groundwater

August 2, 2016

Survivability of leachate collection pipes depends upon the gravel placed on all sides of the pipe. Proper placement of gravel around the pipe and the granular soil material over the completed pipe/gravel/geotextile burrito is of significant importance in the protection of the leachate collection pipe.

Read the article by Dr. Ali Khatami here.

SCS Advice from the Field is a collection of blogs, articles, and white papers written by SCS professionals like Dr. Khatami. Search “advice from the field” to browse all of the topics.

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Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

July 11, 2016

Sensitive natural resources include but are not limited to the following: Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species and their habitats, wildlife refuges, wetlands, and tribal burial grounds. These are areas where federal or states have identified protected resources. SCS Engineers has the expertise and credentials to perform surveys for clients with projects requiring the identification of these sensitive resources, along with the regulatory permitting with specialization in threatened and endangered species, wetlands, and critical habitats.

Katie pays close attention during the release of a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus).
Katie pays close attention during the release of a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus).

Development and construction often occur near or within areas identified as sensitive natural resources. Responsible developers identify sensitive resources near or within their proposed project area as part of their development plans because protecting our nation’s natural resources is important. The protection of sensitive natural resources is the basis of the Federal Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and National Historical Preservation Act. Projects under consideration in sensitive areas require special permits; without which projects can be shut down causing costly contractor delays and schedule disruptions. Post-permitting and the associated fines can be severe, so even if you are not a conservationist, it makes good sense to complete the permitting process before breaking ground.

Up close and personal with the American Bury Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus).
Up close and personal with the American Bury Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus).

When considering a project in potentially sensitive ecological areas, SCS Engineers recommends a constraint analysis be performed. The analysis will determine if the proposed project location is within wetlands, critical habitat, threatened and endangered species range, and other potential constraints. If it is, SCS recommends that a site assessment is performed and initiate agency consultation to protect the sensitive resources.

Both the permitting process and the preliminary ecological assessments are not difficult but do require credentialed specialists. SCS has geologists, hydrologist, hydro-geologists, and environmental compliance professionals nationwide. SCS Engineers even has credentialed biologists for specialized threatened and endangered species monitoring and assessments for several species that include but not limited to the American Bury Beetle, Arkansas Shiner, Arkansas Darter, Topeka Shiner, Neosho Mucket Mussel, Rabbitfoot Mussel, Northern Longear Bat, and Indiana Bat in the Central U.S.

To determine if a project is within a sensitive natural resource area or to schedule an ecological consultation, contact .

About the Author: Vaughn Weaver

Vaughn_Weaver_SCS_Engineers-smVaughn Weaver has over 20 years of environmental services experience with a strong background in water quality and bio-monitoring and is currently a senior field technician at SCS in our Wichita office. He provides project assistance to a diverse team of environmental professionals made up of geologists, hydrogeologists, engineers, chemists, and biologists. His responsibilities include surveying project sites, mitigation monitoring, well sampling and monitoring, and report writing for clients.

In addition, he has 15 years of water quality experience with National Pollution Discharge and Emissions Systems (NPDES) for point source and non-point source permits. Vaughn is also a Certified Wetland Delineator – USACOE.

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 27, 2016

It’s not just that we like wine and happen to live and work in every wine producing region of the U.S.; SCS Engineers understands the need for clean water resources and how important they are to the wine industry and for agriculture in general. SCS helps wineries face an array of environmental and regulatory challenges including:

  • Energy and natural resources conservation programs. These programs include protecting habitats and species.
  • Water Quality – Stormwater, Wastewater, Groundwater, Well-water and Surface Water;
  • Air Quality – Winery Fermentation and Aging Emissions, including VOCs, Stationary-Traditional Combustion Sources, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
  • Environmental Due Diligence -All Appropriate Inquiries, Phase I’s/Phase II’s, Environmental Compliance Reviews and Audits, Vapor Encroachment and Vapor Intrusion Studies
  • Hazardous Materials – For example in California, the California Unified Program Agency Requirements including Hazardous Materials Business Plans (HMBPs), Spill Control and Countermeasure Plans (SPCCs), and Hazardous Materials Inventories;
  • Sustainable Materials -Recycling, Reuse, and Repurposing of Materials;
  • Waste: Organic, Solid, Hazardous and other Wastes;
  • Geographic Information Services (GIS) -Spatial Databases; GPS Inventories, plots, varietal blocks and soils maps, vineyard development; and
  • Occupational Safety and Health – Facility Health and Safety Plans, Safety and OSHA Compliance Audits, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs.

 

SCS is pleased to announce we are the newest member of WIN, the Wine Industry Network.

SCS is a member in good standing. We help clients in California, Virginia, New York, and across the nation with environmental, packaging, recycling, and energy conservation challenges.
SCS is a member in good standing. We help clients in California, Virginia, New York, and across the nation with environmental, packaging, recycling, and energy conservation challenges.

 

SCS Engineers offers sustainable environmental solutions to businesses with environmental challenges. SCS provides these services to private and public sector clients through a network of nationwide offices. For more information about SCS, please visit our website at www.scsengineers.com, or contact us at .

Posted by Diane Samuels at 9:24 am

June 17, 2016

Jeff Marshall, PE, SCS Engineers will be presenting the topic of Hydrogen Sulfide Issues at CCR and MSW Co-Disposal Sites during the EREF and NWRA sponsored Coal Ash Management Forum in July.

The co-disposal of municipal solid waste and coal combustion residuals – particularly flue gas desulfurization (FGD) material – poses a significant concern regarding the generation of hydrogen sulfide gas.   Hydrogen sulfide has an exceptionally low odor threshold, and can pose serious health concerns at higher concentrations.  This presentation will identify the biological, chemical and physical conditions necessary for FGD decomposition and hydrogen sulfide generation.   Recommendations for reducing the potential for FGD decomposition at co-disposal facilities will be presented.  Technologies for the removal and treatment of hydrogen sulfide from landfill gas will also be addressed.

Jeff Marshall, PE, is a Vice President of SCS Engineers and the Practice Leader for Environmental Services in the Mid-Atlantic region. He also serves as the SCS National Expert for Innovative Technologies. He has a diversified background in environmental engineering and management, with emphasis on the chemical and human health aspects of hazardous materials and wastes. Mr. Marshall’s experience with hydrogen sulfide, odors, sulfate decomposition in landfills, and ash issues includes scores of projects dating back to the 1980s.

contact Jeff Marshall.

SCS Coal Combustion Residual Services

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

May 12, 2016

“Our clients enable SCS to build, grow, and sustain an engineering firm dedicated to solving environmental challenges,” said Jim Walsh, President and CEO of SCS. “We sincerely thank our friends, colleagues and, in particular, our clients for helping us achieve a highly regarded ranking each year.”

Firms are ranked in terms of revenue by Engineering News-Record magazine (ENR), as reported in the May 2, 2016, issue of the “ENR Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook.” SCS has made the Top 500 list since its publication in 2002 and has ranked in the top 100 of that list since 2008.

When sorted by firm type, SCS Engineers is ranked the second largest environmental engineering firm (ENV) and is ranked in the “Top 20 Sewerage and Solid Waste” service firms in the nation. SCS has made this top 20 list since 2002.

Later in the year, ENR will publish additional resources and lists, including the “Top 200 Environmental Firms” issue, typically published in the month of August.

Vision, Mission, Values

Learn more about our latest innovation, SCSeTools

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

May 2, 2016

 

No matter where the real property is located you may need a vapor intrusion pathway screening.

 

If you are buying or selling a property with a history of soil or groundwater contamination in Wisconsin, the state’s Department of Natural Resources requires vapor intrusion pathway screening. The screening is also necessary when buying or selling a property adjacent to a property with soil or groundwater contamination. Is this analysis necessary?

The screening is essential; vapors from contaminated soil or groundwater may transfer to indoor air, causing health risks. The vapors may or may not have an odor. Screen testing and analysis will determine their existence and the level of concentration. Most commonly levels are low, and no additional action is necessary. If beyond the threshold determined safe by your state, some mitigation may be required before purchase.

It is not a simple matter to apply an individual state’s current regulatory guidance to determine the need for vapor intrusion mitigation. The actual intrusion, or expected intrusion in the case of new buildings, is often overstated, and some regulatory agencies use screening values for indoor air chemical concentrations that are at or below levels commonly found in buildings. The slightest error in sampling technique can dramatically affect the resulting data.

SCS offers the full array of vapor intrusion services for residential, commercial, and industrial properties, and for developers, municipalities, lenders, attorneys, industrial facilities, tenants, landlords, and buyers and sellers of real property.

Contact SCS at 1-800-767-4727 or email us at .

Question about  this blog, please email one of the authors  Robert Langdon and Thomas Karwoski.

SCS has offices nationwide to serve our customers. To learn more about vapor mitigation, please visit the SCS website here: https://www.scsengineers.com/services/hazardous-waste-and-superfund/vapor-intrusion-mitigation-systems.

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

March 23, 2016

By Ali Khatami, Ph.D, P.E., SCS Engineers National Expert

Leachate seeping out of a landfill slope can be a major issue during the active life of a landfill, and waste operators undertake significant efforts to control and manage it. Uncontrolled seeps can cause soil erosion on the slope, odor issues, and unpleasant scenery on the landfill slope which is visible to adjacent public roads or properties. Leachate can also travel beyond the liner boundaries into perimeter ditches.

Leachate also can seep below the final cover, and that causes a different set of problems. Leachate seeps below final landfill covers are rarely discussed because of the general consensus that they become inactive after construction of the final cover system. That may be true under certain conditions, but very often, leachate seeps remain active as long as the source of water remains active and continues discharging through the seep locations. Leachate seeps below final covers can potentially:

  • cause gullies to appear below the final cover geomembrane,
  • create pools of leachate under the final cover at the toe of the slope where the cover geomembrane is welded to the bottom liner geomembrane,
  • create a large pool of leachate at the toe of the slope that continues to grow as long as the seep remains active,
  • cause slope stability issues due to excess moisture in the material under the final cover geomembrane at the toe of the slope.

If the final cover geomembrane is not welded to the bottom liner geomembrane, leachate seeping to the toe of the slope can reach the landfill perimeter ditch and contaminate the surface water, or it can percolate into the ground and cause ground water contamination that may be detected in nearby groundwater monitoring wells. Leachate seep also may enter the perimeter berm structure and saturate the berm to the point that the stability of the landfill slope becomes a concern.
If the final cover geomembrane is welded to the bottom liner geomembrane, the only way to address the accumulation of leachate under the cover at the toe of the slope is to open the geomembrane, remove the leachate, and close the geomembrane again. However, this process does not solve the seep problem, which will continue to recur.

SCS has designed various leachate toe drain systems to collect and dispose of leachate that flows below the final cover geomembrane. Leachate toe drains have become a standard feature in the final cover designs for some of our clients who have experienced the benefits of the system.

If you have leachate seep issues at your landfill, please contact SCS. We can develop a design specific to your landfill and the conditions at your facility. We also provide construction recommendations and a preliminary cost estimate for implementation of the system. SCS has extensive experience with the permitting of these systems; we prepare modification applications for permitting purposes and obtain approval from the state regulatory agency. SCS can also prepare the construction plans. We also offer design-build options, employing our SCS Field Services Construction group to construct the system, which often can be a cost-effective way to implement your system.

Khatami-Ali-Tiny-SCS-EngineersQuestions? Contact Ali Khatami, PhD, PE, LEP, CGC, is a Project Director and a Vice President of SCS Engineers. He is also our National Expert for Landfill Design and Construction Quality Assurance. He has nearly 40 years of research and professional experience in mechanical, structural, and civil engineering. Dr. Khatami has acquired extensive experience and knowledge in the areas of geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, hydraulics, construction methods, material science, construction quality assurance (CQA), and stability of earth systems. Dr. Khatami has applied this experience in the siting of numerous landfills and the remediation of hazardous waste contaminated sites.

Additional reading materials.

Landfill Services

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

September 29, 2015

Wyoming water quality rules and regulations
Professionals at SCS Engineers are available to help with questions pertaining to how the rule adoption could impact your business.

The Environmental Quality Council adopted the revised rules at a public hearing in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the final rule was filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State on September 15, 2015.

• Chapter 8, Quality Standards for Wyoming Groundwaters;
• Chapter 13, Class I Hazardous Waste and Non-Hazardous Waste Wells Underground Injection Control Program;
• Chapter 16, Class V Injection Wells and Facilities Underground Injection Control Program;
• Chapter 27, Underground Injection Control Program.

Copies of the Water Quality Rules and Regulations are available electronically on the Wyoming Secretary of State website and professionals at SCS Engineers are available to help you with understanding compliance and your specific questions pertaining to how the rule adoption could impact your business.

Click to read about SCS Engineers.

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

September 9, 2015

The son of an SCS Professional fishes "in his favorite spot" on the North Fork River, Arkansas.
The son of an SCS Professional fishes “in his favorite spot” on the North Fork River, Arkansas.

LOWELL, AR. – SCS Engineers recently announced the opening of a new office in Lowell to better serve clients in Arkansas. The new office is located at:

SCS Engineers
15364 Twin Pines Road
Lowell, AR 72745
Tel: +1-479 713-0341

Kevin E. Hodges, P.E., will run the office, which will focus on environmental and solid waste projects supporting municipal and private sector clients in the state. SCS Engineers uses field-seasoned professional engineers and environmental scientists to design, build and maintain sustainable solutions, reduce risk, and help clients foresee and adapt to environmental, social and regulatory changes.

“We keep SCS moving forward, continually innovating and opening up options for our clients in Arkansas,” stated Kevin Hodges. “We want to deliver the highest quality services to help protect our state’s beautiful environment and keep people in business too.”

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

August 5, 2015

 

Patrick Harms, Environmental Geologist at SCS
Patrick Harms, Environmental Geologist at SCS

SACRAMENTO, CA — SCS Engineers recently hired Patrick Harms as a project professional working out of our Sacramento office. Patrick will manage landfill groundwater and leachate monitoring projects, and perform Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments.

His professional experience includes; groundwater monitoring and remediation at leaking underground storage tank sites in Northern California, as well as groundwater sampling at fuel terminals, ports, and military bases across the state. Patrick has developed proposals and work plans, and participated in remedial excavations and monitoring well installations.

“Patrick’s expertise and skill set are an ideal fit for the SCS Sacramento team,” said Wayne Pearce, SCS Engineers’ Senior Technical Manager. “His knowledge and experience in landfill groundwater and leachate monitoring strengthen our services in Northern California.”

Patrick Harms received his Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of Santa Cruz and a Master’s of Science in Geology from California State University, East Bay.

SCS offers many groundwater solutions and services preventing environmental issues. Please visit the SCS Services page to learn more about how we can help.

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am