It’s exciting when an idea takes flight. And it’s truly inspiring when that idea becomes a reality. For Seattle City Light, a hydropower technology leader, we recently developed a digital twin model of the utility’s Diablo Dam.
Leading the Way in the Dam Industry
Bringing Solutions to Your Dam Industry Challenges
With over 400 professionals in Canada supported by specialists across our company, we work on hydroelectric, fish passage and environmental studies around new and existing dam infrastructure. We bring local knowledge and global solutions to your most complex challenges. Our expertise spans the entire spectrum of dam and dyke safety.
Our professionals are pioneering new processes and technology in dam safety including the application of international methods for high-risk dam safety analysis, design of fish passage systems around existing and new river infrastructure, and the evaluation and assessment of power generating equipment in new and existing dams.
Digital Twin of Diablo Dam Comes to Life
Dam Safety
We have provided dam safety services to multiple hydropower clients regulated by Canadian provincial dam safety programs, including TransAlta, Ontario Power Generation and BC Hydro. Our support has included performing dam failure analyses; inspections of gated spillway facilities; and dam safety reviews of earthfill, embankment and concrete dams. Our staff has been involved in the design, planning, inspection and/or rehabilitation of more than 1,500 dam projects throughout North America. Our dam safety team is at the forefront of the implementation of risk-informed evaluations of dams and dam safety decisions.
Big Bar Landslide Response
The Big Bar Landslide, identified on June 23, 2019, significantly impaired the passage of fish on the Fraser River. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) contacted us to provide enhancement-related design and engineering services. We provided all civil, structural, fish passage and mechanical disciplines in-house. The project involved site assessments for four separate hatcheries, review of upgrades to provide enhanced management of various salmon species trapped at the landslide and the design development for upgrades. Deliverables included design sketches, drawings and calculations along with integral coordination with the on-site contractors and technical management team.
Oldman River Dam Environmental Evaluation
The Government of Alberta contracted HDR to complete a desktop review and evaluation of the mitigation and monitoring programs completed for the Oldman River Dam between 1992 and 2020. The project involved the preparation of a comprehensive summary of the dam history, the mitigation and monitoring programs that have been implemented and the conclusions of the programs, and the impacts that have been documented relative to the predictions made in the environmental assessment prior to construction; evaluation of compliance with the regulatory requirements and stakeholder commitments that have been made; identification of gaps, opportunities and options to meet compliance requirements or commitments; and recommendations for future monitoring needs.
Dams, Levees and Civil Works Technical Director
Fisheries Director
Senior Water Resources Engineer