Lock No. 14 – Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project

Transforming a century-old lock into a modern energy asset, the Heidelberg Hydroelectric Project showcases how innovation and preservation can work together. By maximizing efficiency within existing infrastructure, the project delivers increased power generation with minimal environmental impact—demonstrating a smarter path forward for sustainable hydropower.

Kleinschmidt Featured in NHA’s POWERHOUSE Magazine on Advancing Fish Passage Modeling

The article highlights Emergent™, Kleinschmidt’s agent-based modeling framework that simulates how individual fish respond to hydraulic conditions, environmental cues, and group behavior as they move through rivers and fish passage systems. By representing fish as active decision-makers rather than passive particles, the approach provides deeper insight into passage performance and biological outcomes.

Kleinschmidt Featured in ENR Infrastructure Construction Today

The feature highlights how hydropower supports resilient infrastructure by providing reliable renewable energy while contributing to water management, grid stability, and long-term system reliability. The article also underscores the growing importance of modernizing existing hydropower assets to meet today’s safety, environmental, and operational challenges.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers: Robert Schomp Featured on DiscoverE’s Chat with Change Makers

We’re proud to share that Robert Schomp, one of our water resources engineers, was recently featured on Chat with Change Makers, a student-led series produced by DiscoverE that highlights careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Clearing the Way for Clean Energy: Cooling Water Strategies for Advanced Reactors

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are reshaping the future of nuclear power—offering lower costs, faster deployment, and scalable, carbon-free energy. But success starts with one critical element: a compliant, environmentally sound cooling-water strategy.

Built on Safety. Defined by Precision. Rope Access in Action.

Kleinschmidt’s rope access program enables engineers and technicians to safely reach the most challenging areas of dams and water infrastructure—where traditional access methods simply aren’t practical. Certified through SPRAT and IRATA, our rope access professionals perform detailed inspections, measurements, and condition assessments on penstocks, spillways, gates, and surge towers, all while minimizing disruption to operations

Planning Before Protection: Getting Ready for the Monarch Butterfly ESA Decision

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to finalize the listing of the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by early 2026. This change could introduce new regulatory requirements for vegetation management (via restrictions added to pesticide labels), maintenance, and construction activities—especially in areas like grasslands, meadows, utility corridors, and roadsides that support milkweed and nectar-producing plants.

Full Momentum Episode 41: Turbulence

Full Momentum Episode 41: Turbulence…

Rethinking Dam Safety: Why Probabilistic Breach Modeling Matters

As infrastructure ages and climate events grow more extreme, dam safety demands more than a one-size-fits-all approach. At Kleinschmidt, we're leading the shift to probabilistic breach modeling—an approach that simulates thousands of failure scenarios, not just one. This method helped East Bay Municipal Utility District uncover hidden vulnerabilities at Camanche Reservoir that traditional models missed, offering a more complete picture of risk.