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The City of Madison Engineering Division is focusing on a number of projects to show what the City and Engineering has done Since 2018 when a flood devastated our community on Aug. 20, 2018. In this blog post, we spoke with City of Madison Engineering Division Stormwater Engineer Grant Pokos about the Sprecher Road Greenway improvements.

I think the main problem with the Sprecher Greenway was erosion from the existing greenway. With each rainfall, the regional water passing through here continued removing soil from this area and passing it downstream. A greenway in this condition will not fix itself, it will only continue to get worse.The continuing erosion changes the layout of the original channel and possibly affects bank stability in the greenway leading to further problems. This sediment sent downstream can plug up downstream culverts and fill existing ponds, channels and other waterways. This can change the existing sections of downstream waterways, slowing their ability to pass stormwater and possibly raising water elevations after storms.

We analyzed this area to create a model to understand how much stormwater was flowing to this area. Once we had that information, we were able to create a sustainable channel section for construction that would safely pass the water through. We were also able to use the information from the modeling to select riprap and matting areas along the channel to help avoid future erosion. Riprap is stone used to reinforce an area so that the soil wont be washed away. Matting is an engineered blanket that holds the soil and seed in place so grass and other vegetation can grow rather than being washed away. The backslopes leading to the channel were also softened from existing slopes to help avoid future bank erosion.As part of the construction, the overgrown vegetation was removed to allow for construction of the new channel. This gave us an opportunity to revegetate, or plant new currently with grass, and in the future, trees and shrubs in the area. The new vegetation added should allow for a more usable and sustainable greenway in the future. A maintenance access was also added as part of this project. This access will allow us to recognize potential problem areas before they become worse and maintain the greenway in the future.

There are different possible reasons that the erosion is happening in this area. The shear forces caused by storm events could be too high for the existing channel to stay in place. Over time, the greenway also became over grown, not allowing the vegetation that holds the soil in place to remain. Once these problems began, they wont reverse on their own.We improved this greenway to stop the problem from continuing, improve vegetation and to protect the downstream stormwater system from additional future sediment loads.

Its not finalized yet, but approximately $325,000.00. This is a joint project with the City of Madison and our partners in the Town of Blooming Grove. The cost was split proportionately with the Citys share coming from the Stormwater Utility fees.

"Discussions on this project started in early 2020 and the major portion of the design occurred in 2021. Construction began March 25, 2022, and the majority of the project is finished. There is still some vegetation maintenance and planting that will happen with this project.

This is important because erosion from this waterway affects every waterway downstream of it. As the flow characteristics of this channel changed, it changes the flow characteristics of the channels upstream and downstream from it. The longer that it went un-repaired the larger and more expensive the problem could have become.

Not only hydraulically was this area improved, but also we made this a better part of our stormwater system. The overgrown vegetation was removed and the area will be replanted to create a beautiful and sustainable area for years to come.

This content is free for use with credit to the City of Madison - Engineering and a link back to the original post.

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Since 2018: Sprecher Road | Engineering - City of Madison, Wisconsin

Ellie Goodwin, an incoming freshman at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, represents the third generation of Goodwins to attend the college.

Her dad, Pat Goodwin, is a 1995 civil engineering alumnus, and her late grandfather Max Goodwin was a 1963 physics graduate.

She plans to follow in her fathers footsteps and major in civil engineering.

I hope she gets a lot better grades than I did, quipped Pat Goodwin as he and his wife Marti helped their daughter move into Percopo residence hall Friday. Shes a much more serious student than I ever was.

Ellie Goodwin, a Terre Haute North Vigo graduate, is Rose-Hulmans first Hannum Scholar, which goes to graduates of Vigo County high schools and covers a students full tuition for four years.

Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Rose-Hulman legacy: Marti Goodwin, left, and Pat Goodwin, right, helped their daughter, Ellie Goodwin, move into her Rose-Hulman dorm room on Friday. Ellie is following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather, Max Goodwin, by attending Rose-Hulman.

To qualify, students must meet Rose-Hulmans academic entrance requirements, rank in the top 5% of their graduating class and be accepted into the Noblitt Scholars program.

Ellie said its been her goal for many years to attend Rose. Its kind of crazy, but Im actually moving in today, she said. Im excited. Im a little nervous. But Im only 15 minutes from home. Thats kind of nice.

Ellie Goodwin joined more than 600 other first-year students on move-in day at the college Friday.

According to Rose-Hulman, this is the second consecutive year and only third time in school history that the institute has enrolled more than 600 first-year students. Total enrollment is expected to be around 2,150.

Were pretty full on campus, said Tom Bear, vice president for enrollment management.

Among the highlights of the incoming class of 2026:

Students are coming from 42 states and 19 countries outside the United States both increases from last year.

The incoming students had standardized math and science test scores for college admission that ranked within the top 5% nationally.

Nearly one-third of this class is expected to be racially and ethnically diverse.

With move-in day, there always builds a lot of excitement with the first-year class coming in, Bear said. Among the things Rose-Hulman is celebrating is the diversity of the first-year class. Its both national and international.

The students come from countries that include Vietnam, South Korea, Italy, China and India.

We have made an effort to broaden our reach internationally, Bear said. Thats important to the learning experience for students, to have a broader spectrum from across the U.S. and the world.

Theres another welcome change this year.

Last fall, masking was required for indoor settings. Thats no longer the case. Isnt it a great feeling? Bear said. You can see it right now. People dont have their masks, theyre stopping, talking and engaging.

The college wants students to remain vigilant, but were expecting more of a return to normal, Bear said.

Meanwhile, in Baur-Sames-Bogart residence hall, Katie Kesterson brought her aquarium, complete with three fish, to make her residence hall room feel more like home.

Tribune-Star/Joseph C. GarzaLighthearted art: Katie Kesterson, 19, a freshman from Indianapolis, made her dorm room in the BSB Hall a little more cozy with some humorous animal portraits on Friday on the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology campus.

On the wall, she hung humorous pet pictures she described as artsy but a tacky side of art. One featured a cow drinking a carton of milk with a straw, while another had ducks with snorkeling gear.

Anything that makes me laugh, said the optical engineering major from Indianapolis.

As she begins college at Rose-Hulman, Kesterson says she is super excited I never thought I would get this far. Theres just so much the next four years.

Her goal is to eventually work with lasers at Crane; she hopes to stay in Indiana.

Her roommate, Zoe Mintz, is from South Carolina. Before Mintz arrival, she asked about how many coats and blankets she would need to be fully prepared for Indiana winter weather.

Mintz, an electrical engineering major, spent five weeks at Rose-Hulman this summer for an advanced math and physics program.

She hopes to work in the astrophysics industry. I want to build telescopes or satellites, or something to look at the stars with, Mintz said.

Rose-Hulmans new student orientation will continue through Wednesday and classes start Thursday.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue.

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Engineer excitement: RHIT welcomes Class of 2026 during move-in day - Terre Haute Tribune Star

WhenSelina Tongwas in high school, she didnt know what she wanted to study at university.Her strongest subjects were math and science, so she debated between business, architecture and engineering.

While she was exposed to the latter field from an early age her father is an electrical engineer, and her sister went into computer engineering she says she stilldidntknow what people did in the profession.

To keep as many doors open as possible, Tong ultimately decided to enroll in theTrackOne programoffered by the University of Torontos Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The undeclared first-year program allows students to explore the many fields of engineering offered at U of Tbefore choosing a disciplinary major at the end of the winter term.

I was uncertain about my future, but I knew that getting an engineering degree would open up more possible career paths, says Tong, who is now a fourth-year industrial engineering student.

The skills you can gain are so vast that you have a lot of options if you decide that you dont want to be a professional engineer.

TrackOne students take courses that prepare them to join anyCore 8 program chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, materials, mechanical or mineral engineering for the remaining three years of their BASc degree and have the support of a dedicated TrackOne adviser.

These are not students who cant make up their minds. They know they are interested in engineering, but want to keep their options open to make an informed decision, saysSusan McCahan, a professor in the department of mechanical and industrial engineeringwho currently serves as U of Ts vice-provost, academic programs andvice-provost, innovations in undergraduate education.

We did find that quite a few students came in thinking they were going to pursue one program and ended up going into a different field one they may not have even known about when they were in high school.

McCahan, who served as chair of first yearwhen U of T Engineering admitted the first group of TrackOne students in 2007, witnessed an immediate sense of community among the group as they picked their ownEngineering Societyclass representative and organized social and networking events just like students in the Core 8 programs.

The first cohort of students decided that the magic eight ball was going to be their symbolbecause when you ask one a question and turn it over, it sometimes says, Ask again later, she says. And eight, because at the end of their first year, they pick one of the Core 8 programs.

Fourth-year U of T Engineering Selina Tong leads a Frosh Week group in September 2019 (photo courtesy of Selina Tong)

Samantha Butt, a third-year mechanical and industrial engineering student, says shehas always enjoyed being challenged academically, which is what attracted her to the idea of studying engineering.

I didnt know anyone who could tell me about the profession and what it could be, she says. I knew that engineers solve problems, and I consider problem-solving to be one of my greatest strengths.

After being accepted to U of T Engineering, she attended an event for female-identifying high school students called Girls Leadership in Engineering Experience (GLEE).

I saw firsthand how strong the U of T Engineering community is and that I would be amongst women who were also passionate about STEM, she says. I really felt like I belonged in this community.

Butt applied to TrackOne to give herself more flexibility and spend her first year of university discovering which engineering discipline aligned best with her interests.

When she took the Introduction to Engineering course (APS 191H1), she discovered how versatile each of the Core 8 programs could be. And even though she initially thought she would choose to study computer engineering, she was won over by mechanical engineerings mechatronics stream.

I learned about a fourth-year course called Mechatronics Principles (MIE 444), where you get to build a robot that navigates its way through a maze, she says. I remember being so mesmerized that I could have all the skills and knowledge to build something like that once I reached fourth year.

This summer, Butt is starting her Professional Experience Year Co-op Program (PEY Co-op) atSafran Landing Systems, an aircraft-equipment manufacturing company that produces landing gear, avionics and navigation systems.

Mechanical engineering has a lot of PEY Co-op opportunities within aerospace and I havent been exposed to the aerospace industry yet in any of my courses, she says.

Im really excited to see how I can apply what Ive learned in my degree and how I can learn even more from this opportunity.

Albert Huynh speaks at the TrackOne 10-year anniversary in 2017(photo byAlan Yusheng Wu)

AlumnusAlbert Huynh says heenrolled in TrackOne because he loves to collect input and information before making big decisions.

Having the option to delay the choice to pick a program while I learned more about the discipline was very much in line with my personality style, says Huynh, who ended up pursuing his degree in chemical engineering.

During that first year, Huynh was struck by engineerings focus on design and applying knowledge of mathematics, sciences and technology into ways that could solve global problems.His interest in sustainable energy led him to choose chemical engineering at the end of his first year, but extracurricular opportunities within the faculty would eventually ignite his passion for engineering education.

After his studies, Huynh spent six years working at theTroost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering(ILead) at U of T Engineering. And this past July, he started a new role as theNorth American lead for learning experience design atShopify.

There are so many ways of approaching problems and designing solutions, says Huynh. Ive learned that the specific discipline you pick doesnt actually matter all that much in terms of where you end up, but rather determines the approach that you take.

As for Tong, she opted to study industrial engineering for its focus on human-centred design, and because it pairs well with a business minor. She completed her PEY Co-op as a trade floor technology consultant atScotiabankthis past spring, and is wrapping up an internship as a technical program manager atBrazein New York City this summer.

I was very attracted to the diversity of the degree, she says. I have been able to tailor my course selection to my interests, whether that be design, human factors or artificial intelligence.

While students choose a field of engineering to study at the end of their TrackOne year, what we really want them to know is that the field they choose will not necessarily dictate their career path, says McCahan.

There is a diversity of career paths open, no matter what field of engineering they choose.

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'A diversity of career paths': TrackOne program lets first-year U of T Engineering students keep their options open - University of Toronto