It was the winter of 1990 when Rob Kenyon travelled to Lac Seul, and KGS Group was still making a name for itself.

For Rob, hired the winter prior as Senior Geotechnical Engineer, working on large projects felt familiar. For KGS Group, it was an opportunity for a small, recently established firm to showcase its capabilities to the world.

The Lac Seul Dam, part of the Ear Falls Generating Station, is a powerhouse and headworks dam and spillway control structure on the Winnipeg River system. It was jointly administered by Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation), Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg Hydro (later merged with Manitoba Hydro), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The structure, built in the 1930s, was declining due to time and the environment. The dam’s deck was a highway crossing up to the mid 1980s, and years of roadway salt exposure had deteriorated its concrete.

The rehabilitation of the structure required solid engineering expertise, careful planning and effective control of the construction work. “We had to take off the road deck, and we were mapping and demolishing the weathered and salt-affected concrete,” said Rob, who served as the Resident Engineer for the project execution. “Pier by pier, bay by bay.”

Twenty bays to be exact, eight for the powerhouse intake and 12 for the spillway structure, each roughly 75 feet tall. Each bay was assessed, repaired and rebuilt, all while keeping the dam in service. A maximum of four spillway bays could be taken out of service at a time to enable Ontario Hydro and the Lake of the Woods Control Board to maintain spillway capacity. Something that required careful sequencing, robust temporary works and absolute confidence in design.

The temporary works at the intake and west abutment gravity dam, one of the project’s most effective solutions, were conceived by Helmut Graumann and former KGS employee, Jim Wedgewood.

“They employed a simple moveable cofferdam system that isolated individual bays,” notes Rob. “Once put in place, water pressure sealed the system against the concrete face and piers, allowing crews to work in the dry, demolish weathered concrete surfaces, and rebuild structural elements. The intake work also included supply of new sectional bulkhead gates designed by Demetrios Kontzamanis.

Rob recalls that spillway pier repairs were completed behind existing spillway stoplogs, including pier reconstruction, upgrading of stoplog guides and sill beams, and anchoring of the spillway base slabs. Earlier chemical grouting of the foundation, designed and directed by Bert Smith had minimized seepage through the headworks foundations.

Our Founders designed and tendered this project the year before Rob got involved. The entire KGS team, consisting of six engineers and support staff at the time, was overjoyed when they were awarded the project in 1987 after being up against the five largest hydropower consultants in Canada. Their expertise and confidence paid off; the project proceeded with few surprises, on time and on budget, a rare outcome for a project of this scale and complexity.

For Rob, the experience reinforced the importance of clear design thinking and adaptability in the field. “We didn’t go in knowing all the answers,” he recalls, “but we knew we could figure them out. I could work without fear, because I knew the team was supporting me.”

When the project was completed, its impact on KGS Group extended beyond the project timeline itself. It provided financial stability for a young company just starting out, credibility and proof that we could deliver a major project for a reputable client. Our work on this project led to further dam rehabilitation and hydroelectric work across the country. It also established our relationship with several major hydro utilities, which remain amongst our largest clients today.

Nearly four decades later, the work done on Lac Seul stands as one of our foundational achievements. It has withstood the test of time, as a project that helped shape how we approach complex engineering work on high-risk infrastructure. While a relatively small project compared to today’s standards, Lac Seul set a trajectory in motion that, only a few years later, would see those same engineers called upon to protect entire communities from flooding at an unprecedented scale.

That story begins downstream.

We are proud to announce that Adam Ruberto is our new Structural Department Head for Thunder Bay.

Adam joined KGS in 2008 as a Structural Engineer-in-Training after completing his Bachelor of Engineering from Lakehead University. He has worked in our Thunder Bay and Mississauga offices, most recently, serving as Assistant Department Head for the structural engineering group. His expertise includes leading structural and multi-disciplinary projects within the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors.

Adam is experienced in structural analysis and design as well as in feasibility studies, concept and detailed design, rehabilitation and construction of new and existing structures and has extensive experience in structural condition assessments. He has also been a part of the civil/structural analysis and inspection aspects of water retention/dam projects.

Congratulations on your new role Adam!

KGS Group brought home an Award of Excellence from the 2026 Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Manitoba (ACEC-MB) Awards!

Congratulations to everyone who worked on this project.

The Little Long Dam Safety Project increased the Adam Creek Sluiceway’s discharge capacity by over 40% to meet Ontario Power Generation’s updated Inflow Design Flood requirements. The multidisciplinary team applied advanced geotechnical investigations, CFD and physical hydraulic modelling, and innovative structural solutions to design and construct four new sluice bays while keeping existing infrastructure safely in service. The project strengthened climate resilience, reduced environmental impacts such as Lake Sturgeon entrainment, and included significant Indigenous participation. Completed in 2025, it achieved exemplary safety, cost and schedule performance for a complex, high-risk dam safety upgrade, supported by effective collaboration with all partners

Read more about this project.

At KGS, we believe mentorship is one of the most effective ways to grow – both as individuals and as a company. 

After launching our Mentor the Future Program in 2025, over 270 mentors and mentees came together to  share knowledge, build relationships and support each other’s development in meaningful ways. 

Whether it’s sharing technical expertise, offering career guidance or providing a new perspective, these relationships have provided value to both mentors and mentees over the past year. 

What is the program? 

Mentor the Future is a year-long program open to employees across all KGS locations. Participants are thoughtfully matched based on their goals and experience, with opportunities for one-on-one, group or peer mentorship. 

Focus areas are guided by each partnership’s goals, covering everything from career development and technical skills to leadership and navigating day-to-day workload management.  

The program reflects one of our core values – stop, teach, mentor – giving participants the opportunity to have open conversations and share experiences to elevate each other.  

Looking ahead 

The connections formed this year are just the beginning. We look forward to seeing them continue to grow and new ones develop as we embark on our second year of the program in 2026! 

Harman Mallhi is now the Market Lead – Wastewater and will be focused on expanding our services across the municipal, agricultural and the food and beverage markets. Harman’s deep understanding of the industry and strong leadership abilities will help guide multidisciplinary teams needed for these projects.

With over 17 years of experience, Harman specializes in solid waste management, waste treatment, water distribution and wastewater conveyance. He has extensive experience in project management, authoring preliminary studies, preparing vendor technology recommendations, preparing plans and specifications, contract administration and cost estimating.

A few notable projects Harman has worked on are the Grand Beach Provincial Park Lagoon Upgrades and the Muscatine Power and Water Landfill.

Congratulations on your new role Harman!

We are pleased to share that Brian Peter is now the Principal – Hydro Project Delivery and will be leading our Hydro Project Delivery Department out of our Winnipeg office.

In this role, Brian is responsible for managing large hydro projects and bringing together key resources to enhance collaboration across disciplines and consistency for how we deliver our services for our clients.

With over 38 years of experience, Brian specializes in project management, hydroelectric development, flood protection, major infrastructure design and construction management.

While Brian’s leadership will be instrumental in driving project success, his advocation to fostering mentorship, growth and development in his team will provide long-term benefits to our intermediate and junior project managers, project coordinators and other support team members.

Congratulations to Brian on his well-deserved new role!

We are proud to share that KGS Group has been named one of Manitoba’s Top Employers (2026)! This is a prestigious recognition that reflects who we are and the culture we have built not only in Manitoba where our head office is, but across all our offices.

At KGS, we believe that engineering excellence is built on great relationships and that starts with our own team. As an employee-owned firm, we care deeply about every person and every project that comes through our doors. From mentorship and an open-door culture to opportunities to connect, learn and lead, we’re committed to creating a workplace where careers thrive and ideas take flight.

“It’s an honour to be named one of Manitoba’s Top Employers,” said Nicole Ritchie, Director – Human Resources. “We strive to create an environment where people can build meaningful careers, feel a sense of belonging and see the impact of their work. This recognition reinforces that commitment.”

We’re grateful for this recognition, but even more grateful for the people who make KGS Group an exceptional place to work.

You can read the reasons why we were selected here: Top Employer – KGS Group

We are honoured to announce that Michael Turko was recently named the Market Lead – Municipal Infrastructure for our Winnipeg group. In this role, he will be working to expand our municipal infrastructure services.

About Michael
In his 14 years at KGS Group, Michael has been a key part of our growing municipal group. He has taken on increasing responsibilities including managing projects as well as mentoring and managing staff.

Michael has managed a variety of projects including the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Water Services Board and The Forks. He has also worked on several flood responses in Manitoba and more recently, in the Yukon.

Uniquely, Michael is one of the first technologists to achieve the Eng.L. designation from Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba. This license allows non-engineers to practice in a specific scope of engineering. It recognizes a combination of education and extensive experience as a means for qualification, attesting to Michael’s depth of experience and knowledge.

Congratulations Michael!