Storm Water

Resource Concepts, Inc. has extensive experience in a variety of stormwater projects. We provide complete designs and drainage reports for storm drain and erosion control improvements including the installation of curb and gutter, pretreatment vaults, retaining walls, rock-lined channels, and the revegetation of unstable slopes. RCI also completes environmental permitting, including Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) and Stormwater Management Plans (SWMPs). RCI provides construction surveying, and construction management services for proposed projects.

Some examples of recent projects are described in the following paragraphs:

Kingsbury General Improvement District / Lower Kingsbury Erosion Control

Kingsbury General Improvement District (KGID) contracted with RCI to evaluate drainage and erosion control problems in Lower Kingsbury residential areas. Because the project encompassed both the Burke Creek and Edgewood Creek tributary areas, the entire watershed within the District was reviewed as a whole by the RCI team. The project required coordination with KGID staff, property owners, NDEP, and the USFS. A team consisting of a vegetation specialist, an engineer, and a hydrologist conducted the site assessment. Existing survey data was reviewed and additional surveys were conducted as necessary to create field base maps. These maps were used to conduct a detailed site assessment that identified all of the sites for proposed erosion control treatments. The approach taken by the team allowed for a comprehensive study of the watershed needs in order to provide an improved system for drainage and erosion control. The watersheds above the project areas were also analyzed for various design storm runoff events, as well as localized sub-watersheds within the project area to size new facilities. The design included new curb and gutter for most of the area, storm drain system improvements, open land infiltration design, retaining wall construction, and revegetation of eroded slopes with typical native seed mixes.

Heavenly Ski Resort Water Quality Improvements – Stateline, Nevada

Resource Concepts has provided extensive design and construction supervision for stormwater improvement projects at the Heavenly Ski Resort. The primary project objective is to achieve the storm water discharge standards for the construction of new facilities within the Tahoe Basin via upgrading existing storm water facilities.

RCI designed extensive stormwater improvements for Heavenly Ski Resort’s Boulder and California lodges. The Boulder Lodge has approximately 10 acres of paved parking located partially in a stream environment zone (SEZ). Edgewood Creek flows beneath the parking area through a large culvert. The project was constructed from 2003 through 2005 as a three-year phased project. Design features and concepts included:

  • Designing special snow storage areas with equipment access ramps for performing annual maintenance
  • Modifying the existing storm drain systems to intercept and route parking lot runoff to a new 50,000-gallon pretreatment vault prior to discharge to Edgewood Creek
  • Construction of a new bypass storm drain and channel to route Tahoe Village runoff through the parking lot rather than into the parking lot storm water collection system
  • Minor reshaping of the parking lot paving to ensure routing of parking lot runoff to new drop inlets
  • Minor modifications to existing utilities related to the installation of new storm drains
  • Construction of a new dumpster enclosure with a direct connection to the sewer system

The California Main Lodge has approximately 14 acres of paved parking located partially in a SEZ.  The old storm drain system, installed in 1989, included 4,000 to 20,000 gallon sedimentation vaults and a restored wetland to treat runoff.  RCI design a BMP retrofit for this existing system including:

  • Re-routing the collection system to separate parking lot runoff and up-gradient clean water flows
  • Parking lot runoff that receives pre-treatment in existing sediment vaults are routed to a series of new treatment units using cartridge technology for nutrient removal
  • Enhancement of the snow storage areas to reduce sediment transport and improve snowmelt water quality
  • Installation of automated sampling for the completed system

Due to the implementation of RCI designs and concepts, Heavenly Ski Resort received an erosion control award from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency for the installation of their comprehensive stormwater treatment system and receiving wetland for stormwater runoff from the lodge and parking lot.

RCI continues to assist the Heavenly Mountain Resort with project related permit applications and supporting information for multiple agencies including: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Lahontan Regional Quality Control Board, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Army Corps of Engineers, US Forest Service, City of South Lake Tahoe, as well as El Dorado and Douglas Counties.

Eagle Valley Creek Flood Control Project

Following the flood in January of 1997, Carson City retained RCI to assist with flood impact analysis on three west side watersheds in Carson City. Ultimately, RCI prepared engineering plans and design specifications for all three watersheds. The Eagle Valley Creek Flood Control Project was unique in that stream flow in Eagle Creek flows to the valley floor well into the summer months and continues to flow in the higher elevations throughout the year. Analysis of the watershed included determination of alternatives to stabilize steep eroded banks along the stream corridor, analysis of alternatives to contain flood flows within a proposed man-made flood plain with a contoured flood containment berm (and foot path), wetlands delineation, cultural resources inventory, property ownerships, and land acquisition determination. Design elements included the designs for wetland creation, a ‘100-year’ storm water storage basin with a controlled maximum discharge, so as to limit impacts on downstream storm drain systems and extension of storm drain systems to the basin site. This project is currently under construction.