Field Inspection & Testing Capabilities Include:

• Compaction & Stabilization of Subgrade Soils, Sub-bases and Aggregate Bases
• Placement Inspection of Reinforcing Steel
• Sampling & Field Testing of Asphalt Concrete (AC) & Portland Cement Concrete (PCC)
• Monitoring & Testing Compaction of AC
• AC & PCC Batch Plant Inspection
• Placement Inspection of Slurry & Chip Seals
• Inspection of High-Strength Bolts & Roof Construction

Lab Testing Services Include:

• Asphalt, Concrete and Masonry Testing
• Soil & Aggregate Index Tests

This expansion allows RCI to provide greater in-house interdisciplinary services to complete your projects, large and small, from start to finish. We can aid in everything from planning and permitting to design, construction management, and testing and inspection.

RCI’s Jeremy Drew has been appointed to the Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Council. Governor Brian Sandoval appointed a total of twelve Nevadans – nine voting and three ex-Officio members – to the Council. The Council will focus on implementing a strategy for precluding the listing of the Greater Sage-grouse on the Endangered Species List.

“Precluding the listing of the Greater Sage-grouse is of utmost importance to our state,” Governor Brian Sandoval said. “I am pleased that each of these twelve Nevadans has agreed to work together to serve our state and ensure the continued survival of the Greater Sage-grouse.”

Created by Executive Order 2012-19, the Council will also be responsible for providing direction on conservation and land management policy and will oversee the work of the newly formed Sagebrush Ecosystem Technical Team, a full-time interagency initiative that will carry out policies set by the Council.

Jeremy Drew will serve on the Council representing sportsmen.

Through Douglas County Redevelopment Agency funding, Sandra Wendel & Associates and Resource Concepts, Inc. have commenced work on the design phase for the Enhancement Plan approved by the Genoa Town Board and the Redevelopment Agency earlier this year.

The design goal is to combine 20th century technology and engineering, and sustainability where practicable, with enhancements that create a historically distinctive Main Street that promotes business, community, tourism and recreation within Carson Valley’s scenic environment. Visions for Genoa that will provide focus for the detailed design effort include:

Supporting History – in order to maintain historic relevance, plans will simplify and eliminate some of the less desirable elements, such as overhead electrical wires and disintegrating asphalt.

Increasing Connectivity – plans to provide integrated walkway design to increase community access and assist town visitors.

Promoting Genoa –Genoa’s pride in their community supported through ‘purposeful design’, providing enhancements that are ordered in a way to create a more unified town center.

Embracing the Surrounding Landscape – Concurrent development for a bike and walking trail to Walley’s, and hiking trails in the Sierra foothills west of town reinforce the strong recreation potential of this small community.

Work on this exciting project will require a coordinated effort between townspeople and town leaders, Genoa’s business community, Douglas County, Nevada Department of Transportation and other stakeholders. The design and approval process was completed through the fall, winter and spring of 2011-2012 and construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2012.

More info: http://www.ktvn.com/story/18732290/changes-ahead-for-nevadas-oldest-settlement

RCI is pleased to announce the start of the Integrated Source Water Protection Program for Carson City and Lyon County NV. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and RCI have completed the contract. The RCI project team includes expertise in environmental management, civil engineering, geology, hydrology, GIS and public outreach. The RCI team will coordinate community technical teams, review or delineate source water protection areas, conduct contaminate source inventories, prepare a GIS database and maps and develop a source water protection strategy for each community. Adoption and implementation of the final Community Source Water Protection Program by each county will enhance protection the public drinking water supply. The project will be complete in 2014.

Lynn Zonge and Joanne Robben completed an intensive three-day California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands and Riparian Areas (CRAM) Riverine Training. The course was held in South Lake Tahoe and taught by Sarah Pearce with the San Francisco Estuary Institute.

The California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) is a standardized, cost-effective tool for assessing the health of wetlands and riparian habitats. CRAM is applicable to all wetland types. It is designed for assessing ambient conditions throughout California. It can also be used to assess the performance of compensatory mitigation projects and restoration projects. For more information on CRAM visit www.cramwetlands.org

The Kirkwood Meadows Power Line Reliability Project proposes the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) power line that would connect the Kirkwood service area to an existing 115 kV transmission line near Salt Springs Reservoir in Amador County. RCI has served as the primary environmental consultant for this project since 2009 and is pleased to announce the publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for this project.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) and Notice of Preparation (NOP) to prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Kirkwood Meadows Power Line Reliability Project were published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2009. The NOI initiated the public scoping for the EIS/EIR document, provided information about the proposed project, and served as an invitation for other federal, state, regional, and local agencies and members of the public to provide comments.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft EIS/EIR was published in the Federal Register on April 1, 2011. In compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, the Draft EIS/EIR was filed with the California State Clearinghouse on May 23, 2011. Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR were mailed to those who expressed an interest in the project during scoping or requested a copy during the comment period. Two public meetings were held to accept public comments and provide clarification on project details. Meetings were held on April 30, 2011 in Kirkwood and on May 3, 2011 in Jackson, California.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR), including maps and the Record of Decision (ROD) is available for viewing or download at http://www.rci-nv.com/reports/kirkwood-eis.

The Van Sickle Bi-State Park celebrates the heritage of Henry Van Sickle, who ran a way station at Lake Tahoe in the 1860s. His grandson, Jack Van Sickle, donated 542 acres of property in 1988 to form the park. Resource Concepts, Inc. was invited to join the design team in 2005 with the responsibility for the site civil engineering for Phase I of the project. Nevada State Parks was the lead project proponent with the California Tahoe Conservancy assisting with project oversight and review.  The lead consulting firm was the Design Workshop.

Due to the project being located in two states in the Lake Tahoe Basin, significant coordination with the numerous regulatory agencies was required.  Permitting of the project required consultation with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board Lahontan Region, the City of South Lake Tahoe, the South Tahoe Public Utility District, the State of Nevada, the State of California, as well as the fire districts in California and Nevada.  Due to the extensive nature of the project, there was also the opportunity for the public to provide comments during the environmental review process.  RCI assisted the Design Workshop in a variety of other services related to the permitting and environmental documentation for the project.

Carson High School

Carson Middle School

Eagle Valley Middle School

Seeliger Elementary School

Rebates being offered by NV Energy allowed the Carson City School District to purchase $11M worth of solar panels for approximately $975,000. This rebate, combined with a low interest loan and the School District being able to offset approximately 90% of its energy usage with solar energy, will allow the School District to save an estimated $400,000 per year on their utility bills. The $975,000 loan will be paid off in less than three years from the utility savings.

The North Valley Water Line, Indian Hills Spur Project reached Substantial Completion on September 12, 2011. The project, designed by RCI, will allow Indian Hills GID to receive water from the Town of Minden as a part of the Douglas County Regional Water System. Previously, Indian Hills GID relied primarily on existing wells to provide water to its residents. However, the main well had levels of arsenic that were above the Environmental Protection Agency’s Arsenic Rule maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion.

RCI analyzed three alternatives including construction of an arsenic treatment plant and two alternative routes from the proposed Douglas County Regional Water System. The most cost effective and environmentally sound alternative was determined to be connection to the Douglas County Regional Water System at Heybourne Road, north of the Douglas County Water Treatment Plant, and construction of a new 18-inch diameter water main to the Indian Hills GID Hobo Water Treatment Plant. By participating in the Douglas County Regional Water System, Indian Hills GID is able to provide its residents with clean drinking water without the expense of construction and maintenance of an arsenic treatment plant. The project was funded by a USDA Rural Utilities Service loan and grant and a grant from the State of Nevada through the AB 198 program.

The project went to bid late in 2010 and in January 2011, the construction contract was awarded to Q&D Construction. Due to the extremely wet winter, the start of construction was delayed until April. Construction was substantially complete as of September 12, 2011 with the final revegetation of the disturbed areas to take place later in October 2011. After receiving approval from the State, Indian Hills GID began taking water from the new system on October 3, 2011.

Resource Concepts, Inc. worked closely with Carson City in the design of the river access park, which was completed in the fall of 2009. The river access park has a boat ramp, parking areas, picnic tables, restroom facility, and ADA walking paths. The park is a part of the Carson River Aquatic Trail system, which begins at the Carson River Park near Silver Saddle Ranch and ends at the new Santa Maria Aquatic Park in Dayton.