Barr developed a living-streets plan for RWMWD as part of a larger effort to meet the district’s goals for reducing pollution flowing to lakes in the watershed district. “Living streets” is a term that addresses livability and environmental needs and describes a design approach for rebuilding streets. By considering the many beneficial uses that a public right-of-way may provide, Barr offered alternative, multi-modal street designs. The City of North Saint Paul embraced this design approach to build road networks that are safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, include rain-garden designs, incorporate an urban-forestry strategy, promote walkable communities, slow traffic, provide aesthetic value, and improve the quality of lakes and streams by reducing stormwater pollution.
Barr’s living-streets framework provides North Saint Paul with a set of tools to design street-reconstruction projects that will be implemented more efficiently and at lower long-term cost. The framework aims to reduce impervious surface, treat stormwater in the right-of-way, and provide for safe pedestrian and bike movement. Communities within RWMWD will use the living-streets templates and guidelines to direct the design and construction process and supplement standing practices related to street reconstruction.
A confidential pipeline client plans to install multiple solar power facilities “behind the meter” at over a dozen pump stations as part of their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and sustainability commitments. Each facility is planned to produce no less than 5 megawatts (MW) of solar power to provide electricity for pipeline operations. Barr was hired to provide key environmental evaluations to support feasibility analyses for these sites in the upper Midwest and advance them to the next stage of development ahead of construction planned for 2024.
Barr began by conducting desktop reviews for the proposed sites to assist our client in solidifying site boundaries. We developed figures with publicly available information to document natural resources and land cover at each site. We conducted desktop reviews to identify potential impacts to waterways, wetlands, and threatened and endangered species. Additionally, we performed cultural resource literature reviews at each site to identify previously recorded archaeological sites, historic structures, and other relevant cultural resources. Barr also developed a site-specific baseline environmental schedule to keep the environmental reviews on track.
Next, Barr quickly and efficiently summarized the desktop review information in a critical issues analysis (CIA) document for each site. The CIAs summarized the baseline environmental conditions and informed the client of site risks and constraints. With this information in hand, we created a permit matrix to evaluate federal, state, and local permits required for each site.
Finally, Barr coordinated onsite wetland delineations and functional assessments, as well as archaeological resource surveys with tribal monitor oversight, to identify environmental/cultural considerations for permitting and regulatory requirements. This information was also used by the client to further refine project boundaries and minimize impacts to identified resources. Barr’s work will ultimately help our client construct these projects more efficiently and meet their ESG goals.
To help the City of Edina understand flood risk for its community better, Barr assisted in updating the city’s comprehensive water resources management plan and conducted a stormwater system vulnerability assessment for 25 specific flood areas. As part of the assessment, the city’s XP-SWMM models were updated to reflect increased NOAA’s Atlas 14 100-year precipitation frequency estimates. The models were used to identify storm-sewer-capacity limitations for a range of rainfall frequencies. Revised 100-year flood-inundation areas were mapped based on the modeled flood elevations using a customized GIS tool, then used to identify and prioritize areas where critical roadways and structures are impacted by flooding. Barr is currently evaluating the highest-priority flood areas to identify options for reducing flood risk and associated costs and benefits.
A large aggregate producer was concerned that it was running short on available resources at its existing quarry. Unfavorable geologic conditions were appearing in the field, creating uncertainties about the amount of product that could be mined and used at its ready-mix and asphalt facilities. The company hired Barr to develop a geologic model for its existing quarry to estimate the amount of resource available at the quarry and develop a life-of-mine plan that was practical, economical, and safe.
To model the site’s geology, Barr logged previously drilled core samples. The model was then used to develop a set of mine plans that were discussed with the site manager and revised to fit the company’s needs and production goals.
The quarry’s expected life of mine was used to help support permitting efforts for opening a second quarry. Barr was asked to create a geologic model and mine plan for the second quarry, similar to that for the existing operation. The two plans were combined so that company operations could prepare for the transition.
In 2011, a Minnesota refinery hired Barr to assist with a broad range of environmental permitting and compliance activities, including air quality construction and operating permitting, routine air quality and emergency planning compliance reporting, onsite staffing support, wastewater and stormwater permitting, and regulatory tracking.
When the refinery operated as an independent without a corporate environmental group, Barr served in a similar role by providing guidance on key environmental issues and advice on the strategies and tactics used across the refining industry.
(Stock photo is shown above.)
To help track progress toward total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation for water quality impairments and to assess the design of capital improvement plan projects, the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission hired Barr for a watershed-wide update of its water quality model. We used the commission’s existing water-quality models, current topographic data, storm sewer data, and pond and wetland storage data to provide total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) loading estimates for approximately 600 ponds and wetlands. The updated model was tested for calibration against the Metropolitan Council’s watershed outlet monitoring program (WOMP) data using estimates of watershed precipitation, water-quality and flow monitoring, and TP and TSS loading.
Because the watershed model is consistent with the model used for approved TMDLs, it has been used to evaluate the effect of proposed projects. The model output was used to demonstrate how cities in the watershed can use the model to target and evaluate individual best management practices (BMPs), determine treatment effectiveness for permit requirements, and prioritize BMP maintenance in their jurisdictions.
Barr documented the model update results and calibration process in a technical report. For all modeled watersheds, we described the methodology, developed stormwater hotspot mapping to target the highest pollutant-loading subwatersheds for future BMP implementation, and created prioritized lists and mapping to help cities target basins that combine effective pollutant removal with high sedimentation-filling rates. Barr continues to maintain and update the revised model, which is available for the commission‘s communities to use.
Greater Minnesota Transmission, LLC (GMT) and Xcel Energy proposed the construction and operation of a new natural-gas-pipeline transmission and distribution system to serve primarily the Prairie Island Indian Community in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The new pipeline runs from an interconnection point near Miesville in Dakota County to the Prairie Island Indian Reservation, located about 35 miles southeast of the Twin Cities. Barr was retained to review routes, complete field studies, prepare environmental and cultural-resources-impact reports, and guide the project through the federal and state regulatory processes required to obtain environmental approvals. The original preferred route crossed an Indian burial-mound area that Barr and a subconsultant investigated with ground-penetrating radar. The final route, although it circumvented the burial-mound area, crossed a state wildlife-management area (WMA) that receives funding from the federal government; the project also needed an easement from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to cross the Prairie Island Reservation. The WMA license and the BIA easement both required federal environmental review and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 approval. Barr played a major role in negotiating and implementing an environmental review process with the state, federal, and tribal governments that allowed the project to move forward on time. Barr’s previous work with and good relationships within the Prairie Island Indian Community also helped facilitate communication on the project. Federal and state approvals were granted in June 2013, construction took place from July through September, and the pipeline was in service on October 1, 2013.
Rochester is projected to experience population growth of over 40 percent by 2040. Currently, the city’s water supply is sourced entirely from groundwater with the majority coming from two aquifers.
In 2013, Rochester Public Utilities hired Barr to evaluate the long-term sustainability of the aquifers serving the city’s drinking water system to help ensure that future water demand can be met in a sustainable manner. To be considered “sustainable,” a proposed groundwater use must not adversely affect the aquifer’s long-term supply, harm ecosystems, or degrade the aquifer’s water quality. The proposed use also must ensure that the aquifer maintains a water level accessible to existing wells.
The area of most concern is the potential impact of future pumping on stream flows and calcareous fens in the Rochester area. Barr conducted groundwater modeling to evaluate the potential impacts of proposed future pumping, field studies to fill data gaps, and an evaluation of potential new well sites. We also participated in regular meetings with state regulators to ensure all parties are working together to address potential issues related to Rochester’s water source sustainability, and evaluated alternative water sources.
Barr is identifying data gaps associated with deeper aquifers in the area and will refine and improve the groundwater model as those gaps are filled and new data is obtained. The model will help assess potential impacts to streams and fens, assist RPU in selecting locations for new wells, and help minimize the wells’ potential impacts to the ecosystem. Barr and RPU continue to meet periodically with state regulators.
In June 2011, the Mouse River flooded, causing the evacuation of more than 11,000 people and over $700 million in damages. The flood occurred in the midst of a housing shortage, and the community needed to quickly establish a plan for preventing a similar disaster in the future so that property owners could decide whether to relocate or rebuild.
In the immediate aftermath, Barr and a team of subconsultants worked with local, state, and federal stakeholders to develop an enhanced flood-risk management plan for North Dakota’s Mouse River valley. The plan defined preliminary alignments for levees and floodwalls designed to allow river flows (comparable to those seen in 2011) pass through safely. The engineering team worked nearly 6,000 hours to release a draft alignment in less than a month. After only five months, the Barr team delivered its preliminary engineering report that described a comprehensive plan with 21.6 miles of levee, 2.8 miles of floodwall, river diversions and closure features, 30 transportation closure structures, 33 interior pump stations, highway and railroad bridge modifications, and floodplain buyouts.
Barr’s team has continued to support the region through the design, permitting, and construction of individual project phases identified in the preliminary plan.
In 2020, a confidential pipeline client contacted Barr to request assistance procuring environmental and right-of-way (ROW) permits for 36 cathodic protection projects proposed along a natural gas pipeline in Michigan. In response, Barr completed a desktop review for each project site to identify potential impacts to sensitive environmental resources, such as wetlands, streams, country drains, floodplains, and protected species, and ROWs.
Several of the project sites required visits to evaluate the presence of wetlands, streams, drains, and protected species habitats. Barr cataloged field and permitting data for each project site using a tracking log so the client could develop and update construction schedules as needed. Based on the results of the field reviews, we coordinated with the state, railroad, and local agencies to confirm jurisdictions and prepare the permit applications. We also developed avoidance measures to protect eastern massasauga rattlesnake, bald eagle, Kirtland’s warbler, and Indiana bat species during construction. After securing the required permits, we communicated permit requirements to the project team using project clearance notifications for each site, and as a result, the client was able to complete the cathodic protection project work.