Newletters, helpful advice and other pearls of wisdom from Earthworks' staff.
Does your project have a perfect record? Does your site have any corrective actions? Whether your project is designed with on-site retention or directly conveys into an MS4 or water of the U.S. – the SWPPP (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan) should always reflect onsite conditions and notate even the smallest degree of stormwater impacts on your site. Poorly performed inspection activities, including recordkeeping, remain one of the top violations. It is in the best interest of the ...
by Brooks Morse // 2020-08-10
Read MoreAcross the United Stated penalties and fines can be issued by local, state and federal agencies. The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality has the authority to issue administrative or civil penalties that range from $0-25,0000 per violation per day. Citations can cost the owner of a project thousands upon thousands of dollars. Countless violations are issued on a regular basis due to faulty reporting and poor management of the stormwater pollution prevention plan. Investing in a team...
by Haley Daily // 2020-08-10
Read MoreErosion Control Blankets are often utilized, if not required, on construction sites to aid in the stabilization of sloped soils. However, they are often improperly installed. The proper installation of the blankets can usually be found on detail pages located in the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan or SWPPP also a site Sediment and Erosion Control Plan. Several States, like Delaware, also have very detailed plans for the proper installation of Erosion Control Blankets in an Erosion a...
by Rick Jackson // 2020-08-10
Read MoreAs compliance managers in Florida, we inspect sites frequently. With that experience, potentially most common issue noticed in Florida, would be erosion onto streets. Some seem to take a reactive approach to this sediment issue rather than our clients who take a proactive approach. One of the most effective approaches to keeping the streets clear of sediment would be a back-of-curb BMP. There are a few back-of-curb BMP’s that are commonly used during different stages of construction. W...
by Johnathan Clayton // 2020-08-10
Read MoreThere are many variables to the planning and the implementation of a successful Storm Water management plan. One critical piece is the process of the selection and use of temporary erosion and sediment controls. These controls are put in place to prevent or reduce the movement of sediment from a site during the construction process. They may be man-made structures, land management techniques, or natural processes already present on the project. Different control measures will likely be...
by Mark Hubbard // 2020-08-10
Read MoreThese commonly used stormwater collection basins are often confused with one another. Builders in the home development business use the term “retention” for all ponds and basins but never know that most basins in the arid west are actually detention basins. A detention basin is best described as a pond that holds water for a short period of time before it enters a waterway or dissipates. They are often called dry ponds and benefit subdivisions when the land available for construction has ...
by Brooks Morse // 2020-08-10
Read MoreOriginally published in October 2019 in Vol. 2, Issue 3 of Earthworks newsletter. As we are a little over halfway through hurricane season, an important issue that many in the construction profession must be cognizant of is site preparedness before major storms. Major storms such as hurricanes, pose a threat to safety and the integrity of onsite BMP’s. There are several steps that can be taken to ensure that your site as well as your employees are prepared for the storm. With today’...
by Johnathan Clayton // 2020-08-10
Read MoreA drywell is a bored, drilled, or driven shaft or hole with a depth that is greater than its width and that is designed and constructed specifically for the disposal of stormwater (Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 49-331(3)). Since stormwater may flow over a variety surfaces it has the potential to pick up and transport many pollutants. In 1987 Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) established standards for the regulation of new and existing stormwater dry wells. The purpose w...
by Mark Hubbard // 2020-08-10
Read MoreThe Environmental Protection Agency requires every commercial building project to employ certain best management practices (BMPs) to control stormwater and protect water resources. Commercial land development and urban sprawl increase the number of impervious surfaces, such as roofs, paved areas, and sidewalks in the nation’s watersheds, resulting in a greater volume and rate of runoff as well as higher concentrations of pollutants in the runoff. Riser pipes or curb cuts lead surface...
by Don Abresch // 2020-08-10
Read MoreThe intensity of a storm can have a significant impact on soils, causing sediment laden runoff. The greater the intensity, the more sediment that is displaced and carried away in runoff in a shorter amount of time. A longer rain event with the same amount of water will not cause the same displacement as the shorter storm. This is due to several factors. Two of these factors are raindrop to soil impact and inability to infiltrate causing more runoff. With a more intense storm the raindrops...
by Rick Jackson // 2020-08-04
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