Churchill Rocket Range Environmental Services
The Churchill Rocket Range, a former launch site east of Churchill, required environmental due diligence and cleanup ahead of ownership transfer to the Town of Churchill. KGS Group provided consulting services to assess site conditions, plan remediation and support safe deconstruction.
Before ownership transfer, we completed an environmental site assessment, a non-hazardous and hazardous materials inventory, including hazardous building materials sampling and a rocket debris waste survey, a remediation and hazardous materials management plan and mould and asbestos abatement specifications.
Following completion of the initial work, the rocket range was transferred to the Town of Churchill and KGS Group was retained to manage and coordinate activities related to soil remediation and demolition of several buildings and structures at the site. Remedial activities included excavation and disposal of contaminated soils in an onsite constructed land farm as approved by the province.
Successful completion of this project required careful planning due to short field seasons and limited equipment, as well as the ability to adapt to variable conditions encountered in this unique Canadian subarctic environment.
Project Highlights
- Hazardous/non‑hazardous materials inventory and rocket debris survey
- Remediation and hazardous materials management plan and mould and asbestos abatement specifications
- Soil remediation via excavation and onsite land farm, demolition of selected buildings/structures
Pointe du Bois Spillway Replacement
The Pointe du Bois Generating Station is the oldest operating hydroelectric plant in Manitoba. Despite extensive upgrades and ongoing maintenance over the years, the original spillway required replacement. The Pointe du Bois Spillway Replacement project included the design and construction of a new remotely operated 7-bay spillway and a new 1km long zoned earthfill dam, complete with an ancillary support building for electrical switch gear and control systems, a backup diesel generator, and other related infrastructure.
As the prime consultant, KGS Group worked collaboratively with Manitoba Hydro as the designer in an early contractor involvement project delivery process. KGS also provided full-time technical support and quality assurance assistance through construction, commissioning and close-out activities.
The final design was carried out entirely within a 3D digital environment, and was paramount for the successful execution of all stages of the project. This innovative approach gave the team the ability to visualize the end product at the design stage and enabled harmonious advancement of the project across multiple disciplines.
The several hundred-million-dollar project was successfully completed without any interruptions to the ongoing operation of the plant, while protecting and preserving established lake sturgeon habitat and restoring the natural landscape in this environmentally sensitive provincial park setting.
Project Highlights
- New remotely operated seven bay spillway, support building and backup diesel generator
- New 1km long zoned earthfill embankment dam
- 3D digital design environment
- The several hundred‑million‑dollar capital program was completed without operational interruptions
- Enhanced safety and control, extended asset life and a more reliable discharge capacity
- Lake sturgeon habitat protected and the landscape in the provincial park was restored
Newton Force Main River Crossing
KGS Group and Associated Engineering designed and oversaw the construction of a new, 466 meter river crossing installed trenchlessly 40 meters below grade to replace the failing Newton Force Main River Crossing. This vital piece of infrastructure supports the wastewater flows from the entire Hawthorne sewer district in Winnipeg. Under dry weather conditions, the Newton Force Main River Crossing transports over 2.3 million litres of wastewater daily under the Red River.
The existing crossing was installed along the river bottom in 1978 and was connected to lands that have become densely urbanized, which limited solutions. An alternate alignment was developed to both reroute the force main and install it safely within the bedrock strata below the river.
The result is a durable, long‑term asset that improves system resilience and safeguards the environment and the community.
Project Highlights
- 466 meter river crossing installed trenchlessly, 40 meters below grade
- Horizontal directional drilling with horizontal and vertical curves – a first in Manitoba
- 780 meters of new force main on an alternate alignment in bedrock below the river
- Replaces 1978 river‑bottom crossing which lowers environmental risk and maintenance needs
Cote First Nation Solid Waste Transfer Station
Cote First Nation had been experiencing significant solid waste management challenges including inconsistent collection services and unmanned and non-engineered dump sites throughout the Reserve. Additionally, the main landfill site was note engineered which posed a significant risks to the surrounding soil and groundwater.
To ensure waste was being managed in a sustainable manner, Cote First Nation engaged KGS Group to review their waste management practices and design and oversee the construction of a new solid waste transfer station. We also supported community engagement events to share the importance of transfer stations and responsible waste management practices.
During construction, nearly 2,000 hours were completed by Cote First Nation members, and the total value of purchased material, worker wages and equipment rentals from the Nation was approximately $126,500. This project also presented on-the-job training and mentorship opportunities for members of Cote First Nation and was seen as a community-driven process that was mutually beneficial to everyone.
The positive effects of the project will be evident through the waste diverted from unmanned dump sites, the protected soil and groundwater, and the sense of empowerment felt across Cote First Nation to continue with responsible waste management practices.
Project Highlights
- Design and oversaw construction of a new solid waste transfer station
- 2,000 hours contributed by Cote First Nation members to complete the project and $126,500 spent on local materials, wages and rentals
- Improved protection of soil and groundwater with waste diverted from unmanned landfills
- On‑the‑job training and mentorship for Cote First Nation members
Boundary Dam Spillway Upgrade
Boundary Dam Reservoir serves as a source of cooling water for the Boundary Dam Power Station, SaskPower’s largest generating station. KGS Group was retained to perform a dam safety assessment of the Boundary Dam structures.
The dam safety review identified a number of concerns, the most critical of which were insufficient spillway capacity and deficiencies with the condition of the existing spillway. Our team was then retained to design spillway upgrades to extend the life of the 50+ year old structure and to double the discharge capacity of the spillway. We performed preliminary and final design for complete replacement of the spillway chute and basin, while maintaining the reservoir at full supply level. The work also included the installation of over 400, +30-metre-long anchors.
The team overcame complex foundation issues with bentonite seams, coal layers and high groundwater. Another critical site challenge was to design and complete each year’s construction such that the spillway could potentially pass spring flood flows. Despite many challenges, the project was completed on schedule and near budget.
Project Highlights
- Dam safety assessment, spillway upgrade design, construction support
- Complete replacement of spillway chute and basin while maintaining full supply level
- Discharge capacity doubled to improve flood performance and safety
- Installation of 400+ anchors, each over 30 metres in length
- Foundation treatment addressing bentonite seams, coal layers and high groundwater
Birds Hill Lake Improvements
KGS Group, with Scatliff + Miller + Murray, delivered a $4.2 million program to expand Birds Hill Provincial Park’s lake and beachfront and modernize supporting infrastructure improving the public’s experience at one of Manitoba’s most popular recreational destinations. KGS Group rehabilitated the lake bed to improve water quality and added roughly one‑third more lake and beach-front area.
To support the lake expansion, several elements of the park’s infrastructure were also improved with the goal of increasing the reliability, safety and efficiency of existing systems. Improvements included expanding and repairing the active transportation network, upgrading dated sewage systems, improving the east and west parking lots as well as repurposing existing assets to serve new, innovative functions within the park.
Our multidisciplinary team provided integrated design and construction support, coordinating work within an active, high‑use park to protect visitors, maintain access and deliver efficient sequencing. The result is a larger, cleaner lake, safer and more reliable park systems, and amenities that better serve hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Project Highlights
- Multidisciplinary design and landscape architecture and construction support
- Roughly 33% more lake and beach-front area, east and west parking lots improved, active transportation routes expanded and repaired, sewage systems upgraded
- Lake‑bed rehabilitation to improve water quality
- Increased capacity and accessibility, higher reliability, safety, and efficiency, enhanced visitor experience for hundreds of thousands annually
University of Manitoba Fort Garry Riverbank Asset Management
On the northwest side of the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus, which is located on Treaty 1 Territory, 600 meters of Sifton Road along the Red River acts as the Primary Line of Defense (PLD) dike, protecting the City of Winnipeg from flooding. Along the riverbank, ongoing and uncontrolled surface water discharge from Culvert 108 created over-steepened slopes and was threatening the integrity of this portion of Sifton Road.
KGS Group designed an innovative solution to reconstruct Culvert 108, Sifton Road and the PLD dike system. A first for this technology in Winnipeg, the solution used buoyant lightweight fill material anchored with helical piles. Additionally, the land drainage system was redesigned, Culvert 108 was upgraded to prevent future damage and supplemental vegetation was planted. The result was an area that is fully integrated with the surrounding ecosystem and is ready for future use opportunities while protecting the community.
Project Highlights
- Designed a solution to reconstruct Culvert 108, Sifton Road and PLD dike system to restore flood protection and roadway function
- The solution, a first for this technology in Winnipeg, included buoyant lightweight fill anchored with helical piles
- Redesigned the land drainage system to control and safely route surface water, reducing erosive outflows to the riverbank
Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba Basins Flood Mitigation Study
The flood of 2011 highlighted several potential “weak links” in Manitoba’s flood control system, which resulted in widespread damage across the province. To address the propensity for flooding in the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba basins, KGS Group carried out a flood mitigation study, which identified major flood vulnerabilities and assessed a wide range of measures to improve protection in the region.
A vast amount of data was reviewed and over 70 mitigation options were evaluated including dikes, reservoirs, diversion channels, wetland restoration and development controls. As well, a number of sophisticated models were developed to calculate cost-benefit ratios and the economic viability of the options.
Working collaboratively with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure, the project team developed a technical workshop and held public open house events to incorporate important feedback into the study findings.
The results of the study identified over $1 billion of flood mitigation upgrades required to increase the flood protection level to provincial standards across the basin. The results will also serve as the foundation for major flood mitigation programs for the next several decades.
Project Highlights
- Reviewed and synthesized basin‑wide datasets to establish current and future flood risk profiles
- Evaluated 70+ mitigation options, including dikes and levees, reservoirs and storage, diversion channels, wetland restoration, development controls
- Compiled actionable study deliverables for program planning
Environmental Research and Development
Our environmental services team actively seeks out opportunities to conduct research in a number of environmental disciplines, to advance our knowledge base, and to optimize solutions for real-life problems our clients are facing. Many of our projects benefit from this research. Some of our most recent research and development activities include:
Landfill Leachate Treatment
Since 2013, KGS Group has conceptualized and carried out several research and development projects involving laboratory and field scale activities aimed at reducing handling and treatment volumes of landfill leachate, including leachate irrigation studies, alternative chemical and physical treatment processes, and enhanced evaporation techniques.
Landfill Methane Mitigation
In 2014, KGS Group partnered with the University of Manitoba to develop design parameters for an innovative landfill biocover, designed to oxidize fugitive methane emissions. The first two phases of this multi-year project were carried out under laboratory conditions, followed by field trials at a waste management facility in the City of Winnipeg.
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Treatment
KGS Group is active in investigating the treatment of AMD from former mine sites in northern Manitoba. The objectives of these studies are to optimize the typical treatment process, and to develop cost-effective technologies directed at minimizing the use of chemicals, while improving operation of the treatment process.
Phosphorus Treatment
We are also developing technology for the treatment of insoluble phosphates applied to agricultural fields with manure, such as hog operations, to recover the phosphorus for fertilizer applications and to reduce phosphate loading on the surface water runoff to rivers and lakes.
Crossing Enhancements on Beaver Creek at Historic Fort Ellice
The Crossing Enhancements on the Beaver Creek project aimed to reconcile human infrastructure with the natural environment at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Fort Ellice property. The project focused on modifying a concrete ford crossing that impeded fish migration on Beaver Creek, to enhance bi-directional fish passage, maintain structural integrity and minimize ecological disruption.
Collaborative efforts led to the development of a rock ramp, that balanced technical feasibility, ecological sensitivity and regulatory compliance. The rock ramp now serves as a success story for future leaders and caretakers of the land and exemplifies sustainable conservation that combines sound engineering with environmental stewardship.
Project Highlights
- Modified the existing concrete ford crossing to reduce hydraulic barriers to fish movement
- Constructed a naturalized rock ramp to enable bi‑directional fish passage
- Configured ramp geometry and rock gradation to maintain crossing stability while minimizing habitat disruption
Geothermal Heating/Cooling System for IKEA Winnipeg
To advance IKEA’s global mandate to reduce its carbon footprint, the IKEA Winnipeg store adopted geothermal heating and cooling as a cornerstone of its energy strategy. KGS Group provided design, construction management and commissioning for a geothermal heat pump system that meets the heating and cooling requirements for the 400,000 square foot retail facility.
With four pumping wells and eight recharge wells, this system is the largest geothermal installation of its kind within Winnipeg. Since November 2012, the plant has delivered reliable, year‑round heating and cooling without using the backup gas boilers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the building while showcasing pragmatic geothermal innovation.
Project Highlights
- Designed a geothermal heat pump system to serve the 400,000 square foot IKEA Winnipeg store
- Drilled and completed four pumping wells and eight recharge wells – the largest of it’s kind in Winnipeg
- Engineered wellfield layout and hydraulic balancing to optimize performance and facilitate maintenance redundancy
- Lowered carbon footprint for IKEA Winnipeg
Gillam Subdivision Passive Groundwater Drainage Project
The “Crayola” subdivision in Gillam sits on soil that retains a high groundwater table. Over time, seasonal freezing and elevated groundwater led to disturbance of several structure foundations. To address this persistent issue, KGS Group leveraged the timing of a planned sewer and water infrastructure renewal to design and implement a simple, robust groundwater drainage system.
By using common trench excavation, engineered drainage piping and readily available backfill, the installation of the groundwater drainage system was simplified and optimized. Because there are no moving parts, continuous drainage of groundwater occurs passively by gravity.
Designed within the new sewer and water corridors, the system simplifies future maintenance and construction, while providing easy access points for the interconnection of foundation drainage systems throughout the subdivision.
Project Highlights
- Excavated common trenches within new sewer and water corridors to integrate groundwater drainage
- Installed engineered drainage piping to collect and convey groundwater
- Placed readily available backfill to promote free drainage and protect piping
- Eliminated mechanical components – no pumps or moving parts
- Established future tie‑in locations to enable interconnection of foundation drains across the subdivision