In a 2021 countywide assessment of potential projects for reusing stormwater for irrigation, performed by Barr for Ramsey County, Pioneer Park in Little Canada emerged as a top candidate. The city draws two to three million gallons of groundwater each year to irrigate the park’s athletic fields, and changes to groundwater appropriation permits due to the park’s proximity to White Bear Lake may limit its ability to irrigate with groundwater in the future. The Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District (RWMWD), in partnership with the City of Little Canada, embarked on a project to reduce the park’s reliance on groundwater and reduce pollutant loading downstream by reusing stormwater for irrigation.
Barr designed a stormwater reuse system for Pioneer Park that draws irrigation water from an existing stormwater pond on site. We completed initial water-quality sampling and site and bathymetry surveys to inform our design. Leveraging existing stormwater reuse calculators, we optimized the system design to meet 80-90% of the estimated annual irrigation demand.
The system includes a screened intake at the pond with a skimmer, a pump-and-treat system with automatic backwashing filtration and UV disinfection, connections to the existing irrigation system, a reduced pressure zone (RPZ) to prevent contamination of the existing well and groundwater, system controls, and electrical work. The existing well will be maintained as a backup source.
Barr’s engagement with city engineering and parks staff, the parks commission, city council, and RWMWD managers helped build support for the project, which met the goals of conserving groundwater while reducing downstream phosphorus loads by seven to eight pounds per year. Additionally, by temporarily lowering water levels during the irrigation season, the project provides additional runoff storage and flood resilience in an area prone to flooding.
After completing wetland delineations and permitting, we led construction bidding in late 2023. Construction was completed in 2025.
Helping an electric cooperative lead the way in utility‑scale energy storage
In 2023, United Power Inc., a not-for-profit, member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving Colorado's northern Front Range, determined that it needed to store more energy to continue providing a resilient and responsive power grid. The cooperative partnered with developer-owner Ameresco, Inc. to complete the state’s largest installation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to date. Ameresco looked to Barr as the lead design engineer.
The goal was to install eight BESS equipped with rows of Tesla Megapack 2XL batteries and connect them to substations and distribution lines across United Power’s service area. The eight BESS would be used for peak shaving—during periods of peak demand, power can be drawn from the batteries instead of the grid, helping maintain grid stability and control costs. Barr led the feasibility and siting studies, permitting, and the civil, foundation, and electrical designs for all eight BESS: four with 8 MW capacity and four with 12 MW capacity. Together, they comprise approximately 13% of United Power’s peak load.
After working closely with United Power, Ameresco, and four local governments to site the batteries according to operational, geotechnical, and regulatory needs, we designed the site layout and general arrangement; single-line diagrams; schematics; relay and recloser settings; cable sizing and routing; foundations; spill prevention, control, and countermeasure (SPCC) plans; oil retention; site fencing; roadways; grading and drainage; and stormwater management plan.
Precise foundation design
Manufacturer specifications for the Tesla Megapack batteries, each weighing over 86,000 pounds, required that the BESS have reinforced concrete foundations with a low maximum differential settlement tolerance: half an inch over the length of a single battery. To meet this requirement, Barr designed robust foundations for all pad-mounted equipment, including the batteries, step-up transformers (one for each pair of Megapacks), auxiliary power transformers (one per station), and United Power’s metering cabinet, which served as the point of interconnection (POI).
Medium-voltage electrical design for safe, reliable utility interconnection
To optimize the reliability, safety, and efficiency of the medium-voltage systems connecting the BESS to the utility grid, we conducted arc-flash incident energy, load-flow, short-circuit, coordination, and cable ampacity studies to inform our electrical designs. The low-voltage system was designed by Flux Energy Systems. Flux and Barr worked together on the general arrangement, the ground grid and grounding details, and the interface at the transformers connected to the batteries.
Construction support and interconnection agreements to clarify O&M responsibilities
Barr’s construction support services included coordination meetings, equipment and construction specifications, and shop drawing reviews. We also helped United Power and Ameresco develop the interconnection agreements that govern their respective roles and responsibilities for operations and maintenance.
Completed on schedule in 2024, the eight BESS are currently operational and helping United Power deliver reliable, cost-effective electricity to its members.
To support the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) Twin Ports Interchange (TPI) project in Duluth, Barr provided advanced geotechnical engineering services to address challenging subsurface conditions. The project replaced aging elevated roadways and infrastructure with embankment-supported concrete pavement and seven bridges, aiming to enhance traffic safety and increase freight capacity.
The site, adjacent to Lake Superior and near the mouth of the St. Louis River, features soft, compressible soils, shallow groundwater, and decades of industrial fill. To mitigate settlement risk, Barr designed a column-supported embankment (CSE) system covering an area of over 13 acres to support the interchange. This system features an array of over 8,200 vertical columns with caps supporting a load transfer platform and lateral reinforcement to stabilize the new embankments, which range in height from 5 to 35 feet.
Barr and our subconsultant developed a detailed 3D subsurface model and performed advanced geotechnical numerical modeling analyses using FLAC3D to simulate soil-structure interactions, evaluate embankment settlement, and optimize the ground improvement design. The models formed the basis of design for the ground improvement system. Our team also supported MnDOT’s field test program during design, calibrating numerical models with real-world data and refining installation methods.
The construction of a CSE system requires site-specific load testing and specialized geotechnical instrumentation to confirm that the system is installed and performs as intended. Barr recommended load testing of the columns to confirm installation and recommended geotechnical instrumentation to monitor the performance of the CSE components. Instrumentation included strain gages in columns, strain gages on lateral reinforcement, horizontal and vertical in-place inclinometers with accelerometer sensors, settlement plates, piezometers, and earth pressure cells. Barr also provided structural monitoring of the existing traffic-bearing bridges and the newly constructed bridge substructures, which were susceptible to adverse movements from CSE construction.
The project was completed in October 2025 through MnDOT’s Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery program.
To support Arizona’s clean energy goals and grid reliability, EDF power solutions North America (EDF) partnered with Arizona Public Service (APS) to develop and construct the Beehive Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)—a 250 MW/1,000 MWh facility located in Maricopa County, just north of Phoenix. The project is designed to store renewable energy and dispatch it during peak demand periods, helping APS meet its target of 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
Geotechnical engineering services
EDF engaged Barr to conduct preliminary and design phase geotechnical investigations, informing foundation design and construction planning for the BESS, substation, roads, and transmission line alignment. The site’s location in the Sonoran Desert presented unique challenges, including variable subsurface conditions, potential geologic hazards, and difficult pile-driving environments due to the presence of cobbles and boulders.
We conducted a series of geotechnical borings, test pits, and pile load tests to assess the site for BESS foundation suitability. Geotechnical laboratory tests were completed to characterize soil stratigraphy and support geotechnical analysis and design recommendations. We also performed analytical testing to assess corrosion potential, thermal resistivity testing to support underground collection design, and electrical resistivity testing to support grounding design.
Based on our findings, we recommended foundations tailored to each infrastructure component. For the BESS, we evaluated both pre-drilled driven piles and precast concrete beam foundations. For the substation and transmission line, we provided design parameters for spread footings, drilled shafts, and direct embedment foundations.
Civil engineering services
Barr’s civil engineering services included an evaluation of public road conditions, an inventory of culverts and bridges, and a capacity analysis of these structures. These assessments were necessary because future deliveries of BESS components will be in oversized or overweight loads, requiring special considerations for equipment delivery during construction. With this data, EDF was able to select effective and reliable delivery routes for BESS components.
Barr’s services helped EDF and the construction contractor optimize foundation design, reduce construction risk, and provide for long-term performance of critical infrastructure. Our deliverables provided actionable guidance for the design team, supporting the successful development of a high-impact energy storage facility that advances a clean energy future and enhances grid stability.
The Walled Lake Branch of the Rouge River daylighting project restored an approximately 1,100-linear-foot stream reach that was enclosed in a large culvert to an open, free-flowing natural channel. This revitalized reach serves as the centerpiece of River Park, a new public space in the multi-use redevelopment of the historic Northville Downs horse racing facility.
In 2022, the developer of the Northville Downs project turned to Barr to design the new open river channel and to lead permitting of the river restoration and floodplain modification. Working with the development team, we developed early concepts for the daylighted reach based on natural stream channel design principles to help ensure long-term stability, ecological function, and aesthetic integration with the surrounding park. After an extensive public engagement process, we further developed those concepts into detailed designs that met community interests and were suitable for permitting and construction.
As an additional, practical benefit to the community, Barr developed the hydraulic design to modify the floodplain and contain up to the 500-year flood without increasing flood risk to adjacent properties. We led the permitting process with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) for regulated stream and floodplain activities and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to remap the associated floodway and floodplain.
The stream daylighting and River Park construction were substantially completed in October 2025.
Planning a large solar array and battery energy storage system on over 600 acres of Navajo Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land, a confidential client looked to Barr for cultural resources consultation and a Class III pedestrian cultural resource survey. Our goals were to identify the project’s potential impacts on Historic Properties—cultural resources eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)—and determine actions necessary for the project’s compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Section 106 (36 CFR 800).
Barr first conducted a Records Check and Literature Review of the New Mexico Cultural Resource Information System database to investigate any previous cultural resource surveys or recorded archaeological sites in the project area. We facilitated an additional records check of the Division of Conservation Archaeology at the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department in Window Rock, Arizona. Through this research, we identified numerous cultural resources at the project site that might be eligible for NRHP listing as well as areas that had not been adequately surveyed.
With this information, Barr conducted a Class III pedestrian survey of the entire project area following fieldwork methods required by the Navajo Nation. We documented all cultural resources in the project area, including archaeological sites, Traditional Cultural Properties, and isolated occurrences (IOs)—non-structural remains of a single event or an assemblage of a limited number of artifacts. In total, we identified 46 archaeological sites and 137 IOs.
Barr assessed each of our findings for NRHP eligibility. In our final report, we documented our survey methods, eligibility determinations, and recommendations for minimizing disturbance to eligible or potentially eligible cultural resources. This report helped the client meet federal requirements under Section 106 of the NHPA and avoid adverse impacts to Historic Properties.
Kathryn Dam was an aging low-head concrete dam located on the Sheyenne River in Kathryn, North Dakota. The Barnes County Water Resource District was looking for options to remediate structural concerns and also eliminate the dangerous hydraulic roller that existed below the dam.
The district hired Barr as a subconsultant to its primary engineering consultant, Moore Engineering, Inc., to evaluate alternatives to repair, remove, or replace the dam. The project began with a feasibility study to analyze three alternatives: complete removal of the dam, replacement of the dam with rock-arch rapids, or placement of a rock wedge beneath the dam to mitigate dangerous recirculating currents below the dam. The district decided to replace the dam with rock-arch rapids.
Barr, in consultation with Moore, completed permitting, hydraulic modeling, final design, and preparation of construction documents for the rock-arch-rapids dam replacement. The project was constructed in winter 2020-2021; Barr provided periodic on-site construction support and assisted Moore with administering the project, which was partially funded through the North Dakota State Water Commission’s cost-share program.
The completed project eliminates the dangerous hydraulic roller beneath the dam, minimizes the need for future maintenance, mitigates erosion concerns on the banks downstream of the dam, offers fish passage through the structure, and provides recreational features for paddlers and anglers on the river.
Graphite One Inc. plans to develop the Graphite Creek Project, a graphite mine and mineral processing facility near Nome, Alaska. Barr completed an NI 43-101-compliant feasibility study, which incorporated data and information from other consultants, third-party laboratories, and Graphite One, and ultimately published a compliant technical report for the project. Part of Barr’s work involved designing a waste management facility (WMF) to store co-mingled tailings produced by the mill and waste rock (non-ore material) from the mine. The WMF’s primary objective is to safely store the material produced during mining operations while prioritizing progressive closure of the facility and minimizing operating and capital costs.
To support the design of the WMF, Barr completed geotechnical characterization and analysis of the site and performed material characterization for the filtered tailings produced by the pilot processing plant. Barr retained an expert seismologist consultant to perform site-specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) and a deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA). These analyses were based on a selected design earthquake to develop ground motion time histories for use in seismic deformation modeling.
Barr conducted a field investigation to assess and characterize foundation conditions. We performed seepage analysis, slope stability analysis, and deformation modeling using GeoStudio and FLAC to help evaluate constructability, long-term static stability conditions, consolidation processes, and seismic loading. We also performed advanced, critical state-based constitutive modeling for both static and seismic deformation modeling and liquefaction assessments. Conducting a sensitivity assessment helped us to model the potential transition of filtered tailings from unsaturated to saturated conditions and the associated impacts with respect to liquefaction susceptibility.
The Copper Peak ski jump is the world’s tallest artificial ski jump superstructure, towering 26 stories over the hilly forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Three decades after hosting its last competition, the volunteer board of Copper Peak, Inc. is modernizing its facility to meet current International Ski Federation (FIS) standards. As designed, the renovated Copper Peak ski jump will be the only FIS-designated “giant hill” for international training and events and the world’s largest FIS-certified ski jump used year-round.
We’ve partnered with the board in this ambitious effort to bring this facility to the world stage of winter sports. As lead environmental, engineering, and design consultant, Barr has provided the civil, geotechnical, structural, mechanical, and electrical design for the impressive landing hill: a 1,111-foot run at grades exceeding 40 degrees.
Athletes will land on a synthetic skiing surface secured to a two-acre concrete slab. On this steep hillside, long-term geotechnical stability is vital and the focus of our design. The slab will be strengthened with reinforcement bars made of basalt—produced locally—to reduce the risk of corrosion compared with steel. Hundreds of rock and soil anchors and high-tensile-strength mesh will secure the slab to the hill. An innovative irrigation system will lubricate the new surface, enabling use without snow.
Our design includes the foundation for the new judge’s tower, which will be elevated 70 feet above ground for sufficient visibility, and a set of nearly 500 continuous steps along both sides of the landing hill for maintenance and access in all seasons.
We are currently overseeing the preparation of the landing hill for its new surface. Blasting and grading are complete, and placement of soil and rock anchors, drainage rock, and mesh has begun. The slab, stairs, and irrigation and drainage system will be completed in 2026.
The renovated Copper Peak facility will be the first of its kind to host international training and competitions for both men and women—introducing new possibilities and expanding global access to the sport of ski jumping.
When a mining client wanted to dewater an active mining area to its tailings basin, Barr developed four potential pipe alignment options and two options for pumping water from the mine to the basin. The plan considered safety, construction phasing, regulatory requirements, and project costs.
The client chose Barr’s design for a year-round, all-weather pumping system that can operate continuously, intermittently, and at a variable flow rate. The dewatering system enables the client to utilize the maximum allowable continuous pumping rate of 5,000 GPM. Throughout the design process, Barr worked closely with a local earthwork contractor, county officials, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.
Barr completed a final design of the client’s selected option for a year-round, all-weather pumping system for dewatering the active mining area.