Jacksonville, Illinois
2015
The Lake Mauvaise Terre watershed is located in Morgan County, Illinois and suffers from excessive sediment and nutrient loading. Northwater Consulting completed a Watershed Implementation Plan that identified over 200 individual agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) throughout the watershed. The City of Jacksonville, Illinois secured an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Section 319 grant to implement BMP recommendations in the watershed. Northwater Consulting was selected by the City to be responsible for BMP surveys, engineering and design as well as all aspects of project management. Water Resources Solutions (WRS) was selected by Northwater Consulting to provide professional engineering review and approval of completed BMP design and to provide comprehensive engineering and design services for other BMPs.
The review and approval services included reviewing and sealing BMP designs completed by a Northwater associate. The BMP reviews included 2 individual sediment basins, 2 riffle systems, 1 grade control structure, 4 grassed waterways, 1 terrace, and up to 30 water and sediment control basin systems.
The comprehensive engineering and design services included the design of agricultural water quality BMPs at six project sights. The project BMPs included gully erosion repair, terraces, wetlands, a livestock waste management system, and a pond. WRS utilized the WinTR-55 modeling program and the SCS Curve Number Method to analyze the stormwater runoff to each of the BMPs and project sites. Runoff hydrographs were calculated for each drainage area using HEC-HMS, and HEC-HMS was also used to model the proposed BMPs. Many of the wetlands used a water control structure to control the water surface elevations with in the wetlands. The livestock waste management system design consisted of a settling basin to allow the solid waste to be easily collected, a vegetated swale to treat the water from the settling basin, and a wetland to further treat the water before entering the stream. The BMPs were designed to meet the NRCS design guidelines, when applicable. A full set of construction plans and specifications was completed for each BMP, as well as a cost estimate and quantities. Construction of the BMPs began in winter of 2015.
Led by an agricultural engineer with a long history of agricultural related water resources project experience, WRS brings an agricultural perspective to the conservation-related projects we undertake, including streambank stabilization design and construction, waterway and terrace design, agricultural waste system design, wetland design and construction, and other water quality and soil conservation study, analysis and designs. Rural WRS projects involve a deep understanding of the importance of agricultural water management to emphasize not only water and habitat conservation, but reasonable productive use of those resources, as well.
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Mayetta, Kansas
2021
The current buffalo herd crossing under N Road between 150th Road and 158th Road on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal land uses an existing road bridge over a second order, un-named tributary to Little Solder Creek. Soil disturbance created by the buffalo crossing the stream channel and by hoof action of the bison has caused or contributed to increased stream bank erosion in numerous locations on each side of the Road, sediment loss, and non-point source pollution, negatively affecting the downstream water quality of the reservation waters.
PBPN requested Water Resources Solutions, along with Wildhorse Riverworks, to design a stable creek crossing for the herd. The goal of the PBPN is to improve water quality in the tributary by reducing soil disturbance created by the buffalo crossing the stream channel, using on-the-ground implementation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency best management practices to control sources of nonpoint source pollution. WRS designed a low-water crossing consisting of a crushed rock/Rock Rip Rap foundation beneath the stream gravel bed, along with rip rap armoring to protect the toe of the stream from further erosion. Engineered rock check dams provided erosion and sediment control during construction. The final project provides full access to the livestock stream crossing, in order to facilitate full use of pastures bordering both sides of the stream while still protecting the water quality of stream.
WRS worked with PBPN to provide support in seeking funding for the project through the U.S. EPA’s Tribal Clean Water Act Section 319 Competitive Grant program.