Navigating Drainage and Water Quality
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Welcome to Rural Waters, ISG's e-newsletter dedicated to supporting rural drainage, lakes, streams, rivers, agriculture, and the environment.
With a balanced approach, ISG designs surface water systems with current technology to mitigate flood damage, minimize maintenance costs, and enhance yields, efficiencies, and water quality—delivering multi-benefit solutions.
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How Solar Installation Affects Tile Drainage
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Solar farms bring unique challenges to rural drainage systems. Recently, ISG's Chuck Brandel, Rose Mumbi, Spencer Pech, and Emily Perrot visited Ohio to present at The Ohio State University on flooding solutions and visited the Drainage Hall of Fame with OSU's Dr. Vinayak Shedekar! The team also had a chance to evaluate solar drainage projects firsthand through site visits.
Before construction on a solar project, it is imperative to study soils, existing drain tile, and waterways to understand how water moves across these sites. Unlike typical agriculture projects, solar grading and foundations can alter infiltration and surface flows. By assessing water flow and developing drainage designs that carefully work around utilities and solar structures, and coordinating subsurface tile with stormwater controls and construction sequencing, communities can protects neighboring lands from flooding and allow solar projects to safely coexist with rural drainage systems. Looking for help on your next tile project on solar land? Contact us.
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| Saturated Buffers: Designing for More Than Percent Efficiency
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Saturated buffers are gaining momentum in Iowa, but new research shows that focusing only on percent nitrate removal may cause us to overlook the sites that deliver the biggest total water-quality gains. Read the guest blog from Iowa State University's Dr. Gabriel Johnson, who explains why site selection and buffer length matter, as well as how designing for mass removal can better advance watershed-scale nutrient reduction goals.
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| Revealing + Restoring Hidden Drainage Networks
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In southern Minnesota, century-old stormwater systems like Brewster’s Judicial Ditch No. 4 and Cambria Township’s County Ditch No. 47 were failing, but their buried conditions made the full extent of damages nearly impossible to see. ISG solved this challenge with the Envirosite HD Pipe Crawler. The high-definition robotic camera travels deep inside underground tiles to deliver real-time videos that capture cracks, root blockages, and flow problems.
In Brewster, the crawler revealed root-choked pipes and failing infrastructure. This discovery enabled data-driven repairs, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) grant funding, and prioritization of upgrades. In Cambria Township, the crawler inspected over 34,000 feet of a century-old tile system, informing the preparation of actionable reports that confirmed the need for major repairs and guided a feasibility study. By making the invisible visible, a new standard is being set for assessing drainage systems and identifying a clear path toward sustainable stormwater solutions.
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Issues Facing Rural Drainage |
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Solutions for Minnesota's Aging Drainage Systems
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Minnesota’s agricultural success relies on drainage systems that are aging and ill-equipped for the changing climate. Outdated infrastructure, built over a century ago, struggles with increased rainfall, erosion, and environmental impacts. Modernizing these systems requires updated engineering, strategic funding, and multi-benefit solutions that support both farming and ecosystem health.
Recommended solutions include:
- Reform Funding: Treat drainage like public infrastructure with state and
federal support. -
Align Timing: Use project priority lists to synchronize grants and
construction schedules. - Scale Investment: Focus resources on watershed projects that improve water quality, reduce runoff, and support local economies.
ISG collaborates with stakeholders to shape and support solutions that align with these recommendations—advancing projects that improve productivity, water quality, and resilience.
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Let's Connect: Upcoming Conferences |
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ISG's funding specialists excel in securing grants, having obtained over $45 million in public and private funding across the Midwest. Our connections with local, state, and federal agencies ensure swift, tailored grant applications that meet criteria and boost acceptance rates. Continuously updated on federal and state funding, our team navigates evolving programs, guiding clients toward optimal opportunities. With a focus on legislative awareness, we maximize funding, leveraging every available dollar for impactful projects.
Check here for upcoming funding opportunities, success stories, and resources on navigating the complexities of grant applications for your drainage and water
quality initiatives.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Planning Grants for Stormwater, Wastewater, and Community Resilience
- Focuses on planning for Minnesota’s changing climate, assessing vulnerabilities and creating a plan related to:
- How to increase resilience to stormwater and reduce localized flood risk
- How to improve the resilience of wastewater systems
- How to adapt community services, ordinances, and public spaces to the changing climate
- Applications are due on December 11, 2025
Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
Multipurpose Drainage Management (MDM) Requests for Proposal (RFP)
- Funds practices that provide water quality benefits to drainage projects
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Opening with $900,000 for 2026
- Awards made through quarterly batching periods
- First batching period closes on November 26, 2025
- Overall application period will close on February 26, 2026
Water Quality and Storage Grants RFP
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Provides financial assistance to model, design, and construct projects and practices that will control water volume and rates
- Eligible applicants are local units of government and tribal governments
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Funding is $4.5 million, with up to $500,000 available for modeling and conceptual design applications
- Application period ends on December 23, 2025
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Eastern South Dakota Water Conference
Brookings, SD
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Jacob Mueller and Dr. Mary Sahraei presented at the Eastern South Dakota Water Conference for their session, Aligning Watershed Health, Ecology, and Community in South Dakota. The presentation showed how integrated watershed planning supports ecological resilience and local growth.
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| Ohio River Basin Confluence
Louisville, KY
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The Ohio River Basin Confluence meeting joined advocates, professionals, and water leaders of all kinds to learn, plan, and build a diverse identity across the river basin. The discussions and sessions highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration, and data-driven solutions in addressing emerging water challenges. ISG's Chuck Brandel had the opportunity to present on drainage water recycling and storage as a way to improve water resilience and agricultural productivity.
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Minnesota Water Resources Conference
St. Paul, MN
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Julie Blackburn, Bailey Bocchino, and Jacob Rischmiller presented at the Minnesota Water Resources Conference, sharing insights on stormwater resiliency, drainage water recycling, and lessons learned from two decades of storage implementation across the Minnesota River Basin. The conference included opportunities to engage with leading researchers, educators, water managers, students, and other professionals from across the globe in an effort to develop new collaborations and transdisciplinary solutions to complex water resources challenges.
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Report Highlights Economic Value of Drainage Water Recycling
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ISG’s Chuck Brandel and Spencer Pech, in collaboration with Chris Hay of Hay Water Solutions LLC, have prepared an economic analysis report on drainage water recycling for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The report provides valuable insights into the financial and environmental benefits of reusing agricultural drainage water in the Midwest to improve water quality and resilience. Its findings are guiding producers and conservation partners toward more sustainable and economically viable water management practices.
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| ADMC + NRCS Join Forces to Improve Conservation Drainage
Washington, D.C.
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Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC) President Chuck Brandel met with Aubrey Bettencourt, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Chief, to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a joint working group. The group aims to accelerate conservation drainage adoption, improve technical and financial assistance access, and help refine drainage practice standards and guidelines.
"This is an important step to drive innovation in sustainable water management."
–Chuck Brandel
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| Dr. Mary Sahraei Joins ISG to Innovate With Advanced Modeling Solutions
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ISG welcomes Dr. Mary Sahraei to advance our modeling solutions! Learn how Mary’s expertise in water quality and stormwater modeling is helping Midwest communities turn complex data into practical, sustainable solutions.
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| Make an Impact with ISG’s Water Business Unit
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ISG employees are empowered to grow their careers, make a real impact, and take ownership of their work. As an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company, every team member is an owner, sharing in the firm’s success and helping shape its future while benefiting from a culture built on accountability, engagement, and trust.
We invest in employee success through the following programs:
- ISG University
- Internship Programs
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Firm-Sponsored Training + Licensure
- Annual Workshops
- Mentorship + Coaching
- Leadership Acceleration Program (LeAP)
Ready to explore exciting opportunities with ISG’s Water Business Unit? See how you can make a difference—check out our careers today!
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