Brandon Ellefson: Meet Our Experts

Taking the long view 

In recognition of United for Infrastructure’s 13th annual Infrastructure Week, we talk with Brandon Ellefson about how engineers and communities can work together to understand challenges and create a more resilient future. 

Quick Facts

• Title: Modeling & Analysis Group Manager, Environmental & Water Resources Group
• Years in the Industry: 15

From lakes to leadership: Combining passion and expertise to solve communities’ water challenges  

Growing up near Madison, Wisconsin, Brandon Ellefson loved spending vacations boating and water skiing on the state’s small inland lakes. His appreciation for the outdoors, and water in particular, only grew when he was at Michigan Tech, just a few miles from beautiful Lake Superior. While Brandon’s original career plan was to become a computer engineer, he soon realized he could combine his passion for water with a knack for technology by creating computer models that help solve communities’ water problems. 

Brandon has that opportunity at OHM Advisors. As a member of the Environmental & Water Resources Group, he manages both people and projects, leading the Modeling & Analysis team and working alongside professionals with a range of specialties to serve communities in the Midwest and beyond.

This week is Infrastructure Week, which raises awareness about the importance of infrastructure and advocates for improvements. What are some of the major challenges you see in your infrastructure projects? 

Many communities have infrastructure that is near or past the end of its usable life, sometimes dating back more than 100 years. Underground systems were designed for a different era, with a typical lifespan of about 70 years. These systems now face challenges from community growth, increased impermeable surfaces, and more frequent, intense storms. Michigan, in particular, faces a unique challenge with stormwater infrastructure. Unlike drinking water and wastewater systems, very few communities have dedicated utility funding sources for stormwater improvements. Many communities rely on state or federal grants to pay for improvements. As systems continue to age, funding for upgrades and improvements is a critical concern.

Tell us about a recent project you’ve worked on that illustrates these challenges. 

Ypsilanti Township’s West Willow neighborhood comes to mind. In 2023, a massive, 500-year storm event caused flooding and sewer backups in streets and homes in a relatively underprivileged portion of Ypsilanti that had been underserved for decades. Listening to residents’ gut-wrenching stories further fueled my drive to help make things right for this neighborhood. We studied the underlying causes and potential solutions—critical steps to making the community more resilient and improving residents’ quality of life. 

We studied the underlying causes and potential solutions—critical steps to making the community more resilient and improving residents’ quality of life.

What do you think is required to create those solutions? What does success look like during that process? 

Progress calls for local leaders, community members, and engineering professionals to truly work together to overcome infrastructure challenges. Political support is needed to secure funding, and community engagement helps gain a true understanding of the issues, which informs the engineering solutions. OHM Advisors is experiencing this in Dearborn, Michigan, where flooding has impacted thousands of homes. Through a commitment from the Mayor, support from the City’s engineering team, and input from the public during listening sessions, we’re able to uncover root problems so we can design the most effective solutions. 

Progress calls for local leaders, community members, and engineering professionals to truly work together to overcome infrastructure challenges. 

What other advice do you have for communities as it relates to managing and upgrading their infrastructure? 

First, as our world changes and evolves, it’s critical to be proactive and think about the future of our communities. When cities grow, it gets harder to replace underground infrastructure. So, if you’re replacing sewer pipes, could you also update the drinking water and stormwater infrastructure? Looking toward the future also means considering the increasing severity and frequency of storms and how predicted increases could impact the life cycle and capacity of your community’s systems. 

Second, consider taking a broader view of your community’s assets. Many communities do infrastructure Asset Management Planning (AMP)—taking inventory of the components of their water and wastewater systems so they can plan for updates in the coming decades. We are now starting to see communities expand their AMP beyond hard infrastructure to include park components, like greenspace and trees. By tracking these resources, communities can better understand and enhance their approach to stormwater management and other community needs. 

As a team leader of the Modeling & Analysis team, what behavior do you model for your colleagues (pun intended!)?

I try to demonstrate and encourage creativity and innovative thinking, because ideas that seem out of reach today might be achievable in a few years. Ten years ago, if you wanted to develop a digital tool for a client, it would involve learning how to program and code. Today, we can set up customized visualization dashboards using existing products, giving clients dynamic tools rather than static reports. 

What other exciting new developments are you seeing that are positively impacting infrastructure improvements?

There’s no replacement for a good engineer, but advancements in modeling technology and support tools have enhanced the process. Visualization tools that incorporate surveying data can help communities better understand water flow and determine infrastructure needs, and software applications can simulate thousands of scenarios instead of one to find optimal solutions. 

You mentioned spending a lot of time on the water when you were a kid. Do you still waterski as an adult? 

Yes! My dad and his brothers slalom skied until they were 70, and they always said it was their lifetime sport. I’m aiming to beat their record by slalom waterski