Water Quality Improvements
Resource Concepts, Inc. has extensive experience in a variety of water quality improvement projects. We provide complete designs for best management practices (BMPs) and erosion control. RCI also provides environmental permitting, construction surveying, and construction management services for projects.
Some examples of recent projects are described in the following paragraphs:
Lower Kingsbury Erosion Control Project / Kingsbury General Improvement District
RCI coordinated with the Kingsbury General Improvement District (KGID) staff, property owners, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), Nevada State Lands, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), and the US Forest Service for this project. Existing survey data was reviewed and additional surveys were conducted as necessary, to create base maps. These maps were used to conduct detailed site assessments that identified all of the proposed sites for erosion control treatments including proposed drainage improvements, such as curbing, storm drains, and water quality treatment structures. A team consisting of a vegetation specialist, an engineer, and a hydrologist conducted the site assessments. The watersheds above the project areas were analyzed for various design storm runoff events, as well as localized sub-watersheds within the project area to size the new facilities. Bioengineered slope stabilization treatments were utilized wherever possible, in lieu of hard engineered structures.
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. Recently, RCI has designed upgrades to Heavenly’s existing storm water facilities to meet the storm water discharge standards for new facilities within the Tahoe Basin.
RCI designed extensive stormwater improvements for Heavenly’s Boulder and California lodges. The Boulder Lodge has 10 acres of paved parking located partially over Edgewood Creek, a stream environment zone (SEZ). Design features and concepts included:
- Special snow storage areas with equipment access ramps for performing annual maintenance.
- Modifications to 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.
- 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.
- Reshaping the parking lot paving to ensure routing of parking lot runoff to the new drop inlets.
- Modifications to existing utilities related to the installation of new storm drains.
- A new dumpster enclosure with a direct connection to the sewer system.
The California Main Lodge includes 14 acres of paved parking located partially in a SEZ. RCI retrofitted the existing storm drain system to include:
- A collection system re-routes water to separate parking lot runoff and up-gradient clean water flows.
- Parking lot runoff re-route from pre-treatment in existing sediment vaults to a series of new treatment units using cartridge technology for nutrient removal.
- Snow storage area enhancement to reduce sediment transport and improve snowmelt water quality.
- Automated water quality sampling for the completed system.
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.