We were contracted to replace flashboards and perform apron scour repairs at a hydroelectric dam along the Rock River in the Upper Midwest. Our client is a privately owned entity that owns and operates 80+ hydroelectric facilities throughout the United States. The project’s significant goals involved increasing the dam’s retainage capacity, protecting the existing spillway structure, and providing an aesthetically pleasing spillway for the community's residents. This project was scheduled for the summer months when flow rates are at their lowest, mainly due to the volatility of the Rock River ..read more

Treatability testing uses bench-scale demonstrations and analysis to determine if a material can be effectively treated with a specific chemical or process. At Brennan, we use treatability testing to develop sound technical approaches for dredged material dewatering, in situ or dewatered dredged material stabilization, and water treatment.  Treatability data can be used to price a job more accurately and find cost savings for our clients. Treatability testing allows us to select chemical and mechanical processes for treatment and evaluate less costly alternatives. Here's how we do it ..read more

We're at Minnesota Power's hydroelectric dam in Scanlon, Minnesota, to replace 7 of the structure's Tainter gates. Extending the life of this renewable energy source by 50 to 100 years, the Scanlon Dam Gate Replacement Project enables the further creation of clean, renewable power provided to local communities.  We were pulled into the project very early on during the design phase of the project. Both Brennan and Minnesota Power attribute the project's success to early contractor involvement ..read more

We are at the Lock and Dam 19 facility in Keokuk, Iowa, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Our team replaced an 18,000-LB, 105-FT underwater soundbar with wet-mateable connections (cables and speakers that can be connected and disconnected underwater). This underwater acoustic deterrent system (UADS) upgrade allows divers to replace individual speakers if underperforming rather than continuing to remove the entire system. Why? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading a 3-year study to reduce the number of invasive carp moving toward the Great Lakes. It is the only ..read more

This year, Brennan's blog posts garnered an impressive readership of over 27,000. An analysis of our most searched topics identified the most significant issues in the environmental and marine construction industries, including those most relevant to our company's operations. This leads us to the question: What were our industry's most frequently researched topics? We've examined Brennan's most popular articles of the year -- let's count them down ..read more

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) is honored to accept this year's award for Outstanding Philanthropic Organization from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Upper Mississippi Valley Chapter. The chapter represents nonprofit organizations throughout Southwestern Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, and Southeastern Minnesota.   Brennan’s work brings us all incredible pride and purpose as we serve clients throughout the inland and purpose as we serve clients throughout the inland and coastal waterways. Through this work, we receive opportunities to truly become part of the fabric of the ..read more

Our equipment safely navigates where barges can’t float and where ground equipment can’t trek. Brennan’s specialty amphibious trucks can float fully loaded with a 20-cubic yard payload or be configured to support geotechnical drilling equipment. See our equipment in action with this video!  ..read more

Island building and habitat restoration have significant environmental benefits, improving aquatic and land-based ecosystems. Working under LS Marine alongside Ramsey County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Saint Paul District, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Brennan built up islands at Pigs Eye Lake in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The project's master plan features seven islands, sand beaches, marsh habitat, and land plantings. We utilized dredged material from the Mississippi River in an environmentally beneficial way to build the islands. Here's how it happened and why it wo ..read more

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) signed a project agreement to remediate contaminated sediment in the “ponds behind Erie Pier,” two ponds surrounded by shallow marsh wetlands in the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC). The sediment was primarily contaminated with PCBs, PAHs, mercury, and chromium. Here's how we worked with stakeholders to clean up the sediment and the resulting impact of our work ..read more

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) collaborated with The Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse (Boys & Girls Club), Wieser Brothers General Contractor, Inc., and Mathy Construction to bring the expansive construction world to Boys & Girls Club members. The annual event is called Kids in Construction. Club members explored Brennan’s amphibious equipment and commercial dive gear, tested out life as a chemist working in a water treatment lab, and experienced a career working in a support role in the construction industry. Our Brennan team members were on hand to answer all their questi ..read more