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Brian was born and raised in Blaine, Minnesota. After graduating from college, he had the opportunity to work for the federal government as a structural engineer at a public shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. After four years, he returned back to Minnesota and joined the Anoka Conservation District team to develop a career focused on natural resource management and environmental remediation.
Brian will be providing technical assistance with water monitoring, natural resource inventories, landowner assistance, project installation and inspections, invasive species management, and product processing and distribution. He has aspiring goals to use his Civil Engineering background and his licensure as a Professional Engineer to provide a unique benefit to the Anoka Conservation District.
Brian has a creative soul and enjoys playing music, writing, and videography. He enjoys the Minnesotan outdoors – from the blistering cold winters to the hot and humid summers – and you can often find him walking at the local parks and trails within Anoka County. He has had the opportunity to travel around the world for work and has spent up to several months at a time in locations like Japan, Guam, Hawaii, California, and sometimes on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
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- Carp are an invasive species that degrade water quality. ACD coordinated the removal of 14,518 carp from Martin and Typo Lakes to improve habitat and water quality. Project partners included the Sunrise River WMO, the Martin Lakers Association, and Linwood Township.
- Twelve rain gardens were installed to improve water quality by reducing volume and pollutants in stormwater runoff before it reaches priority waterbodies. Project partners included landowners, the Cities of Anoka, Fridley, and Ramsey, the Lower Rum River WMO, and the Rice Creek Watershed District.
- 14 lakeshore stabilization projects were installed throughout Anoka County. The projects reduce shoreline erosion and provide wildlife habitat. Partners included landowners, the Sunrise River WMO, the Rice Creek Watershed District, and the Upper Rum River WMO.
- Eleven streambank stabilization projects were completed on the Rum and Mississippi Rivers. These sites have had significant and accelerating erosion issues due to sustained high water and increased recreation on the rivers.
- Over 5,000 linear feet of Cedar Tree Revetments were installed along the Rum River. These projects were in partnership with the Anoka County Parks Department and Conservation Corps, MN.
- ACD partnered with landowners to provide funding assistance for the replacement of 4 failing septic systems and the sealing of 20 wells which present a threat to surface and groundwater resources.
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Mississippi River Erosion Inventory Highlights Bank Stabilization Needs, Gives Project Opportunities
The Mississippi River fulfills the water resource needs of millions of people and provides hydrological and habitat benefits of national significance. It is a powerful waterbody that has shaped the U.S. landscape for millions of years. Erosion is a naturally occurring process in flowing water systems such as the Mississippi River, but it can become exacerbated with increases in extreme weather events and in developed landscapes where stormwater drainage networks contribute to increased surface water volumes. Bank erosion can threaten adjacent urban and agricultural infrastructure and contributes to sediment and nutrient loading that impacts local water quality. Thus, riverbank stabilization practices that minimize erosion serve as mechanisms to combat these environmental challenges.
Using 360° photos captured from a watercraft on the Mississippi River, ACD identified the location and severity of eroded banks spanning from Coon Rapids to Fridley. Altogether, nearly 50 separate stretches of moderately to severely eroded banks were identified, collectively contributing to an estimated 8,517 tons of sediment inputs to the river each year. These stretches were present along both private and public properties ranging from dense residential areas to expansive county parks. A recommended stabilization approach and corresponding project cost estimate was applied to each eroded bank, thus providing cost: benefit scenarios for each potential stabilization project and facilitating the strategic pursuit of those which maximize environmental benefits.
These findings are detailed in a comprehensive report located here, which also includes further details on ACD's erosion inventory methodology, profile pages for each potential stabilization project, and information on a variety of riverbank stewardship and stabilization approaches. To view examples of completed stabilization projects identified through previous erosion inventories, view our interactive projects map here. For more information please contact Breanna Keith,
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