs.

And you’ll hear about dam risk management and floodplain management, the High Hazard Potential Dams grant program (HHPD), FEMA’s role in the National Dam Safety Program and key initiatives for FEMA in respect to the management of that program.

Take a listen.

Dam safety is a shared responsibility; know your risk, know your role, know the benefits of dams and take action.

Joining the discussion:
Cathy Carr Clinch, VP, Civilian Sector, Atkins Ann Terranova, Project Director, Atkins Becky Ragon, Program Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Inventory of Dams (NID) James Demby, Dam Safety Program Manager, FEMA Ed Beadenkopf, Dam Safety Subject Matter Expert, Atkins Preston Wilson, Dam Safety Program Engineer, FEMA Diana Castro, Dam Safety Subject Matter Expert, Atkins

From hurricanes to heat waves, a 200-mile corridor in North Carolina is facing increasing climate change challenges. 

Stephen Bourne, Atkins resiliency expert, and Matt Lauffer, North Carolina DOT hydraulics design engineer, explain how a City Simulator digital twin helped NCDOT assess vulnerabilities to continued growth and future climate change to help make a 200-mile corridor more resilient. 

This is the second roundtable episode and we’re talking about climate change. Specifically helping communities understand its impacts and the engineering tools to evaluate and respond to it. We’re also discussing equitable water resiliency efforts and more. Tune in right here.

Joining the conversation today:
Jeff Wright, Atkins Water Practice DirectorSteve Bourne, Atkins Project Director with experience in water resource engineering, climate science and decision support tool developmentChris Zambito, Atkins Senior Project Manager with a focus on hazard mitigation and emergency management resilienceRick Renna, Atkins Water Resources Engineer with a focus on drainage engineering, having been responsible for most of the drainage policies that are included in the Florida Drainage Manual