Engineering firms recently announced the following acquisitions, expansions, and new offices:

International engineering and project management company AMEC acquired Hydrosphere Resource Consultants, Inc., for $2.9 million. Hydrosphere, founded in 1983, is a 27-person water resources planning and management company headquartered in Boulder, Colo., with a satellite office in Socorro, N.M. Hydrosphere’s expertise includes river and aquifer systems modeling, management and optimization of the yields of raw water supplies, water rights litigation and administration, negotiation and administration of water supply agreements, modification of water supply management systems to accommodate climate change, and environmental permitting. According to AMEC, this is complementary to AMEC’s water resources expertise, which is focused on urban stormwater management, floodplain management, watershed sciences, and wastewater infrastructure.

Clough Harbour & Associates LLP (CHA), a full-service engineering firm, acquired Isbell Engineering Group (IEG) of Fort Worth, Texas, a multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm. The acquisition adds 85 staff and three offices in the Dallas-Forth Worth area to CHA, bringing the firm’s total number of offices to 29 with a staff of more than 725. The deal also extends CHA’s national reach and creates a firm with combined 2006 revenues of more than $118 million. Services now offered include civil, structural, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical, transportation and environmental engineering; survey; landscape architecture; technology solutions; planning; and construction services.

Civiltech Engineering, Inc., attained prequalification with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in two categories: Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Highway Structures: Advanced Typical. IDOT prequalified Mary L. Young, P.E., PTOE, Civiltech’s Phase I department head, as an environmental lead at the EIS level, the highest level of environmental prequalification awarded by IDOT. Civiltech’s prequalification to design structures in the Advanced Typical level includes multiple-span bridges in seismic category B, single-span bridges in seismic category C, simple curved or flared structures, and tall retaining walls requiring advanced analysis or non-standard support requirements.

HDR acquired PHAROS Corporation, a real estate and right-of-way consulting firm based in Edmonds, Wash. PHAROS, which will conduct business as HDR/PHAROS, employs 70 professionals and provides real estate and right-of-way services for highways, transit, railroad, airport, and utility projects throughout the United States. With offices in Washington, Texas, and Oklahoma, the company says it has expanded using a business model of local employees who are sensitive to community issues and skilled in project management, planning, negotiations, relocations, and data management. Clients include BNSF Railway Company, state departments of transportation, Port of Seattle, Sound Transit, and Puget Sound Energy.

Atwell-Hicks opened a new office in Nashville, Tenn., because of increasing project activity in Nashville during the last two years and the need for land development expertise in the market as it continues to grow. Led by Operations Leader Matthew Bryant, the new office is staffed by a full-service team of 12 employees, providing land planning, urban design, civil engineering, surveying, environmental, and natural resource services to the region. Atwell-Hicks says its Tennessee location, in addition to its existing office in Tampa, Fla., strengthens the firm’s capabilities throughout the Southeastern United States.

Inwood Consulting Engineers, Inc., broke ground for a new $7.8 million corporate office building, located in Winter Springs, Fla. The 30,000-square-foot facility is due for completion in July 2008. It will have the capacity to house approximately 130 employees and the capability to expand to 45,000 square feet in the future. Aside from expanding the civil, environmental, transportation and public involvement services the firm already provides, Inwood plans to launch construction management, environmental sciences and planning divisions. The new facility features automated lighting, heating, and air conditioning; security system; wireless network; converged data and voice network; a video network with flat panel plasma televisions throughout the building; and an expanded video production office to include a green screen and sound booth for recording voice-overs.

Black & Veatch opened a new office in Edmonton, Alberta, to extend the company’s reach into Canada. The company says it is in the process of growing the capabilities of its Edmonton office by supplementing the company’s expertise through local professionals and resources. The Edmonton office’s market focus will be on the energy and water industries, including power generation, process facilities, and water infrastructure projects.

Mead & Hunt opened its 17th office and added a new team leader. Nicholas J. Pela leads the new Phoenix area office, where initially services will be focused on the aviation industry. Pela has more than 35 years of experience in airport planning and design with more than 25 years of experience in the Southwest market. He has project experience in a dozen states at more than 50 airports and will continue to support aviation clients’ needs while he pursues new work and grows the new office.

Oakland, Calif.-based V&A Consulting Engineers has established the Civil Infrastructure Assessment Group (CIAG), a team of specialist firms offering state-of-the-art capabilities for investigation and assessment of large-diameter wastewater pipelines. Member firms include V&A, Brenford Environmental Services (Pearland, Texas), National Plant Services Inc. (Long Beach, Calif.), the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company Ltd. (Mississauga, Ontario), and RedZone Robotics (Pittsburgh, Pa.). The group’s goal is to help clients achieve meaningful asset management by offering a single, flexible, rapid-response source for many of the best available technologies.