The challenges posed by urban flooding and stormwater issues continue to weigh heavily on the shoulders of engineers, planners and their clients. Water, flowing rapidly over impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt, causes more than just ecological…
Engineering the Future: Public Safety Is Paramount in All Aspects of Engineering
Nothing is more important than the core tenet of our profession’s ethics: protecting public health, safety and welfare. When we do not do our jobs…
The Joy of Watching Engineers Graduate and Take the Next Step
I’ve been privileged to lead the senior class at Valparaiso University through the two-semester Senior Design Course for civil and environmental…
Transportation Troubleshooting: During a Disaster, Get By with a Little Help from Your Friends
Severe natural and man-made disasters now are more commonplace and expensive. In 2024 alone, the United States experienced 27 extreme weather events that each resulted in more than a billion dollars in damage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric…
Thoughts From Engineers: Stormwater Brings Change to the Modern American City
Every age has its infrastructure challenges. The Industrial Revolution, for example, drove scores of people to the largest cities in search of work. Urban areas grew as they never had before, and widespread illness and death resulted from improper sewage disposal…
Executive Corner: A Shifting Outlook for the A/E Industry
For the A/E industry, 2024 ended with widespread optimism, strong contract backlogs and record financial performance for many firms. This is based on the reported performance of publicly traded A/E firms and supported by anecdotal observations of private…
Water Works: How Goodhart’s Law Is Reshaping Stormwater Management
Data-driven performance verification is the backbone of the stormwater treatment industry. Engineers, regulators and municipalities rely on quantitative metrics such as pollutant removal rates and runoff reduction volume to evaluate the success of stormwater…
Change Leader: PFAS Is a Daunting Problem Requiring New and Collaborative Approaches
This interview was recorded by Todd Danielson, the editorial director of Informed Infrastructure. You can watch a video of the full interview above or by visiting iimag.link/IYSkH. Bruce Chalmers is senior vice president and general manager, Environmental…
The 21st Century Renaissance of Tied-Arch Bridges
The Veterans Memorial Bridge (Image) Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s celebrated bridges—such as the Windsor Railway Bridge—are sometimes referred to as the earliest built examples of tied-arch bridges. But while Brunel’s wrought iron structures were groundbreaking…
Ion-Exchange PFAS Removal Expands in Northern California
Northern California water agency Zone 7 opened its second PFAS treatment facility in March 2025. (Zone 7 Water Agency) In August 2022, California water agency Zone 7 faced the prospect of taking its most productive well out of service during the driest three…
