June 4, 2025, Vancouver, BC, Canada – Knight Piésold has achieved a remarkable double win in the Natural Resource and Habitat category at the 2025 Awards for Engineering Excellence. The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia (ACEC-BC) presented Knight Piésold with both the Award of Merit for the Klamath River Renewal Project and the Award of Excellence for the Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project. These two transformative projects, delivered in partnership with Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. (Kiewit), have established new benchmarks in dam decommissioning and habitat restoration efforts.

The two projects were named among the 15 award-winning projects honoured in this year’s highly competitive awards program of more than 50 submissions across eight categories. Over 450 industry professionals, including member firms and their project partners, gathered at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre on May 23, 2025, to celebrate outstanding contributions to innovation, technical excellence, and community impact in BC, across Canada, and in the United States.

“These projects demonstrate what's possible when innovative engineering meets environmental stewardship,” said Sam Mottram, Managing Principal at Knight Piésold Canada. “From returning salmon to the Klamath River to creating thriving wetlands at the Salton Sea, we're proud to have supported Kiewit, project owners, and all stakeholders in successfully revitalizing these critical ecosystems.”

Award of Merit: Klamath River Renewal Project

The Klamath River Renewal Project—the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the history of the United States—involved the removal of four aging hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River in Oregon and California to restore volitional fish passage to historic habitat and spawning grounds.

As Kiewit’s lead designer, Knight Piésold developed innovative designs for safe dam decommissioning under a progressive design-build contract with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. The team’s work included designing construction access routes, planning reservoir drawdown using new or refurbished low-level outlets, developing staged removal for dams and ancillary facilities, creating on-site material disposal strategies, and designing erosion protection for the restored river channel through the former dam sites.

The project has restored over 400 stream-miles of salmon habitat, with adult chinook salmon returning within weeks of dam removal. The project’s legacy lies in the restoration of a vital river system, benefiting local communities, including Native American tribes, and promoting the sustainability and resilience of both the hydroelectric industry and the ecosystems it impacts. The project provides a blueprint for future decommissioning efforts.

Award of Excellence: Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project

The Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project is a large-scale environmental restoration initiative addressing critical issues surrounding the Salton Sea, a below-sea-level saltwater lake in California that has been shrinking due to reduced inflows and increased evaporation, exposing the lakebed and causing environmental and health concerns.

As the EPC team for the California Department of Water Resources, Knight Piésold and Kiewit designed shallow habitat ponds to restore lost aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The team also engineered an innovative gravity-flow system utilizing a specialized diversion structure with a labyrinth weir that controls water levels while effectively diverting freshwater from the New River.

The project has created over 4,000 acres of aquatic and terrestrial habitats where endangered species are now flourishing, migratory birds have returned in greater numbers, fish populations are recovering, and native vegetation is thriving once again. This proof-of-concept project has resulted in a toolbox of cost-effective construction methods that will be carried forward through future restoration projects.

Partnership with Kiewit

“We've worked in close collaboration with Kiewit for eight years to bring both projects to completion—from initial EPC bid development through to final construction,” said Mottram. “We proudly share these awards with Kiewit for their leadership and steadfast commitment in turning these visionary projects into groundbreaking achievements.”

The collaboration between Knight Piésold and Kiewit spans over 20 years, consistently delivering successful hydroelectric and water resources projects throughout North America. With Kiewit as prime contractor and Knight Piésold as lead designer, the team has focused on developing the right solutions to meet project goals and deliver projects on time and on budget. The team has completed 14 hydroelectric projects under early contractor involvement and design-build contracts, including an award-winning portfolio: 9 MW McNair Creek Hydroelectric Project, 150 MW Kwalsa and Upper Stave Hydroelectric Project, 235 MW East Toba Montrose Hydroelectric Project, and 45 MW Kokish River Hydroelectric Project.

“Our collaborative problem-solving approach with clients and industry partners continues to drive innovation and excellence in everything we undertake together,” added Mottram. “We're looking forward to strengthening partnerships to address increasingly complex engineering and environmental challenges and develop sustainable infrastructure solutions that will benefit communities and ecosystems for generations to come."