Mercedes Valdez, PE

Water Resources Engineer

Although Mercedes is the daughter of two engineers, her career path wasn’t always clear cut. Growing up in New Hampshire, she was active in sports and initially planned to study kinesiology—but her passion for the natural world won out. She majored in civil engineering, and a formative exchange semester at Cal Poly Humboldt deepened her interest in natural systems. Time spent exploring the White Mountains and public lands across the American West further shaped her perspective and steered her toward a career that blends engineering with ecology.

After returning to the Northeast, Mercedes worked for various engineering firms supporting site design and stormwater analyses. She eventually moved into more complex roles and completed analytical studies and modeling for some of the country’s largest hydropower dams, helping to optimize their operations while complying with federal environmental requirements. She flourished at this intersection of hydrology, the natural world, and the built environment. A series of connections brought her to Inter-Fluve, where she works out of our office in Damariscotta, Maine and looks forward to continuing her work with water and the natural landscape. Mercedes lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband and dog, and enjoys hiking and hands-on hobbies like woodworking and needle felting in her spare time.