Environmental scientists at ISG work to improve our world’s waterways, including in the Great Lakes, to make a positive impact on our environment and create a better tomorrow. Equipped with the resources, tools, and expertise to dive deep into complex water challenges, our environmental professionals and water resource engineers discover solutions and processes that change the way we interact with and improve the Great Lakes now and into the future.
Many coastal communities are in rural areas or have smaller populations, thus not having the resources or tools needed to fund or execute these large projects. Starting in 2019, Julie and Paul have facilitated workshops for the communities that line the coast of the Great Lakes. The workshops offer resources and knowledge that cities need to complete successful Great Lakes projects like water quality improvement, protection, and plant and habitat restoration to improve habitat and coastal resiliency.
Specifically, the team fosters conversations, provides case studies, and walks through activities with communities to share how they can implement and secure funding for Great Lakes projects. This facilitation levels the playing field for communities of all sizes to complete critical water projects that once seemed infeasible. The metrics used to identify equitable opportunities include:
Climate and economic justice screening tool results
With plans to span the Great Lakes’ eight coastal states, the team has collaborated with nearly 15 communities to improve Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior. ISG’s current coastal engineering projects are taking place in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana and include climate resiliency design solutions. These efforts have sprouted from visioning and facilitation and grown into implementable, technical projects that are supported by ISG’s multi-disciplinary team.Working to create a better, safer, and sustainable future is at the core of what we do. ISG’s environmental scientists and engineers are driven by our surroundings each day to find new possibilities that yield more resilient coastlines for our environment and the communities that call them home. Striving to understand the Great Lakes and how to care for them, we make a difference for a healthier tomorrow, today.
Explore ISG’s urban stormwater, rural surface water, drinking water, wastewater, and natural resources projects.
Blog authors: Julie Blackburn, CFM and Paul Marston, CFM
ISG’s applied technology team invests in state-of-the-art tools for several reasons, the most important: added value. With devices and services like drones, visualization, geographic information systems, 3D scanning, and virtual reality, our trained operators gather data efficiently, with precision detail. We exceed expectations to deliver accurate data, allowing for better decisions, faster—critical to healthcare environments of all scales. As the needs of health systems continuously evolve, ISG has uncovered how these tools create strategic solutions and increase operational efficiency.
Nearly every architectural and engineering project intersects with environmental landscapes, often requiring wetland delineation as a first step toward sustainable development. ISG’s environmental team offers expertise and guidance in this critical phase of project due diligence, supporting a range of diverse sectors.
ISG is leading the way in sustainable water management across the Midwest. Our experience in developing One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P)strategies and Multi-Purpose Drainage Management (MDM) Plans provides comprehensive solutions, including advanced flood control, water resource management, and environmental sustainability.