This year’s annual International Right of Way (IRWA) Competition announced the winners at the Education Conference, June 5-8, 2022 at the Marriot River Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
The IRWA is an international organization including countries from the U.S. to Canada, England, and some in Africa. It organizes the conference for professionals to stay current with best practices, the latest laws, reviews, and the newest technology for the Right of Way industry.
Meridian’s Civil Engineering and Survey CADD team was happy to be involved in showcasing some great design ideas for the Industry General and Engineering categories. Out of the 4 categories entered, we won 2 of them! Check out these designs from our winners: Survey Division for East High School and Civil Division for Rock Cliff Campground.
Shown above is the topographic survey of East High – winner of the Industry General Category.
East High School has had years of flooding issues due to the steep grades coming off 800 South Street. The purpose of this survey plat was to provide a design topographic survey for a drainage study to determine the cause of the flooding issue so our civil design team could correct the flooding problems.
Some fun facts on this project, this is the principal photographic location of the well-known High School Musical show and when our field crew was on site LiDAR scanning the high school the famous gymnast Simone Biles was on location at the same time.
Shown above is the topographic survey and civil design overlay of Rock Cliff Campground – winner of the Engineering Category.
Rock Cliff Campground is a primitive campground east of the Jordanelle reservoir off SR-32 that is enlarging its current capacity offering vehicle access to a total of 51 sites, 9 tent sites, 16 van sites, and 26 RV sites dispersed into three loops—Riverbed, Aspen Grove, and Upland Meadow. Nearby are the Rock Cliff Nature Center, the boardwalk system, and the Provo River. This expanded area is anticipated to enhance recreational activities at the reservoir for years to come while meeting local public demand for camping and day-use activities. Construction is slated for completion fall of 2023.
Catching a game before the WFPS Board of Directors meeting
WFPS meets three times a year and this year’s summer meeting was held Saturday, June 25, 2022, at the Embassy Suites Waterfront in San Francisco, California. It began with a fun group trip to the Giant’s game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Go Giants!
This WFPS meeting included directors attending from 13 western states – including Meridian’s Michael Nadeau, Utah’s director. Tim Burch led the weekend with WFPS directors. Tim Burch is the new Executive Director of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) and has recently been appointed to replace Curt Sumner. While Curt is now retired, he will be missed. Tim has great vision for the future of the surveying profession and WFPS is excited to work together in moving the profession forward and raise the bar for all surveyor’s – past, present and future. In Tim’s recent words “I’m looking for Evolution in the surveying profession and not a Revolution.” This is a plan all surveyors can get behind.
From Left: Michael Nadeau (UT and Meridian Eng), Ben Petersen (WA), Russ Kluesner (MT), Tim Burch (NSPS Executive Director), and Gary Gervelis (AK)
The Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS) is a regional non-profit organization composed of Land Surveyor associations representing the 13 western states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Formed in 1979, WFPS is dedicated to education, fostering common goals within the western states and providing a regional voice at the national level. Meridian’s survey division leader Michael Nadeau serves as Utah’s director to WFPS and WFPS’s immediate past-chairman.
This year’s annual UCLS Conference, was held March 30 – April 2, 2022, at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada and included Arizona (APLS), California (CLSA), Nevada (NALS) and the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS). This year’s conference had over 950 attendees representing 31 states, including several professionals from Meridian Engineering. The conference is organized for Survey professionals to stay current with best practices, latest laws, and preview the newest technology for the profession. There was over 22 hours of educational tracks across four simultaneously running tracks.
Exhibition Hall where we talk with vendors about the new technologies that are shaping the surveying profession
Meridian’s right of way and survey teams were happy to be involved throughout the conference, comprising of break-out sessions of key industry topics such as ethics, eminent domain, business practices for surveyors, understanding utility easements, a mock trial based on a real boundary case and a full four-day track for survey techs looking to take their licensing exams.
Session examples
Left: Aaron Smith and Trent Keenen discussing “Challenges of a Work Force Shortage”
Right: Listening to Jeff Lucas present Rights of Way and Prescriptive Rights
Some of the big highlights and accolades that occurred at the conference impacting our firm:
Meridian’s Quality Control and Quality Assurance manager Brad Mortensen, PE, PLS was awarded the 2021 UCLS Surveyor of the Year as presented by Meridian’s Michael Nadeau during Friday’s award ceremony. Brad received the award based on his volume of work to the profession, including his most recent participation as chairman to the UCLS ad hoc committee developing Utah’s new 2022 State Plane Coordinate Systems while working closely with the NGS. As an added kudos to Brad, he also did a presentation during the conference titled, “Benefits from the New 2022 State Plan Coordinate System” that was well attended.
Brad Mortensen awarded UCLS Surveyor of the Year 2021 by Michael Nadeau
Our lead surveyor, Michael Nadeau, PLS, CFedS was acknowledged by the current WFPS chairman for Michael’s service as Chairman of the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors from 2020 to 2021.
Mike Nadeau receives acknowledgement as Chairman of WFPS from 2020 to 2021 as presented by Ben Petersen and current Chairman of WFPSMike’s Chairman of WFPS Plaque (Chairman 2020 to 2021)The 3 Gaveling Amigos (From left to right: Justin Moore – past president of NALS, Michael Nadeau, past chairman of WFPS – Robert McMillan, past president of CLSA)
A large group from Meridian, including spouses, was able to participate in an evening fundraising bowling event at the Orleans with long-time Meridian colleague, James Olschewski of UDOT and Bryan Westover of HDR. To raise more money for scholarships, tickets were purchased to give gutter balls to the opposing teams and players to help surveying students fund classes in the surveying program. It’s all fun and games until Meridian’s survey manager is handing a founding principal a gutter ball ticket all while saying, “It’s for the students!”
Orleans Fundraiser Bowling event: Brian Boehmer, Mike Nadeau, James Olschefski in the background
New Orleans Fundraiser Bowling event: Our large group
Mike unlocks the treasure (Mike won the scholarship raffle as 1 of 50 surveyors who bought a key)Brad’s conference session presentation: Benefits from the New 2022 State Plane Coordinate System
Also, a group outing for Italian family style dinner at Bucca Di Peppo with the Pope. It’s always a good time when Meridian employees can network with fellow associates and peers on this holy level.
Meridian and the Westover’s dine with the Pope at Buca Di Peppo, Las Vegas, Nevada baby!
Overall, our team looks forward to this annual event for receiving professional development credits, gaining extra knowledge regarding the profession, and networking with like-minded surveyors from the across the west. Recharging in the Las Vegas sun is always an added benefit!
While visiting the island to perform service for a recent project, Meridian’s Brian Boehmer, stumbled upon a United States Geological Survey (USGS) marker while viewing the eruption at the overlook to the Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawai’i. At present, Kilauea volcano is still having one of the most long-lived eruptions known on earth, which started in 1983. Even now, lava continues to erupt from a single vent in the western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. All lava activity is confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park – known as an Orange Watch magma alert. We are glad Brian made it back to the office unscathed or scorched.
Check out this aerial view of the caldera courtesy of the USGS:
