Eric SWEET M.Eng. P.Eng.

Principal Engineer

 

Professional Experience

Eric is a proven project leader with over 25 years of combined heavy civil construction, hydrotechnical water resources, and consulting civil engineering experience. From leading focused project teams of 2 to broad multidisciplinary teams of over 30, Eric has demonstrated successful project execution and delivery of simple projects for fees of $1500 to complex multi-year projects valued at over $100 million.
 
Eric grew up working in an open pit (gravel) mine in Jervis Inlet, BC and for a Contractor in the lower mainland. His roles varied between labour duties, to mobile and stationary equipment operator, to pit production, estimating, survey and quality control. This experience provides Eric with a sound background and practical approach to his engineering consulting practice and problem solving.
 
Eric’s experience includes site drainage, stream diversions, river engineering, embankment dams, mine development and reclamation, gravel pits, heavy civil construction, digital terrain modelling, earthworks design and construction, construction documents, tendering, construction inspection, contract administration, and construction QA/QC. He also has extensive successful experience working with stakeholders and regulators prior to and during the permitting and construction phases.

Select Project Experience


Flood  Mitigation  Works,  Red Deer River,  Drumheller,  Alberta
Lead  design Engineer of Record, for Downtown Dike flood mitigation works on Red Deer River, in the Town of Drumheller, AB.
 
Flood Mitigation Works, Three Sisters Creek, Canmore, Alberta
Lead design engineer of record, for flood mitigation works on Three Sisters Creek, in the Alpine Town of Canmore.
Tar River Embankment Dam and Diversion Works, CNRL, Alberta
Lead hydrotechnical and civil works design Engineer of Record for a large earth fill embankment dam, temporary and permanent river diversion works, as well as a fisheries compensation lake for CNRL's Horizon Mine.

Treat Creek Gravel Mine and Pipeline Road Gravel Pit, Jack Cewe, Jervis Inlet and Coquitlam, BC
Owner’s engineer for two sand and gravel mines on the West Coast. The mines experience large volumes of precipitation (>1800 mm annually) and are located on steep mountain sides. Work involved includes designing and developing grading, closure, and drainage plans, permitting/regulatory support, erosion and sediment control plans, and water treatment advice.

ETI/DD01 Creek Diversion Works, Total E&P Canada, Alberta
Principal hydrotechnical engineer for a creek diversion and hydraulic drop structure design for a 2.5km long diversion channel and 10m elevation change. Design flows were in the order of 4cms. Works included an embankment dam, diversion channel earthworks, and gabion mattress drop structures.
Ghost River Ph1 PMF Flood Protection Works, TransAlta, Alberta
Lead hydrotechnical design engineer for detailed design and construction of extreme flood protection works on the old Ghost River channel. Works included flood protection dikes, riprap bank armouring, and groynes consisting of large (1.8m) diameter riprap.

Ghost River Ph2 PMF Flood Diversion Works, TransAlta, Alberta
Sr. Engineering Supervisor for the design of twin culverts and gate control system required to safely divert extreme flood flows back down the old Ghost River channel and away from the inflow to Lake Minnewanka. 

DD04 Embankment Dams & Diversion Channel, Horizon Mine, CNRL, Alberta 
Lead Design Engineer of record for the detailed design and construction managment of a 9km long diversion channel, including 18 embankment dams and hydraulics drop structures for the safe diversion and conveyance of operational and flood flaws. 

Khahago Creek Diversion Phase 1&2, Shell Canada, Wood Buffalo RM, Alberta
Lead Engineer for study which provided multiple conceptual designs for a major creek diversion to facilitate future mining works on the existing lease. Comparison study took place assessing the costs, benefits, and risks. 
Plant Expansion, Peyto E&D, Brazeau, A.B., 2015
Provided site grading design for gas plant expansion meeting regulatory requirements for controlling releases and managing runoff on site in a safe manner. Provided client with an efficient design that maintained a cut/fill balance to reduce costs on site.
Forestry Road Stream Crossing Design and Inspections, BC Forestry, Vancouver Island District
Project engineer for the inspection, and design of stream crossings and stream crossing improvements, for over 200 stream crossing culverts and bridges.

Joslyn North Mine Contingency Pond & Diversion Works, Wood Buffalo RM, Alberta
Lead Engineer for design of 146,000 m3 emergency storage pond and diversion canal with culvert and control gate. Work included obtaining all regulatory approvals.

Red Clay Creek Diversion System, Teck Resources, Alberta
Engineering Expert for independant review and opining directly to Teck Resources regarding their consultants' design of a $100M-$200M dam, pond, and river diversion system. 

North Saskatchewan River, TransAlta, Keephills, Alberta 
Design Engineer for the river engineering assessment recommendation for bank protection and river training works around the water intake for the Keephills plant.
Education
  • M. Eng., Civil/Hydrotechnical Engineering University of British Columbia, 2000
  • B. A. Sc., University of British Columbia, 1997

Experience
  • Principal, Civil/Hydrotechnical Engineer 2016 - Present SweetTech Engineering Consultants 
  • Principal, Civil/Hydrotechnical Engineer
    SweetCroft Engineering Consultants Ltd. 2009-2016
  • Sr. Civil/Hydrotechnical Engineer, 2001-2009
    Golder Associates Ltd.
  • Director, Engineering Design & Construction Group, 2006-2009
    Golder Associates Ltd.
  • Civil Engineer, 2000-2001
    Bel M K Engineering Ltd.
  • Civil Engineering EIT, 1997-1999
    Chatwin Engineering Ltd.
  • Quality Control/Production Supervisor, 1995
    Jack Cewe Ltd.
  • Construction Surveyor, 1994
    Jack Cewe Ltd.
  • Quality Control, 1993
    Jack Cewe Ltd.
  • Heavy Equipment Operator, 1990 -1992
    Jack Cewe Ltd.

Affiliations
  • Practicing Member, P.Eng., Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA)
  • Practicing Member, P. Eng.Association of Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC)
  • Member, Canadian Dam Association (CDA)
  • Member, Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA)