Home Blog
While still a relatively new technology, custom generative artificial intelligence (AI) is now being explored for developing stormwater and other compliance documents, or at least acting as an assistive tool. Consider an AI model trained in all current state-specific construction general permits and consider what prompts, or questions, might be asked to generate the necessary documents. Now, let’s take...
The continental United States hosts a diverse array of bat species vital to our ecosystems. However, several bat species are facing significant threats, including disease, habitat loss and human disturbance. Special attention has been given to cave-dwelling species impacted by white-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease. This article explains the protections in place for federally listed bats in the...
The Hanalei River is an active recreation river that spans nearly 16 miles (26 km) through the island of Kauai, Hawaii, United States. The river’s base begins along Mount Waialeale, where it is engulfed by 450 inches (11.4 m) of rain annually. It eventually drains its 23-mile2 (59.5-km2) watershed into the Pacific Ocean at Hanalei Bay. With daily rains,...
Erosion and sediment control (E&SC) practices are critical for construction stormwater management and downstream pollution mitigation. There is much debate in our industry about what E&SCs should be considered “best” management practices (BMPs). Education and outreach are a key component of federal, state and municipal permitting. To better communicate and demonstrate best practices, hands-on training events are used to...
Problem: A Deteriorating Parking Lot Creates ChallengesParishioners and maintenance staff of a church north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, faced ongoing difficulties with an adjacent gravel parking lot spanning approximately 1,764 m2 (2,110 yards2). Over time, the lot had deteriorated significantly due to constant vehicle traffic, leading to numerous ruts (Figure 1), dust during dry seasons and mud during wet...
The success of the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT’s) Construction Stormwater Management program in Alabama, USA, started as many facets of life do: with failure. At the time, construction philosophy was to get the job done as fast as possible and as cheap as possible. In the mid-2000s, the Department contracted a state route relocation project including grade, drain,...
Stormwater management is a critical component of environmental protection, especially in areas affected by construction and infrastructure development. U.S. state departments of transportation (DOTs) have implemented best management practices (BMPs) and post-construction stormwater control measures (SCMs) to minimize the environmental impact of stormwater runoff. Inspecting these practices requires a large amount of manual labor; however, unmanned aerial systems (UAS)...
The Challies Island Bridge project by Matt Taylor, Operations Manager at Taylors Contracting in Nelson, New Zealand, involved the construction of a 30 m (98.5 foot) moveable bridge across the Waimea River at Challies Island in the Tasman District near Nelson (Figure 1).
The bridge allows 80 t (88.1 ton) laden, rigid dump trucks to cross the river and transport...
It often takes a long time and a lot of data to begin to understand what is affecting water quality on a site or in a watershed. A recent study in the mountains of North Carolina, USA, used volunteers to obtain water samples over several years to estimate sediment loading to a 6,200 ac (2,509 ha) reservoir.1 The two...
I am writing this on the ninth day of the extreme fire events in Southern California, USA. We are in the bulls-eye of the wind and fire zone with our bags and cars packed, in case we are told to evacuate. The wind is howling, and we are all as prepared as wecan be.
Natural disasters like wildfires, storms and...
