Wright-Pierce, a multidiscipline engineering firm, has welcomed Walt Nickel, PE, as a Senior Project Manager in the Civil Engineering Practice Group. Walt brings over 35 years of experience in civil engineering and expertise in stormwater, roadway, pavement, and pump station design. He has worked with clients in the public and private sectors and leads the firm’s emerging civil engineering practice in Florida.
As one of his first projects with Wright-Pierce, Walt is working closely with Florida Water Group Leader Greg Taylor, PE, to develop a stormwater master plan for the University of Central Florida (UCF). This project is part of Wright-Pierce’s larger role as UCF’s program manager for condition assessments of all utility infrastructure on campus, which includes potable water, wastewater, reclaimed water, stormwater, natural gas, and chilled water systems.
Owned and operated by UCF, the current stormwater management system is regulated by the St. Johns River Water Management District and includes provisional protections for 25-year, 24-hour design storms (simulated storms of a certain intensity/rainfall amount that have a 4% chance of occurring within a given year). Wright-Pierce’s new master plan includes the creation of a hydrogeological model of the current system and of 50- and 100-year design storm projections. The goal of the project is to pinpoint components of the existing system where improvements may be necessary and to address the water quality and volume of stormwater runoff.
Walt is integral to the success of the UCF project. As Wright-Pierce’s Vice President and Civil Infrastructure Group Leader Ryan Wingard puts it, “We are all very excited to have Walt Nickel on the Wright-Pierce team. In his short time here, he has already made a meaningful impact on improving our Florida civil standards and has provided valuable civil engineering design services on various projects. Most notably, he has taken the technical reins on the UCF Stormwater Mater Plan Project and is driving progress and technical oversight of the effort for this landmark stormwater project for UCF and Wright-Pierce.”
To learn more about how Wright-Pierce is developing its civil engineering practice in Florida and providing crucial stormwater management planning to protect and preserve communities, contact us today.