Newletters, helpful advice and other pearls of wisdom from Earthworks' staff.
As many homebuilders have noticed, there has been an increase in NPDES regulatory inspections across the state of Florida. Whether the regulatory inspections are completed by state, county or municipality, it can be very stressful for site supervisors and others involved with NPDES compliance. In most instances, a regulatory inspector will notify the responsible authority of an upcoming inspection. The advanced notice should be used to ensure that all BMPs onsite, as well as the SWPPP, ar...
by Johnathan Clayton // 2020-08-04
Read MoreChoosing the right Best Management Practice (BMP) for a site is very crucial and can be costly if chosen incorrectly. When deciding what stormwater BMP will work, the field conditions that must be considered includes the following: how much water flow will need to be filtered/slowed/redirected, how long the BMP will be in place for, how much pollutant the BMP could potentially receive and are there any items preventing proper installation. Builders must use their best judgement and gather...
by Brooks Morse // 2020-08-04
Read MoreThe Maricopa County Air Quality Department has the following purpose statement “Working to improve the air of Maricopa County so customers, residents, and visitors can live, work, and play in a healthy environment”. One way to accomplish this is to enforce a strict set of rules that govern specific types pollution and pollution producing activities. One specific pollutant that plagues arid desert areas is particulate matter. So, how much particulate matter, or PM for short is too much and...
by Mark Hubbard // 2020-08-04
Read MoreAs urbanization and development activities continue the number of impervious surfaces increases, leading to a rise in volume and rate of stormwater runoff. With higher amounts of runoff, pollutants are more likely to contaminate water if not properly treated. In the early 1970s, two-thirds of the nation’s lakes, rivers, and coastal waters were unsafe for fishing or swimming, and untreated sewage was dumped into open water (Reilly, 2011). Due to this contamination the 1948 Federal Water Po...
by Haley Daily // 2020-08-04
Read MoreA Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must be developed prior to the start of construction and prior to applying for any National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit in order to receive a NPDES Permit. A well-developed SWPPP is the first line of defense for sediment and erosion control. The first purpose is to “identify potential sources of stormwater pollution on a construction, industrial and/or municipal site.” 1 In order to prevent illicit discharges, yo...
by Matthew Trygg // 2020-08-04
Read MoreSeveral challenges arise when building in an area that has Karst topography. These areas prominently occur in areas where the bedrock has carbonate-rich rocks like Limestone, Dolomite, and Gypsum. These rocks under the right circumstance will dissolve and leave voids beneath the ground surface. A sinkhole occurs when the soils above the void can no longer support their weight. Sinkholes can happen slowly or rapidly. Before constructing in these locations, subsurface soil investigations a...
by Rick Jackson // 2020-08-03
Read MoreTemporary (temp) stabilization is any material or product that can be applied to disturbed ground and stockpiles, for erosion control protection. Temporary stabilization is intended to counteract the erosive influences of rain, snowmelt and wind. Without temp stabilization on disturbed areas, erosion and stormwater runoff are significantly more likely to occur. Erosion and stormwater runoff can lead to sediment build-up. Sediment can carry many pollutants which flow into the streets and e...
by Brian Hartman // 2020-08-03
Read MoreThe main purpose of a dust palliative is to temporarily prevent erosion and provide temporary stabilization for dust. Dust palliatives are often used in the construction industry and can be used in a variety of climates such as the desert here in Arizona. Proper research should be done to determine the correct palliative for your climate. Due to the lack of rain in Arizona, the soil is very dry and often becomes airborne once the material on a construction site is disturbed. County regulators...
by Brooks Morse // 2020-08-03
Read MoreArguably one of the most important Best Management Practices (BMP) on a construction site, whether residential or commercial, is the installation and maintenance of perimeter controls. Perimeter controls may vary depending on the needs of the construction site (ie. Silt fence, fiber logs, hay bales, trackout control device, etc.) Perimeter controls are generally the first temporary BMP to be installed and the last to be removed. It is important to thoroughly inspect perimeter BMP’s to ens...
by Johnathan Clayton // 2020-08-03
Read MoreThis Q1 2020 article will diverge from the normal focus on strictly stormwater information. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic there are many questions and uncertainties as we all look for answers. One recommended social practice now being accepted worldwide is Social Distancing. The following information comes from a New York Times article titled “Wondering about Social Distancing” by Apoorva Mandavilli on 16-MAR-2020. Here in the US our President has now endorsed a voluntary practi...
by Mark Hubbard // 2020-08-03
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