2014 Jim Beamish Award

KEVIN MCKAGUE, CPESC, P.Eng. is the recipient of the CSBE 2014 Jim Beamish award in recognition of his dedication and contributions in soil and water conservation and environmental engineering spanning 30 years in both the private and public sectors.  He is currently the Rural Water Quality Engineer within the Environmental Management Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s, Food Safety and Environment Division.  

Kevin graduated from the University of Guelph in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering.  Immediately following graduation, he was employed as a soil conservation engineer by the Maitland Valley and Grand River Conservation Authorities.  There he practiced farm extension and on-farm research, encouraging local landowners in their efforts to plan and implement both engineering and agronomic forms of soil conservation practices.  In 1988, Kevin joined the private environmental consulting firm, Ecologistics Limited, where he managed numerous domestic and international soil and water related projects that promoted the sustainable use and protection of our soil and water resources.

In 1999, Kevin accepted employment with  the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) as an applied research specialist and rural water quality engineer.  During this same period, he also undertook graduate work, and received a Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Guelph in 2003.  He has authored or co-authored a range of peer-reviewed papers pertaining to his research related to model use in assessing BMP effectiveness in improving soil and water quality.

Still with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Kevin continues to advise and work on a wide range of soil and water conservation issues.  He has been a long-time member of the NMAN development team, a software tool that helps producers manage their manure and fertilizer nutrients.  Recently, he led the adaptation of the USDA’s RUSLE2 (Revised Soil Loss Equation) soil loss prediction tool for use in the Ontario setting.  He also led in the development of OMAFRA’s Agricultural Erosion Control Structures design software (AgErosion).  This product encourages land improvement contractors to follow standardized designs for common agricultural erosion control structures built in the province.

Outside of work, Kevin has volunteered on a variety of projects and awareness events through Water Ambassadors Canada to help bring clean drinking water to rural communities in Central America.

Kevin is a long time member of CSBE/ASABE, a registered Professional Engineer, a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control, and member of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.  He has made an outstanding contribution in developing and promoting sound environmental practices in agricultural production, and is a worthy recipient for the 2014 CSBE Jim Beamish Award in soil and water.