Kieser & Associates

What Kieser & Associates does

Kieser & Associates, LLC (K&A) is an environmental science and engineering consulting firm headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, founded in 1992 by Mark Kieser. The firm serves government agencies, municipalities, non-profits, and private industry with services spanning environmental engineering and design, lake and watershed management, regulatory compliance, watershed modeling and GIS analysis, and environmental markets consulting. Since 1995, the firm has led assessment and development of market-based incentive programs across 28 U.S. states and internationally in countries including Canada, Peru, Sweden, the EU, Costa Rica, Japan, and China. K&A operates from a single Kalamazoo office with approximately 10 staff plus a bench of senior advisors.

The firm has developed two proprietary products that distinguish it within a niche environmental consulting market. CAPTure™ is a phosphorus removal filter system developed with the Great Lakes Protection Fund, designed to capture soluble phosphorus from agricultural runoff — the form of phosphorus that drives eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. K&A also runs a purple loosestrife biological control program using Galerucella beetles, rearing and distributing thousands of beetles, larvae, and eggs annually to Michigan clients since 2012 under an MDARD restricted-species permit. Supporting these products are service lines in traditional hydrologic and lake modeling (SWAT, SWMM, HSPF, AEM3D), regulatory compliance (NPDES, TMDL, MS4), and emerging stormwater treatment technologies including a novel chloride removal system developed with Western Michigan University.

K&A generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements delivered by a small multidisciplinary team. Go-to-market relies on the principal's reputation, conference presentations, three textbook publications (2006–2015) on water quality trading, and direct outreach to municipalities and conservation organizations. The firm has remained founder-owned and operator-funded since 1992, transitioning from sole proprietorship to LLC in 2004, with no disclosed institutional funding rounds.

Name

Kieser & Associates

Legal name

Kieser & Associates, LLC

Website

https://kieser-associates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kieser & Associates is a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based environmental science and engineering consulting firm serving government agencies, municipalities, NGOs, and private clients with water quality, lake management, regulatory compliance, and proprietary CAPTure™ phosphorus removal and biocontrol products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Advanced/Nutrient Removal (BNR/ENR: N, P) (EUANADAC), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Lake and watershed management
• Water quality engineering
• Phosphorus removal systems
• Watershed hydrologic modeling

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalamazoo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services providing scientific research and environmental consulting to industry, commercial businesses, county/state/federal agencies, municipalities, NGOs, legal counsel, and private clients. Revenue generated through project-based engagements across water resources management, environmental engineering, lake management, regulatory compliance, and environmental markets development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kieser & Associates is an environmental science and engineering consulting firm that provides project-based professional services for water resources management, including lake and watershed management, environmental engineering and design, regulatory compliance, watershed modeling, and environmental markets development. The firm also sells proprietary products including the CAPTure™ phosphorus removal filters for agricultural runoff and Galerucella beetle-based biocontrols for purple loosestrife invasive species management. Services are delivered to government agencies, municipalities, NGOs, agricultural organizations, and private clients across the U.S. and internationally.

Product overview

Kieser & Associates (K&A) is an environmental science and engineering firm offering a portfolio of specialized products and consulting services focused on water quality management. The core products include the CAPTure™ Phosphorus Filters for capturing soluble phosphorus from agricultural runoff, and Purple Loosestrife Biocontrols using Galerucella beetles. These products are supported by service offerings in environmental engineering and restoration design, lake and watershed management, modeling and GIS analysis, regulatory compliance, and environmental markets consulting. The CAPTure system is complemented by stormwater treatment technologies including chloride removal systems. All services are delivered by a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAPTure™: Phosphorus removal system developed by K&A and the Great Lakes Protection Fund to capture soluble phosphorus from agricultural fields. Visit www.captured.eco for more information.

Products and services

• CAPTure™ Phosphorus Filters A proprietary, compact, easy-to-install, cost-effective phosphorus removal system that captures soluble phosphorus from agricultural fields, targeting the soluble phosphorus that drives eutrophication and algal growth in surface waters. Developed by K&A with support from the Great Lakes Protection Fund.
• Purple Loosestrife Biocontrols Biological control product using Galerucella sp. beetles to selectively control purple loosestrife, an aquatic invasive plant species. K&A rears and distributes thousands of beetles, larvae, and eggs to clients (seasonal, Michigan-only) since 2012.
• Environmental Engineering, Restoration, & Design Services Environmental engineering and design services including stormwater permitting, flood mitigation, stream restoration, wastewater management, brownfield redevelopment support, green infrastructure installation, and grant-writing assistance for government agencies, municipalities, and private clients.
• Lake & Watershed Management Services Comprehensive lake management services including ecological assessments via biannual vegetation surveys, invasive species mitigation, Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) monitoring, watershed management, fisheries analysis, and natural shoreline installation for lake associations, municipalities, and conservation clients.
• Modeling, GIS, & Analysis Services Computer modeling services using SWAT, SWMM, HSPF, and AEM3D models to simulate watershed, lake, and site-specific conditions, including GIS analysis and data visualization capabilities for water resource and environmental projects.
• Regulatory Compliance Services Environmental regulatory compliance services including wetland and floodplain delineation, groundwater discharge permitting, dredging feasibility, NPDES permits, MS4s/SWPPPs, Quality Assurance Project Plans, and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assessments for government and private clients.
• Environmental Markets Services Water quality trading program development, ecosystem service market development, market feasibility analysis, economic analyses, pollutant crediting methodology, program performance evaluation, and international water fund program development for government, agricultural, and international clients.
• CAPTure™ Box (Phosphorus CAPTure Box) A scaled-up, deployable phosphorus removal technology unit pitched for at-scale pilot demonstration in the Great Lakes basin to capture soluble phosphorus from agricultural runoff.
• Stormwater Chloride Treatment Technology Novel system for removing chlorides from stormwater using chemical precipitation and kinetic analysis, developed in collaboration with Western Michigan University for municipal and watershed clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Post-alum phosphorus concentrations 95-99% lower than historical levels at Mona Lake
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Green Lake AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2022K&A is working with the Green Lake Association (GLA) to address lake water quality concerns in Green Lake, WI. Partnership involves installation and monitoring of CAPTure™ phosphorus removal system in a detention basin draining approximately 100 acres of agricultural land. Multi-pronged effort to reduce watershed loading and address water quality concerns.
• Forest Trends / USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK&A worked with Forest Trends under a USAID funded project to develop quantification methodologies for conservation practices in Lima, Peru. Goal was to help SEDAPAL decide which natural infrastructure projects to fund in upper catchments of rivers feeding Lima. Developed CUBHIC tools launched by Forest Trends.
• Ecosystem Service Market ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK&A led a national team in 2018-2019 to develop functional protocols for the Ecosystem Service Market Consortium to advance markets incentivizing farmers to improve soil health systems benefiting soil carbon, water quality, and water quantity.
• Mona Lake Watershed CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK&A continues to work with the Mona Lake Watershed Council supervising alum applications to Mona Lake and conducting sampling to analyze impacts. Three early summer applications took place on approximately 150 acres of the lake. Post-application phosphorus concentrations reduced 95-99%.
• Environmental Trading NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Kieser has served as Acting Chair of the Environmental Trading Network since 2001. The Network serves as a clearinghouse for water quality trading program information. Key strategic role in national water quality trading ecosystem.
• Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMDNR engaged K&A for Fort Custer Recreation Area lake enhancement project (2018-2020). Project funded through Natural Resource Damage Assessment, Enbridge compensation for 2010 Kalamazoo River discharges. Addressed three lakes: Eagle Lake, Whitford-Lawler Lake, and Jackson Hole Lake.
• Cocoa CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder GLPF project 'Advancing Systematic and Fundamental Changes in Agricultural Water Resources Management', Dan Klein led Cocoa Corporation's provision of organically-enriched compost product for field testing. Compost restores organic matter to build healthier soils for improved agricultural production and sustainability.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Anchor QEA: Anchor QEA is a mid-sized environmental and water-resources consulting firm offering watershed modeling, sediment/nutrient management, and habitat restoration services. Closely comparable to K&A in boutique scale, science-led positioning, and state/federal government clientele.
• LimnoTech: LimnoTech is a water-resources and environmental engineering consulting firm specializing in watershed/lake modeling, Great Lakes science, and TMDL/regulatory work. Directly comparable to K&A on Great Lakes hydrologic modeling (SWAT/SWMM/HSPF), regulatory compliance, and lake management engagements for government and NGO clients.
• Barr Engineering: Barr Engineering is a mid-sized employee-owned environmental and engineering consulting firm with strong practices in water resources, lake/watershed management, and regulatory compliance in the Upper Midwest. Closely comparable to K&A on geography, services, and boutique-mid positioning.

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: AECOM operates a large global environmental services practice spanning site assessment, water resources, and remediation for federal, state, and municipal clients. Comparable to K&A on services but at much greater scale, serving the same regulatory-compliance buyer set.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is one of the largest global environmental, water, and engineering consulting firms, with deep practices in watershed modeling, NPDES permitting, Superfund, and water quality trading. A broad incumbent whose water-resources practice competes with K&A on government and municipal RFPs at national scale.
• Geosyntec Consultants: Geosyntec is a specialized environmental engineering and science consultancy with practices in water quality, nutrients, modeling, and remediation for industrial and government clients. Comparable services to K&A but with much larger bench and broader geographic reach.
• CDM Smith: CDM Smith is a major global engineering and environmental consulting firm with deep municipal water, stormwater, and environmental compliance practices. Comparable services to K&A on municipal stormwater and wastewater engagements at much larger scale.

Others

• Great Lakes Commission: The Great Lakes Commission is a binational governmental agency coordinating Great Lakes policy, funding, and research. While not a competitor, it is a relevant adjacent actor in the same watershed-protection and Great Lakes funding ecosystem in which K&A competes for project dollars.

Regional players

• Heartland Water Resources Council: Heartland is a Midwest-focused nonprofit advancing watershed conservation and water-quality trading for agricultural nutrients in the Mississippi River basin. Comparable to K&A's agricultural water-quality trading and CAPTure™-adjacent market-development work.
• Conservation Resource Alliance: Conservation Resource Alliance implements watershed restoration and stormwater projects in Michigan, focused on invasive species and habitat work. Comparable to K&A on Great Lakes/Michigan invasive-species and watershed-restoration client overlap but on the NGO implementation side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kieser-&-associates-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kieser & Associates