This episode of Making Waves features Chris Goodell, a Principal H&H Consultant at Kleinschmidt Associates, who discusses his career path and shares a behind-the-scenes look at the “Forest Ridge Dam” project (a pseudonym for a confidential water supply project).

Key Highlights:

• Career Background (02:03): Chris began his career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after studying civil engineering with a focus on hydraulics, later transitioning into the consulting world at Kleinschmidt to blend river engineering with hydropower.
• Project Overview (05:43): The project involved a redesign of a spillway for a 150-foot-high dam. Chris was brought in because the original, over-engineered design was deemed too expensive and inefficient for the small, ephemeral watershed.
• Creative Spillway Redesign (13:02): Instead of a traditional concrete chute down the face of the dam, Chris proposed relocating the spillway to an adjacent basin. This utilized the natural topography to create a sacrificial discharge channel, significantly reducing costs and construction complexity.
• Consulting Philosophy (22:09): Chris emphasizes the importance of avoiding “tunnel vision” and maintaining an open, collaborative approach to engineering. He advocates for fostering environments where junior staff feel comfortable voicing concerns, noting that diverse perspectives are vital for safety and innovation.
• Future Trends (26:26): Looking ahead, Chris is optimistic about the speed of technological change in the industry, specifically mentioning the potential for AI and more advanced modeling tools to increase efficiency and quality in engineering work.