At a recent awards ceremony in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Barr received the 2022 Grand Conceptor Award in Engineering Excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota (ACEC/MN) for a project that restored more than 200 acres of aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary in Duluth, Minnesota. The Grand Conceptor Award recognizes the project that received the highest score from the judges. The project also received a National Recognition Award from ACEC.
The five-year, $18 million Grassy Point-Kingsbury Bay Habitat Restoration project employed an innovative design and beneficial reuse of wood waste to restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat while combining two environmentally impaired sites—Grassy Point and Kingsbury Bay—into a single project that represents the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR’s) largest restoration project to date. As the engineering consultant for the DNR, Barr provided design and construction administration services to restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat at two sites in the estuary, located within the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
“Barr’s technical expertise and experience with dredging projects was valuable as the project team navigated and addressed issues that arose during construction,” said the DNR’s St. Louis River and Lake Superior Program Supervisor, Melissa Sjolund.
In addition, Barr’s work on the City of Bemidji, Minnesota, PFAS treatment plant was recognized by ACEC/MN with an Honor Award, and the Karey Dam rehabilitation and Phases 2 & 3 of the Mouse River Mouse River enhanced flood protection project received National Recognition Awards from ACEC.