Hydrotechnical Engineering.
Wherever water meets engineering, our team delivers reliable, science-based solutions for drainage, flood risk, watershed management, and water resource design.
What We Do.
OUR CORE SERVICES
PRI’s hydrotechnical team specializes in managing the complex and dynamic interaction between water resources and infrastructure to ensure optimized development of a variety of hydraulic structures. We possess a deep understanding of British Columbia’s diverse hydro-climatic regions and the challenges posed by steep terrain and active river systems. Our approach is fundamentally collaborative. Our hydrotechnical engineers work seamlessly alongside our in-house geotechnical, structural, and environmental teams to deliver robust, cost-effective solutions. Whether designing crossing structures, assessing flood risk, or protecting critical assets from erosion, we provide the technical expertise necessary to ensure long-term resilience against hydraulic forces.
Dam Design & Safety Reviews
ENGINEERED FOR LONGEVITY, SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
From the design of new facilities to the assessment and upgrading of aging infrastructure, PRI provides comprehensive dam engineering services for hydroelectric, tailings, water supply, and flood-control facilities. Our team brings deep technical expertise to every stage of a dam's lifecycle, delivering practical solutions that balance performance, safety, and regulatory compliance. We prepare Dam Safety Reviews and breach assessments that meet the expectations of the Canadian Dam Association and provincial regulators — but more importantly, we ensure our reports give owners findings they can actually use. Clear, well-communicated risk assessments and recommendations mean that operators, regulators, and community stakeholders can move forward with confidence, knowing the full picture of their facility's safety and performance.
Flood Hazard Assessments & River Engineering
PROTECTION FROM THE UNPREDICTABLE FORCES OF MOVING WATER
From hydraulic modelling and floodplain mapping to scour analysis and river training works, Our hydrotechnical team provides the full spectrum of river engineering services needed to understand, manage, and mitigate flood risk. Our solutions are grounded in the latest analytical tools and tailored to the specific regulatory and environmental conditions of each watershed we work in. As climate change continues to shift precipitation patterns and intensify flood events, we ensure that our assessments and designs account for future hydrological conditions — not just historic ones. By applying climate-change allowances within the applicable regulatory framework, we communicate risk in terms that are meaningful and accessible to the decision-makers, planners, and community leaders who need them most.
Hydrology & Groundwater Management
FROM SOURCE TO SOLUTION, ABOVE AND BELOW GROUND
Understanding groundwater is fundamental to making sound decisions about water supply, land development, and resource extraction. Our groundwater team delivers aquifer characterization, dewatering design, source water assessments, and long-term monitoring programs tailored to the specific needs of municipal, industrial, and resource sector clients. Our work begins with rigorous field investigation and analysis, building a clear picture of subsurface conditions that gives clients the confidence to plan, develop, and operate responsibly. Groundwater questions rarely stop at the water table. They connect to geotechnical stability, environmental compliance, and long-term site management in ways that demand an integrated approach. PRI's multidisciplinary team is uniquely positioned to address these connections — bringing together hydrogeological, geotechnical, and environmental expertise to deliver solutions that are as comprehensive as the challenges they address.
Stormwater Management Plans
SMART SOLUTIONS THAT WORK WITH NATURE
From individual development sites to complex watershed-scale studies, PRI provides stormwater management solutions that balance regulatory compliance, environmental performance, and constructability. Grounded in low-impact development principles and rigorous hydrological modelling, our plans and designs minimize the footprint of development while protecting the health of downstream watercourses and communities. But great stormwater design is only valuable if it can be built and maintained. PRI integrates stormwater planning directly with civil servicing design, ensuring drainage infrastructure fits seamlessly within the broader site servicing strategy — eliminating costly conflicts, simplifying construction, and delivering systems that clients and municipalities can manage effectively for decades to come.
Water Resource Management
SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE SOLUTIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Water is among the most essential and most contested resources in the communities and industries we serve. PRI provides water balance studies, allocation analysis, and source-water planning that give municipalities, First Nations, industrial operators, and agricultural clients a clear picture of their water resources and a sound basis for managing them. Our assessments quantify available supply, characterize current and future demand, and identify risks — providing the foundation for confident, informed water management decisions in the face of growing pressure on shared water resources. We recognize that water resource challenges are rarely purely technical — they involve competing rights, regulatory obligations, Indigenous water interests, and the long-term uncertainty of a changing climate. Our team is experienced in navigating this complexity, working collaboratively with clients and stakeholders to develop source-water plans and allocation strategies that are technically rigorous, regulatory compliant, and practically achievable. Our goal is to help every client secure reliable access to the water they need, today and into the future.