Aspect's Bodie McCosby Presenting at AEG's Chapter Meeting

Staff Geologist J. Bodie McCosby, GIT, will give a technical presentation at the Puget Sound Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG) Chapter meeting in Seattle on Thursday, October 27.

Looking across Eightmile Lake as the drilling crew sets up for geotechnical explorations.

Bodie’s talk, “Eightmile Lake Restoration Project - Characterization of a Landslide Dam,” chronicles his and Aspect’s ongoing geologic and seismic studies to modernize the dam infrastructure at the remote Eightmile Lake dam, which was built on an ancient landslide in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area of the Cascades.

The meeting is at 6pm at Art Marble 21 in South Lake Union, with an online attendance option available.

A New Perspective for Conservation Districts in Washington State

On a recent Sunday near Moses Lake, drones soared over Rocky Fork Creek, one of the few riparian habitats in the Columbia Basin area and home to a variety of native animal and fish species. The drones, taking pictures of the meandering waters below, were being guided by members of conservation districts around the state. The districts are seeking to add drones to their data collection tool kit for a variety of uses—from collecting eye-catching footage to share with project stakeholders and the community, to collecting multispectral and thermal imagery over farms to support irrigation efficiency efforts. Aspect Project Geologist Kelsey Mach, LG, is teaching them how to do it.

Kelsey is a licensed FAA Part 107 drone pilot and an adjunct professor at Big Bend Community College (BBCC) in Moses Lake for their Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Certification Program. BBCC recently partnered with the Columbia Basin Conservation District (CBCD) to put on a week-long hybrid virtual/in-person class to help conservation district employees get prepared to take their Part 107 drone license exam, learn some drone basics, and get resources for starting and maintaining a drone program.

Representatives from several Washington State conservation districts took part in the class, including employees from the Grays Harbor, Pacific, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, Snohomish, Columbia Basin, and Cascadia conservation districts, the Executive Director of the Washington Association of Conservation Districts, and the North Central and Northeast regional manager for the Washington State Conservation Commission.

Aspect's Mark Swank and Bodie McCosby Presenting at AEG's Annual Meeting

Aspect’s Infrastructure team will be at the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG) 65th Annual Meeting this month in Las Vegas. Associate Engineering Geologist Mark Swank, CEG, LEG, and Staff Geologist J. Bodie McCosby, GIT, will present as part of the Dams and Levees Technical Symposium on Thursday, September 15.

Bodie’s talk, “Eightmile Lake Restoration Project - Characterization of a Landslide Dam,” chronicles his and Aspect’s ongoing geologic and seismic studies to modernize the dam infrastructure at the remote Eightmile Lake dam, which was built on an ancient landslide in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area of the Cascades.

Drill rig at the remote Eightmile Lake site

Mark’s presentation, “River’s Edge – The Story of a Levee Setback and Restoration Project,” is on Aspect’s recent project for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to build a new levee setback and restore natural river processes along the Lower Dungeness River near Sequim. Earlier this year, the River’s Edge Levee Setback Project won in the Geotechnical category of the Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Awards.

Aerial view of the new levee setback – photo courtesy of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

Mark will also moderate the “Wild Problems, Unique Solutions, and Lessons Learned” panel on Friday, September 16.

Data Teams as Gatekeepers to Unlock Brownfield Cleanups

Environmental data teams methodically confirm cleanup levels and visualize the 'cleanup finish line' with the regulatory criteria and client end goals

What is the measure of ‘clean’ at brownfield sites? Before any digging of contaminated dirt or treatment of contaminated groundwater, there is much upfront work by regulators and project teams – chemists, data analysts, geologists, engineers, and more – to determine the appropriate cleanup levels to use for a given site. The cleanup levels are the north star that every brownfield cleanup team steers by.

To Succeed, Be Sure What ‘Clean’ Looks Like

Aspect’s environmental data team regularly keeps the finger on the pulse of regulatory databases and uses tools – such as the open-source programming language R – to streamline brownfield cleanup projects.

Using R to automate screening level updates allows project teams to:

  • Make changes quickly and confidently

  • Minimize the risk of errors and omissions

  • Provide much-improved process transparency

  • Streamline communications across the project team

Keeping up on the best available science gives project managers greater assurance that their sites are being appropriately measured against regulatory criteria, providing a smoother path forward in the management and remediation of contaminated sites.

A Peek into Regulatory Data World with CLARC

CLARC is the Washington State Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Cleanup Levels and Risk Calculation spreadsheet that is the basis for calculating cleanup levels under Ecology’s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). MTCA is Washington state’s cleanup rule which governs over 13,000+ known or suspected contaminated sites. CLARC is a key measure of what defines success at these cleanup projects and a living document that is maintained and updated by Ecology, as needed, with major updates every six months to align with changes to state and federal regulatory (e.g., US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) criteria.

Aspect engineer evaluating a vapor intrusion system at Art Brass Plating – a South Seattle cleanup site. The measure of success for these systems — and projects — rely on knowing the correct and up-to-date cleanup level criteria

The data tables in CLARC provide the various input parameters used to calculate screening levels for a huge array of chemicals in soil, groundwater, surface water, soil gas, and air—as well as the resulting calculated cleanup level values themselves. The calculated values are routinely used by remediation project managers to screen analytical results (from samples collected in the field) against federal, state, or other regulatory thresholds.

What is R and How Does it Accurately Automate Away Manual Data Entry?

R is an open-source software environment used for statistical computing and graphics. Recently, Aspect’s data team wrote a package of R code to use CLARC’s input parameters to calculate a suite of specific screening levels. The same code can be run any time the input values in CLARC are updated, generating quality assurance tables to alert Aspect’s data team of potential issues, and providing summary tables for Aspect project managers to review cleanup level changes and consider their potential impact to their various environmental sites.

Various input parameters, including regulatory requirements, chemistry, site use, human safety and environmental quality are entered into our custom R tool to make and maintain a reliable, reproducible metric set for project success

Since there are usually screening levels for hundreds of different analytes at remediation cleanups  – e.g., petroleum and diesel, arsenic, tetrachloroethylene and more – when the CLARC database is updated by the regulator, it can be difficult to see if there have been any changes and which analytes may have been affected.

Aspect uses the industry standard EQuiS environmental data management system. The R tool helps us better use EQuIS to manage and screen environmental data against cleanup levels. Before using R, preparing CLARC-based screening and cleanup levels for upload to EQuIS required tedious data wrangling in Excel and institutional knowledge of what analytes should be compared to which screening levels. With R, the process involves little more than a click of a button

Data Problem Solving that Makes Remediation Easier

R simplifying the complexity of the brownfield cleanup level process

Brownfield remediation cleanups require imagining a range of scenarios for the future use of a ‘clean’ property. Will the site be used for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes? What pollutants are present and where? It all starts with the cleanup level criteria.

Overall, this work by Aspect’s data team – who are meticulous at knowing the state-of-the-science regulatory criteria – ensures Aspect’s project teams have the correct screening or cleanup levels based on the most current toxicity guidance, which helps avoid rework later on in the process and saves time and money for the client.

2040 Temperature Check on One of North America’s Biggest Watersheds

More water earlier and less snow – the Columbia River Basin’s water health was recently forecast into 2040 as the result of a two-year study across the Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington State University, University of Utah, State of Washington Water Research Center, and Aspect Consulting in the 2021 Long-Term Water Supply & Demand Forecast.

Photo Credit: Robyn Pepin, Aspect Consulting. Columbia River near Entiat

This mammoth water evaluation project – done every five years since 2006 – looks across the Columbia River Basin, which includes 34 eastern Washington watersheds. Hydrological modeling, economic modeling, regulatory context, remote sensing, surface water and groundwater monitoring and more all are studied to predict the future of water for agriculture, population growth, and instream flow health under a changing climate in this critical basin.

Forecast Insights for the 4th Largest Watershed in North America

Image Source: 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-term Water Supply and Demand Forecast

The Columbia River Basin is the 4th largest watershed in North America, running down from headwaters in Canada and mainly into four states – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Some notable details and insights from the recent forecast include:

  • Wet months getting 15% more water and dry months getting 28% less water

  • Earlier planting dates and more heat stress during the hot months

  • 17% higher population growth across Washington state leading to increases in demand for residential water and hydroelectric power

  • Trends in groundwater levels across the last 20 years were predominantly declining across the basin. The steepest declining trends correspond with the most heavily pumped layers and areas such as the Grand Ronde aquifer in the Odessa Sub Area and the Wanapum aquifer in parts of the Yakima Basin and Horse Heaven Hills.

Expected changes that will influence future water supplies and demands. These expected trends inform the scenarios explored in the 2021 Forecast.

Graphic Source: 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-term Water Supply and Demand Forecast

A 2040 Water Crystal Ball: Water Retiming Means More Water Earlier

Among the many takeaways in this report is the impact of climate change on water cycles. Chief among those is the prediction that peak surface flows – that feed the historically typical April – October agricultural season – will begin earlier, thus leaving less water available later in the summer when demand for that water is higher. Snowpack – the Pacific Northwest’s natural water reservoirs – will likely melt earlier because of warmer temperatures.

This ripple effect will influence agriculture starting earlier in the growing lifecycle; instream flow challenges with higher temps for fish habitat; and populations in arid regions will likely be incrementally more dependent on groundwater to serve future water supply. Declining groundwater trends mean that alternative water supplies may not be available in some areas so additional solutions are needed.

Time (in years) until the average available saturated thickness has declined by 25% in at least one aquifer layer in each groundwater subarea.

Image Source: 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-term Water Supply and Demand Forecast

State-of-the-Science Research

Aspect teamed with the project team and the scope of the science and monitoring over the last two years is impressive. A team of scientists and engineers looked at remote sensing and telemetry data across eastern Washington; climate change forecasts; population growth projections; well logs; and water rights. Some of the months-long study details of that include:

  • Integrated hydrological, river operations, crop production, and municipal, domestic and industrial water demand modeling in 34 watersheds under 34 potential climate change scenarios

  • Groundwater level trend analysis on 670+ wells

  • Automated well log review of over 4,000+ well logs

  • Manual well log review of 300+ well logs

Learn more also at WA Ecology’s project StoryMap here.

Peer Praise: Staff Shoutouts and Celebrations

We all work with a team. Our project and client and career successes rely on each other. Here are some stories where we put a spotlight on our peers that help us shine, as told by their colleagues. There are so many great tales like this and we’ll keep telling them in this ongoing series.

Daniel Babcock, Project Geologist

Shoutout by Jasmin Toro, Project Engineer

How does your colleague help you?

Daniel is one of the most positive young professionals at Aspect I’ve been around. He supports a variety of environmental cleanup projects and is now exploring new territories as the Environmental Health and Safety representative. This is a key role that keeps our staff safe and our projects on point. He is also learning the ins and outs of project management while remaining closely engaged with the environmental field staff group. Without him, it’s unlikely we would have as strong a commitment in the field staff team in our environmental group.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

Daniel is an available shoulder to lean on. Even when he’s well beyond a full work week, he’s available to help. Daniel is always a pleasure to communicate with; is proud of his work; and happy to share his skills with others. He does exactly what Doug Hillman – a recently retired Aspect owner – encourages us all to do: “Empower Others.”

Any other ways they stand out to you?

Across many projects this year – whether sampling a well or being patient with a hurried call from field staff or a client – Daniel leans into the unknown and embraces it. He’s fearless and wears many hats and wears them very well.

Carla Hanafee, Contract Specialist

Shoutout by Owen Reese, Principal Water Resources Engineer

How did your colleague help you?

Carla is a true specialist in one of my least favorite parts of project management – evaluating and negotiating contract terms. We’re all excited to get going on a project, but first there’s the hurdle of insurance, and limitations on liability, and other contract terms.

All critically important, but not particularly fun (at least for me). Carla’s always there to help me through this phase thoughtfully and quickly.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

I really appreciate the care and ownership Carla brings to the contracting process – she proactively works to propose solutions to sticky contract terms and follows up with clients to see those changes through.

How else do they stand out?

We consistently get workable contract language that’s fair to the client while protecting Aspect from undue risk – all because of Carla’s help in sorting through the details.

Jill Van Hulle, Sr. Associate Water Rights Specialist

Shoutout by Kelsey Mach, Project Geologist

Jill (on the left) and Kelsey (on the right) at MLK volunteer event in January 2022.

How did your colleague help you?

Jill is my sounding board and often second brain when it comes to water rights projects. It’s a regular occurrence that I say “Jill, I got a puzzler for you” and she always seems to have thoughtful and helpful insight to provide.

What do you appreciate the most about your coworker?

Jill is good at having my back. I appreciate the feedback but also the overall support and unwavering confidence in me and my abilities.

How else do they stand out?

Ultimately, she helps to not only make my work environment better, but also to make the quality of work we produce at Aspect better.

$23 Million for Affordable Housing Funding in Seattle

Lots of happy faces, hugs, and cheers at a recent June press conference as Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund director, Catherine Buell, announced the $23 Million award to Gardner Global for their Central District project; Mt. Baker Housing Association for their Grand Street Commons project; Mt. Baker Housing Village projects; and to El Centro de la Raza for their El Centro Columbia City project.

Over several years, Aspect has partnered with Mt. Baker Housing, Lake Union Partners, and Gardner Global on revitalizing several key brownfield cleanup sites in south Seattle for Affordable Housing goals.

Learn more about Aspect’s affordable housing work here: Affordable Housing — Aspect Consulting

This week, Aspect staff attended an event featuring Jaebadiah Gardner with Gardner Global, David Tan with Mt. Baker Housing Association, Estela Ortega with El Centro de la Raza, as well as Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.

A Legacy of Aging Underground Storage Tanks in Washington

The Seattle Times recently focused on a long-simmering environmental concern unfolding in many states: aging underground storage tanks (USTs) (subscription may be required to preview the news article) on commercial properties. These USTs store gasoline and diesel fuel at gas stations across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It’s not a question of ‘If’ but ‘When’ these tanks will leak.

With nearly 2,500 known UST sites in need of cleanup in Washington, and over 7,500 USTs either beyond or rapidly approaching the end of their useful life, there is likely a UST site in your area. Here’s a map from the Washington State Department of Ecology for finding out what is in your neighborhood.

Where are the Contaminated Properties?

Current status of contaminated sites in Washington State (includes UST sites). This WA Dept. of Ecology interactive map makes it easier to see where known cleanup sites exist.

While leaking USTs can be a threat to the environment, the good news is that they often do not pose an acute health risk to people. Once a site has been properly investigated for environmental and human health risks, there are strategies that will manage the risk and cost of cleanup over time—particularly if the property is going to continue to be used for commercial purposes.

This corner store in Forks, WA recently had an old UST removed, fortunately only a small cleanup effort was needed

For small business owners – for example, the people running “Mom & Pop” gas stations — the cost alone of replacing aging USTs before they leak can be too much of a burden. And that is before the cost of a potential cleanup of any contaminated soil, which can balloon into a big financial liability.

Tools for Managing the Cost of Cleanup

In addition to the costs involved, the regulatory and cleanup process involved in addressing a leaking UST can feel overwhelming.

An environmentally impaired property does not have to be abandoned – there are paths to continuing business operations while successfully navigating the complexities of the cleanup. If you own a UST site, consider these initial steps for managing the cost of cleanup and avoiding a big financial burden all at once:

  1. Complete a remedial investigation (RI) to define the extent of the contamination. If you don’t have insurance and you have questions about what this means for you financially, the Washington State Pollution Liability (PLIA) may be able to help through their revolving loan and grant program.

  2. Evaluate the cleanup standards to see how to keep business going. If you are willing to accept certain restrictions on the property (e.g., no residential use), consider whether less stringent cleanup standards would still meet your business objectives while safely limiting risk to workers and customers.

  3. Assess whether your site is eligible for the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Model Remedy process. This can streamline the cleanup selection process. If the USTs are still in the ground, removal of USTs and contamination to the extent practicable will still be required.

  4. Talk to your environmental consultant about lower-cost options like environmental covenants for the property, engineering controls (like capping), and long-term monitored natural attenuation (MNA) of residual contamination. These strategies can be an effective way to reduce uncertainty around the future cost of managing the long-term environmental liability attached to a property and improve marketability.

Looking Towards Thriving vs. Blighted Properties

While these strategies do not always result in a “100 percent” clean bill of health for a property, they are proven and effective ways to add value back into environmentally impaired sites – both for the local community and the economy. A thriving corner store provides much more benefit to the community than a blighted, unused property where contamination remains in the ground anyway. There are better options for maintaining the productive use of the land while keeping people and the environment safe.

Contact Associate Engineer Eric Marhofer to learn more about UST site remediation and management strategies.

Tips for Waterfront Homeowners: Promoting Shorelines and Protecting Property

Puget Sound has 2,500 miles of some of the most breathtaking shoreline and nearshore habitat in the world. From a geologic perspective, these shorelines are a dynamic environment – with the waves naturally eroding the base of the slopes above while carrying important, nutrient-rich sediment to build back up the beaches. For waterfront residents, the dynamic shoreline is often the reason they choose to live there.

Recent regulatory focus by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) increasingly emphasizes nearshore habitat goals, which means waterfront homeowners frequently grapple with what can feel like competing interests:

  • Preserving and protecting the land between shorelines and homes

  • Allowing natural shoreline erosion and processes to occur to feed marine habitat

Example of a soft shoreline system along the Cornet Bay shoreline in Island County. Source: Washington State Department of Ecology

Photo Credit: Hugh Shipman

What’s New in Waterfront and Nearshore Habitat Permitting?

In July 2021, WDFW approved a revised code requiring an Alternatives Analysis for replacing waterfront structures. This analysis follows a prescribed flow chart that considers options ranging from complete bulkhead removal to installation of a soft shoreline to in-kind hard structure replacement

Graphic source: Aspect Consulting

Bulkhead removal and soft shoreline systems are increasingly favored by state and local jurisdictions, to emphasize nearshore habitat development. The soft shoreline systems emphasize strategically adding large woody debris (i.e., anchored beach logs); placement of beach sand; and planting native vegetation to keep slopes stable and help the shoreline environment. As WDFW and other agencies (both local and county) begin enforcing and implementing this new code, waterfront homeowners need to be aware of how to both protect their waterfront while also promoting shoreline health.

What Should Shoreline Homeowners Be Aware Of?

As waterfront residents consider how to maintain their property, it’s important to consider shoreline erosion as a benefit for ecological function so that the beauty and dynamic nature of the shoreline remains for future generations. If you own property along the shoreline, there are a few things that you can do to preserve this important habitat:

  • If you have a bulkhead, get to know it by inspecting it at low tide, take photos and measurements on a regular basis. Look for things like damage to the structure, undermining of the foundation, and signs of over-topping during high tides and/or wind storms. Don’t delay maintenance and document changes over time.

  • Know and understand your stormwater system, including the final outfall. This includes catch basins, yard drains, roof-gutter downspouts, foundation drains, curtain drains, etc. If these systems are not maintained or are poorly designed to begin with, they can increase the rates of erosion behind or on the shoreline.

  • Plant and maintain native vegetation to help control surface water and rain water, and resulting erosion.

  • Measure distances from the closest point of all structures (sheds, residences, utilities) to where the vegetation along the shoreline ends to:

    • Document changes over time

    • Comply with bulkhead maintenance requirements for your jurisdiction

To learn more, contact Engineering Geologist Ali Dennison.

Spotlight on Former Orchard Land Cleanup in Central Washington for New Housing

In Washington state’s agricultural hubs – Wenatchee, Yakima, and Chelan – former orchard land is being redeveloped to meet housing demands. Aspect has worked on several projects that are safely turning these brownfield sites into new housing for residents.  

As the Washington State Department of Ecology recently detailed, former orchard lands have a history of pesticide use, and the type of pesticides used has changed over time. Orchards that were active between 1900 and 1950 generally used lead arsenate, which left residual concentrations of both lead and arsenic in near-surface soil at concentrations above Ecology’s cleanup levels.

Example of former orchard land in East Wenatchee, where new housing now sits.

Snapshot of Former Orchard Land and Cleanup Process

Ecology has classified these former orchards with potential lead arsenate contamination and included them in their publically available ‘Dirt Alert’ program (based on historical aerial photo interpretation and other methods). As shown in the image below, orchard lands are generally concentrated in the Columbia, Yakima, Okanogan, and Wenatchee river basins throughout central Washington.

Using Ecology’s publicly available Dirt Alert mapping, see land (yellow on map) that Ecology delineated as orchard during the lead arsenic era: 1900-1950

Project Spotlight: Cleanup and 20 New Residential Homes near Chelan, WA

Aspect recently supported Chelan County to cleanly ‘cap’ the soil at a former orchard residential redevelopment in Manson near Lake Chelan for 20 new homes so it would protect human health and the environment. Chelan County Natural Resources Department used an Ecology grant to evaluate the costs associated with implementation of a Model Remedy (that is, a clean cap remedy) for this ‘trial implementation’. Aspect supported Chelan County by:

  • Sourcing and analytically testing clean soil cap sources

  • Sourcing and calculating soil amendment (compost) requirements for lawn support

  • Construction sequence and contractor coordination

  • Cost tracking

The trial found that the cost of implementing the clean soil cap model remedy amounted to approximately $5,000 per parcel.

Model Remedies Cleanup for Agricultural Owners and Developers

Model Remedies can guide property owners, developers, and consultants to clean up these lead arsenate properties efficiently and protect the community. Contamination is often limited to just the topsoil layer, thus reducing the complexity of cleanup. There are a few routes to cleanup:

  • Excavation and off-Site disposal is a conventional clean-up method that in most cases is too costly for a residential redevelopment.

  • Capping is a model remedy in which the contaminated soil remains on site and is “capped” with asphalt, building foundations, and delineated landscaping beds and is generally the most cost-effective model remedy.

  • Mixing is a solution where the soil column is mixed until contaminant concentrations throughout the soil layer are all below cleanup levels. A mixing model remedy could be applicable when contamination is limited to a very shallow depth.

Capping is the most commonly used cleanup method in the Model Remedy process. Capping keeps residential communities safe by providing a physical barrier (such as asphalt or colored demarcation fabric beneath the topsoil) between residents and the contaminated soil. Lead arsenate is generally contained within the near-surface soil, so there is no exposure risk related to drinking water or using groundwater. Also, because metals do not vaporize, there is not a threat of vapor intrusion into structures.

Contact Aspect’s Breeyn Greer and Adam Griffin for more information about the cleanup process for orchard redevelopment.

Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Rivers Edge Levee Setback Project Wins ASCE LOCEA Award

The Seattle Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) honored the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s (JST) Rivers Edge Levee Setback project with its 2022 Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award (LOCEA) in the Geotechnical category.

The project replaced an aging, constricting levee on the Lower Dungeness River near Sequim with a new levee setback designed to meet modern flood protection standards and aligned to restore the area’s natural floodplain and salmon habitat. Work completed on a compressed, whirlwind schedule. JST acquired the land and started preliminary design in mid-2020, and by September 2021, they’d completed final design, successful navigation of a complex series of permit applications and design reviews, and substantial construction—a monumental feat in just 14 months.

The new levee was constructed in part with gravel from a nearby quarry pit, limiting the cost, time, and environmental impact of importing materials to the site. The project was done in tandem with an adjacent similar levee project by Clallam County, and together they will open up 143 acres of reclaimed floodplain and habitat. You can learn more about the Rivers Edge project in our previous blog post.

Aspect led geotechnical engineering design and construction of the levee as a subconsultant to Pat McCullough and his firm Engineering Services Association (ESA), alongside WEST Consultants for hydrology and hydraulics.

Aspect’s Project Manager and Lead Geotechnical Engineer Andrew Holmson and Project Geotechnical Engineer Mari Otto gave a short presentation on the project during the LOCEA virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 9.  

Other LOCEA Winning Projects

Aspect was also on the winning teams for two projects as geotechnical subconsultants to our frequent teaming partner Osborn Consulting:

  • The City of Kenmore’s new boathouse on the Sammamish River won in the Small Projects and Non-Construction Studies category. We provided foundation redesign support and services during construction of the two-story prefab metal building that is the new home for the Kenmore Community Rowing Club and Northshore School District rowing programs.

  • The City of Sammamish’s Ebright Creek Fish Passage Culvert Replacement was honored in the Water Resources category. Aspect led the geotechnical evaluation for design and construction of two new 30-inch-diameter culverts along busy arterial East Lake Sammamish Parkway. Replacing the outdated culvert was a priority for the City of Sammamish to enhance fish passage and habitat for kokanee salmon. Construction was completed in fall 2021, and the City has already seen an increase in returning kokanee and other fish species passing through this stretch of the creek.

This year’s other LOCEA winners honored during the ceremony were:

  • Climate Pledge Arena Renovation (Thornton Tomasetti) – Structures

  • Northgate Link Extension (MJA) – Transportation and Development

  • 2021 Airfield Pavement Replacement + Infrastructure Upgrade Project (HNTB) – Transportation and Development

  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport North Satellite Modernization (AECOM) – Transportation and Development

The Path to Professional License: Isabellah von Trapp, LG

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. A professional license is a proof statement that communicates that the people charged with designing roads and buildings; solving water supply challenges; cleaning up contaminated soil and water; and successfully managing project quality are qualified and ethically accountable professionals. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Isabellah von Trapp, Licensed Geologist (LG)

Test taken: October 2021

Results given: November 2021

Isabellah at Mt. Rainier demonstrating how she felt when she received her LG exam results.

Where did you start with your test prep?

I got out some construction paper and my favorite markers and drew a big, beautiful geologic time scale and geologic diagrams (e.g., fault blocks, Bowen’s Reaction Series, etc.). I hung them on the wall adjacent to my desk so it would be a constant reminder to study. Helpful? Not really. But it was a nice and fun way to ease into reviewing what initially felt like a very daunting amount of material.

What were your study tactics?

Practice tests, reviewing the study guide, flipping through flash cards, desperately seeking ASBOG advice on Reddit (r/geologycareers for curious minds), etc.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I woke up around 8 am. The test didn’t begin until early afternoon, so I tried to sleep in as much as my body would let me. Despite the nerves and not feeling hungry at all, I forced myself to eat something. I opted for oatmeal, a clementine, and some coffee. I put on my favorite jeans (for style) and favorite flannel (for comfort). Perhaps unsurprisingly for a geology exam, the exam room, as I would later find out, was full of people in very similar outfits.

Having an intense fear of being late, I left Seattle around 9:30 am for a 1pm exam in Olympia. On the drive down I listed to all my favorite music. Upon arrival, my extra time – given the dramatically early arrival – was spent reviewing the study guide in my car. I don’t think I learned anything new at that point but it eased my mind to have one last look at things.

There was a lot of nervous energy in the exam room leading up to the test. I remember the first page of questions being fairly easy, which inspired initial confidence, but they seemingly got harder as the exam progressed. Afterwards, I genuinely felt pretty bad about the way it went. I drove home semi-deflated but happy to be done in the interim. Later that evening I met my friends at a cabin on a lake for the weekend. It was nice to get my mind off the test.

How did you feel when you got the results?

Honestly, I was shocked. One of my old college classmates took the exam at the same time. He called me one Thursday night (after I had just landed in New Orleans for a short, extended weekend vacation) to see how I did as he had just received his passing results. Anxious, I checked my email. Nothing! I refreshed my email approximately every 10 minutes for a few hours but didn’t hear anything that evening. At this point, I assumed I failed and would be a recipient of the “We regret to inform you” email the next day. Much to my delight, I got a congratulatory email and a digital copy of my newly minted license the next day. A sunny Friday in New Orleans was the perfect time and place to receive this news. You can bet I took myself out for a beer (or two) after that!

What was the best piece(s) of advice you got from others who’d done this before?

  • Life does in fact go on if you don’t pass the exam on the first try.

  • Even if you do pass, you will probably feel like you didn’t afterwards so there’s no sense in stressing during the approximate 45-day period it takes to get your results. Think “ignorance is bliss” purgatory.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

Depending on how you study/absorb material, you probably won’t have much of a life for a month or two leading up to the test. However, you probably will not set yourself up for success if your mental batteries are drained at the expense of your physical and social health. I think it’s critically important to give yourself a break. About 3 weeks before my exam, I skipped a weekend study session to go backpacking through the Enchantments with my friends. This was probably the best thing I could have done.  

Any parting advice for those getting ready to embark on this journey?

The LG exam is offered twice per year – once in March and again in October. If possible, try to take the exam in March so you can spend the rainy winter months inside studying instead of the coveted, sunny, August/September days. Also, have a treat on deck to enjoy immediately after the exam is finished. I did not anticipate how hungry I would be afterwards. Unfortunately, I did not heed either piece of my own advice in this instance, but that is okay. Hindsight is indeed 2020.

A Soil Infiltration Cookbook: How Deep Does Your Water Go?

Street Flooding Due to Failing Infiltration Systems – Yakima, Washington (Source: Aspect Consulting)

The Pacific Northwest recognized early on the negative effects of urbanization on receiving waters and has been a leader in the stormwater management field for decades. This was initially driven by concerns about the impacts of urban runoff on threatened and endangered species in the Puget Sound area, and later reinforced by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program.

More recently, a study led by the University of Washington solved the mystery of why Coho salmon are dying in urban streams before spawning. As many suspected, stormwater runoff is the culprit. It was found that runoff from high traffic areas contains a tire-related chemical that is toxic to Coho.

As the science of stormwater management continues to progress, practitioners must learn about and apply the latest techniques, including the use of stormwater infiltration. While infiltration is not really a new concept, widespread infiltration design is new for some areas and some water quality designers. When infiltration systems fail, the consequences can range from increased pollutant loading and erosion in streams to flooded roads, businesses, and homes. 

Infiltration Design For Cleaner Water and Better Habitat

Many agencies operate stormwater programs under NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permits (MS4 Permits). MS4 Permits require development projects within the permittee’s jurisdiction to include permanent Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce stormwater pollution and flow-related problems. Permanent BMPs typically include detention vaults, filters, and bioretention basins.

Over the last decade, MS4 Permits have started requiring the use of infiltration BMPs to mitigate the hydrologic and water quality impacts of development. From a surface water perspective, infiltrated runoff does not cause stream erosion, has no pollutant loading, and helps recharge groundwater.

Using Infiltration to Reduce Hydrologic and Water Quality Impacts (Source: Aspect Consulting)

Lessons Learned from the Track Record of Filtration and Infiltration

Much like the early application of other stormwater BMPs, some designers don’t have a technical background in infiltration. Numerical models, simplifying assumptions, and step-by-step procedures make applying infiltration feasible for generalists, but there are some key issues to consider.

Accurately Estimating Infiltration Rates. The starting point for designing an infiltration BMP is determining the infiltration rate your BMP is expected to have. Allowable methods have changed over the years, with some agencies requiring in-situ infiltration testing for all infiltration BMPs, and some allowing “grain size methods” to estimate rates in certain cases. It’s recommended to only use grain size methods for screening purposes when soils meet all criteria for application of the equation being used.

Reliance on grain size method results can backfire, which is why in-situ infiltration testing must be done to support the design process, with knowledgeable analysis of testing results. The number of infiltration tests should scale with the size, complexity, and soil heterogeneity of the project site. Thoughtful testing and analysis methods can also indicate if groundwater was mounding during the test, and whether a formal mounding analysis is needed.

Once correction (safety) factors are applied, there are generally two ways an infiltration rate is used to help model and design infiltration BMPs: (a) assume the infiltration rate is constant during BMP filling and emptying; or (b) assume the infiltration rate varies (typically linearly) with water depth (pressure head) above the infiltration surface. Knowing how the infiltration BMP will be sized is important when analyzing test data because the resulting constant infiltration rate will not necessarily be the same value as the variable rate.

Extreme plugging/sediment loading to a proprietary stormwater filter (Source: Oregon Department of Transportation, Operation and Maintenance Manual, DFI No.: D00183, 2011)

Plan to Manage Plugging. Infiltration BMPs are susceptible to the same plugging by stormwater sediments and biofouling that stormwater filters are. Stormwater filters plug up and infiltrating into soil is like infiltrating into a filter. Therefore, pre-treatment to remove sediment is necessary to prolong the life of infiltration BMPs.

Plugging of the infiltration surface is the main reason safety factors are used when sizing infiltration BMPs. Stormwater manuals often prescribe safety factors, but the safety factor really should scale based on the soil being infiltrated into.

For instance, when infiltrating slowly into a fine soil with a permeability not much higher than stormwater sediment, reducing the measured rate by a factor of 2-4 is acceptable. But when infiltrating into coarser soil with a permeability much greater than stormwater sediment, a larger safety factor is warranted (some jurisdictions do set a maximum design infiltration rate). The level of treatment for sediment removal prior to infiltration should affect the safety factor too.

Check and Address Groundwater Mounding. Infiltrating runoff sometimes causes groundwater mounding. As mounding increases, it can reduce the infiltration rate, cause seepage problems, and raise regulatory compliance concerns. We recommend monitoring groundwater during infiltration testing to see if it rises in response to the test. If so, the data can be used to help calibrate a mounding model. In cases where mounding is an issue, a formal analysis and modeling (such as USGS’s MODFLOW) of the receptor soil/aquifer combination should be done and infiltration BMP flowrates and spacing fine-tuned to avoid mounding problems.

Increasing Focus on Deep Infiltration to Meet Low Impact Development Goals

The use of “deep” infiltration to meet project Low Impact Development and flow control requirements has been increasing, particularly where surface soils have low permeability but overlie an unsaturated higher permeability soil. It can be feasible to bore through the surface soil and install an infiltration well in a more permeable receptor soil. Stormwater runoff is routed into the well and infiltrated into the receptor soil.

Simplified Deep Infiltration Schematic (Source: Aspect Consulting)

The concept of deep infiltration is straight forward but a system that reliably functions for decades requires some careful thought. To prevent plugging, it’s critical to keep sediment out of deep infiltration wells. However, normally some runoff is allowed to bypass treatment BMPs during large storms. Directing untreated flow into infiltration wells will reduce their service life. Another consideration is whether advance BMPs can be a source of initial sediment loading including: Is that drain rock really clean? Should I specify on-site washing of drain rock? Will my bioretention mix initially leach sediment? Should I flush the system before connecting to infiltration BMPs?

We recommend designing deep infiltration wells to:

  • Include treatment to remove sediment for
    all flows to the well

  • Control the rate of flow into the well to
    the design rate

  • Reserve head to allow water levels to rise to counteract plugging

  • Prevent baseflows from entering infiltration wells

  • Ensure the system drains down in a
    reasonable time

Using the ‘Infiltration Cookbook’: Infiltration System SOPs

Consistent and successful stormwater infiltration requires clear and comprehensive guidance for planning through construction. As part of the team preparing an updated LID Manual for the Port of Seattle’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA), Aspect developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for shallow and deep infiltration systems. The detailed SOPs for the Port of Seattle— both for shallow and deep infiltration — are publicly available and are a good example of a successful ‘cookbook’ for creating sustainable infiltration design.

SOPs provide guidance for planning, testing, analysis, design, and construction of infiltration facilities. Recommended SOP steps for deep infiltration are shown here:

For more information about soil infiltration best practices for water quality and stormwater issues, contact John Knutson.

An edited version of this article appeared in the February 2022 version of Stormwater Magazine.

How 300 SNOTEL Sites Forecast the Pacific Northwest’s Annual Water Future – Part 1

Nearly 300 climate monitoring stations (SNOTEL sites) scattered across Washington state hold the data to our largest and most valuable reservoir: The Winter Snowpack. As of early February 2022, our water year began typically but has trended warm. We did get plenty of snow in the Cascades and Olympics – the critical mountain ranges that store our state’s water future. Read on for Part 1 of our two-part series, where we’ll distill the SNOTEL data, and then come back in the spring to see how the 2022 snowpack fed water resources in the Pacific Northwest.

A look at Mount Shuksan during some backcountry ski touring. This area around Mount Baker receives some of the highest snowfall in the Pacific Northwest. In the spring, the melting snowpack feeds major rivers in Northwest Washington, across Whatcom and Skagit County.

Snowpack is the Key to Fish, Flows, and Agriculture

Snowpack is vital to Washington’s water supply; we all depend on this resource as it piles in our mountains in the winter and melts in the spring to replenish streams and groundwater. Its impact is counted on by:

  • Farmers – To grow crops with irrigation water from streams fed by snowpack

  • Cities and Counties – To supply homes from groundwater replenished by snowpack

  • Industries – To generate hydroelectric power from rivers fed by snowpack

  • Salmon – To feed cool and clear water to critical fish habitat

Winters of below-normal snowpack add strain to the teetering balance of water supply and demand and challenge water managers throughout the state. Fortunately, this strain does not come as a blindside because of the SNOTEL network.

Basin-filled map showing percent of median across Washington State on February 1, 2022.

SNOTEL Surveys Washington’s Water Future

A growing network of nearly 300 climate stations (SNOTEL sites, short for SNOwpack TELemetry) monitor our changing snowpack reservoir in real-time, revealing whether the snowpack is below- or above-normal. This is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who provide this free publically available data. This allows regulatory agencies to make early decisions to manage the level of risk in receiving more or less water than planned for in spring, when the ‘reservoir’ stored in the snow transforms into streamflow that replenishes rivers and groundwater basins throughout the state.

Snow Water Equivalent – Not Just for Skiers and Boarders

Many people may associate snowpack in terms of snow depth. However, in the context of water supply to fish/flows/communities, of greater importance is the snow water equivalent (SWE). If you take a volume of snow and melt it, the volume of water left is SWE. SWE is a better measure of how much water is available in the spring meltout. The water content of falling snow can be highly variable: five feet of dry powdery snow is not equivalent to five feet of wet heavy snow.

How’s it looking? A Summary of Washington February 2022 Snowpack

Water year 2022 (‘Water Year’ always starts on October 1 annually, unlike the calendar year) began typical and uneventful; however, by mid-November, a battering of atmospheric rivers delivered warm and wet conditions to the state. While rainfall records were shattered (wettest fall in recorded Seattle history), warm temperatures quickly erased any progress of previous snowpack development and the 2022 snowpack (the black line) initially fell under the normal line (see green line below). As we crossed into December, the snowpack regained momentum, crossing above the normal line.  By January and into February, the state’s snowpack plateaued, ending right at the normal values, to date.  

Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) in Pacific Northwest Region. The black line shows 2022 SWE trends to date. The green line shows normal “median” snowpack blue and red lines show the max and min (% median).

As of early February 2022, the Pacific Northwest snowpack is 102 percent of normal. In Washington, the highest reading of SNOTEL data in the State were at 109 percent of normal in the Lower Columbia Basin. The Lower Yakima has the lowest reading at 83 percent of normal.

Using SNOTEL to See Our Water Reservoir Forecast

As the SNOTEL data illuminates, our snowpack story is fluid. This year, so far, is trending around normal. However, the value of having 300 monitoring stations is mountains of data to measure our state’s water health. This gets more and more important as the weather turns warmer and farmers, fish, and communities seek out the meltout from the reservoirs in the mountains. Check back in April 2022 for Part 2 of our SNOTEL water summary where we’ll look back at how our 2022 snowpack reservoir turned out.

The Path to Professional License: James Packman, PMP

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

James Packman, Project Management Professional (PMP)

Test taken: September 2021

Results given: About 10 seconds after completing the exam (it’s a long and nervous 10 seconds)

James hiking in the Enchantments

Tell us a little about the PMP program. How long does it take?

To qualify to take the PMP exam, one must have 36 months of experience leading projects (60 months if no 4-year college degree) and take a 35-hour prep course. There are many companies that offer PMP prep courses; I chose to take it from Project Management Academy (PMA). The course was live online over 2 weeks. The PMA prep course costs a little more than some other vendors, but they have good online resources, which I used extensively for independent study after the prep course.

After the prep course, I studied for about 4 months before I was ready to take the exam. This was longer than I anticipated partly because I had a challenging personal issue occur (the death of a close friend). I also followed PMA’s advice to keep taking practice exams until you score 80 percent or higher. But in hindsight, I found that the actual exam questions tended to be much simpler than the practice exam questions. Most of the charts, equations, and management models covered in the prep materials weren’t on my exam. Maybe this helped prepare me well, but I think I ended up over-studying.

What was the best piece of advice you got as you started the certification?

Study at least a little bit several days a week. There’s so much information to learn, it helps to build the knowledge in small pieces and reinforce it with frequent study.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of certification?

For fellow Aspect staff who are considering PMP certification, they should know that only some of the content applies to the types of projects we do at Aspect. Skills like communication, budget management, and leadership apply to every project. But many of the technical project management skills covered in the PMP material are used more widely in other industries, such as manufacturing, software development, and construction.

In some of those other industries, Agile and related approaches, such as Lean, are widely used for managing projects. These methodologies complete work incrementally and/or iteratively from a backlog that is developed during the project. Most of the projects we do at Aspect are what are known as Predictive or Waterfall in the project management world: we scope out the entire project at the beginning and then implement it based upon an agreed budget (here’s a handy article that compares the Agile and Waterfall methodologies).

I find that the project management approach is largely dictated by our clients who often require a complete scope and cost estimate to authorize work. However, an Agile approach could be useful on some Aspect projects, especially when there are unknowns that the initial work will reveal and affect subsequent work. The incremental approach does occur at Aspect to a degree, such as environmental site assessments (Phase II ESAs occurring based on Phase I findings), and I’m using it on some data analysis tasks in the Ecology SAM Study on Stormwater Source Control that I’m leading.

A helpful, albeit intangible, take away for me was trying to adopt an Agile mindset when it makes sense for a project. Specifically, when the work lends itself to adaptive outcomes, flexibility, and the client is open to realizing project value along the way rather than just when the final report is delivered.

Anyone considering PMP certification should also know that the knowledge base is jargon-heavy (at times even pedantic), and a term in the project management world might mean something different in other realms. Sample alternate definitions in the PMP world include the terms: activity, process, risk, charter, coach, domain, quality, parametric, baseline, float, scope, and value—to name a few.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I registered to take the exam about a month in advance to get the date and time I wanted. The test is typically proctored at a testing center, though at-home testing was possible during the pandemic. The at-home testing was more restrictive with things like fewer breaks allowed and more complicated with verifying your home setup before the exam. So, I chose a testing center in Northgate (Seattle) that offered evening times so I didn’t have to miss work.

The testing area had about a dozen walled cubicles, each with a desktop computer. You can’t bring anything of your own into the test area: no food or drink, no pen or pencil, not even your own earplugs (they provide). You may take breaks to eat or drink in the lobby but the exam clock does not stop during breaks. The exam is closed-book and they give you a notepad to make notes during the exam, which you must turn in at the end. I was given a few 8x14 laminated sheets and some dry erase markers.

For the exam, you have up to 230 minutes to answer 180 questions, including breaks (the clock keeps ticking!). However, the exam is divided into three segments of 60 questions each, and you have to close out each segment before moving onto the next one. The goal is to answer each question as there is no advantage to leaving questions blank (blank = wrong). So, the exam is effectively three 60-question exams back-to-back and thus requires good time management.

Another good piece of advice I was given is to do a brain dump onto the notes pages as soon as you start the exam. For me, the brain dump was formulas, definitions, and reminders about how to estimate activity durations, calculate earned value, budget forecasting, and the differences among the many types of charts and their associated uses.

How did you feel when you got the results?

Big relief! As soon as you complete the last 60-question segment, there is a pregnant pause, and a moment later it reveals your result. The exam is pass/fail only and you don’t get a numeric score or know which questions you got right or wrong. The result given just as below target, on target, or above target. I was grateful to pass on my first attempt with an “above target” score in all domain areas!

What advice do you have for people looking to get their PMP?

My advice is to give yourself enough time to study (weeks or months depending on your schedule) and for the 35-hour prep course, which is given over 1 or more weeks depending on how it’s taught. Also, be open to learning the concepts as the project management world understands them, some of which may be different than you’ve experienced so far as a project manager.

Powering Kids Through STEAM Teaching

Aspect’s Community Team (ACT) was created in 2017 to engage more non-profits and Aspect staff in philanthropy. Aspect employees co-lead the group and focus on organizing yearly volunteering events where staff give time, resources, and technical expertise. These investments take many forms:

Through a bottom-to-top decision-making approach, ACT gives a platform for all staff to voice how Aspect should be investing in the community.  With how much the pandemic changed the education landscape, ACT put STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) outreach at the top of its 2021 priority list. Members wanted to use their skills to help students and educators who may feel overwhelmed with virtual learning.

Photo Credit: 2021 EarthGen Virtual Student Summit

Holding a Mirror Up to Budding STEAM Leaders

“Before we even crafted our first resume, many of us were already asked the big question: What do you want to be when you grow up? When you’re young, it can be challenging to find the answer simply because you haven’t figured it out yet. Hearing from professionals opens new worlds to students, especially marginalized identities. ”
— Cleo Pineda, Engineer

In alignment with ACT's mission to increase community involvement through education outreach, Aspect volunteers collaborated with EarthGen (formerly WA Green Schools) and participated as guest speakers at the Annual Clark County Virtual Student Summit career panel to elementary – high school-age students as well as educators learning science concepts. ACT volunteers include all Aspect career levels, genders, and ethnicities to reflect the diversity in STEM—they serve as mirrors for potentially underrepresented students who need role models to look up to.

In addition to providing valuable insight into the technical side of their professions, Aspect volunteers also shared stories of their career path. Some prepared informational videos while others led live presentations on ZOOM to show pictures of cool projects they’ve worked on, discuss their college journey, and even play games to introduce important environmental concepts.

EarthGen’s Curriculum Helps Future Scientists and Engineers 

The Virtual Student Summit was just one of many parts that make up EarthGen’s programs. The non-profit organization aims to support youth, educators, and their communities that may have limited access to quality instruction, extended learning opportunities, and funding. Some of their science-based, action-oriented programs include professional development training for teachers and their Stormwater Stewards environmental science unit for middle and high schoolers. Read more about the important work they do here and go HERE to donate (tax-deductible).

“Speaking to kids was initially more intimidating. They were silent during our talk, so it was difficult to have any idea of how anything we were saying was being received. It took some gentle encouragement, but once we got them participating in the chat they were a very insightful audience and I felt encouraged for these future STEAM careers.”
— ACT Volunteer and GIS Lead Robyn Pepin
“At the core I believe, and some research has certainly shown, that for children to see a ‘real life’ scientist or STEAM professional, particularly a woman of color, has a huge impact on how they see their futures and potential and that in others. So that is the foundation that drives me. In addition, I love to share about how incredible our earth is. Lots of young people don’t realize that geology or earth science or even environmental science are robust fields that they can enter.”
— ACT Volunteer and Senior Geologist Mei Lanier-Kamaha’o
“In the midst of a challenging and isolating year, it was crucial for students to have the opportunity to gather virtually, learn together, and connect over their shared interest of taking environmental action. EarthGen’s 2020-21 Annual Clark County Student Summit had professionals provide inspiration, knowledge and excitement for the students. It allowed students to understand that there are many careers that benefit the environment.”
— Shannon Brennan (Outreach Specialist at EarthGen)

Other ACT 2021 Highlights

Back in April, ACT leadership mailed out native wildflower seeds to green-thumbed staff looking for a spring project, hosted a friendly "who can pick-up the most trash?" contest, and coordinated a virtual happy hour in celebration of Earth Day.

Then in October, upholding the community team’s fall tradition of restoring a riparian area along the Snoqualmie River, ACT partnered with Stewardship Partners to organize an in-person volunteer experience at Carnation Farms.  

Got an Idea for ACT?

Would you like scientists and engineers to work with your non-profit group? Please contact Cleo Pineda and Lisa Maeda to learn more.

20+ Years in the Making: Levee Sparks Dungeness River Restoration

On the Olympic Peninsula in Northwest Washington, the Lower Dungeness River Floodplain Restoration project restores habitat and natural river processes that are confined by various levees and dikes constructed in the 1940s through 1960s. The lower reaches of the Dungeness River have been constricted on the right bank by an existing 2.4-mile-long levee built in the 1960s by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). However, the USACE levee is ‘under-designed’ for anticipated flood events to come.

Aerial view of the 2,600-foot setback levee

Photo credit: Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (JST)

Twenty years ago, the Lower Dungeness River Floodplain Restoration project was conceived with the goal of building a new setback levee and reconnecting the Dungeness River with its historical floodplain; improving habitat conditions; and restoring riverine processes and functions. The project was split into two parts: the Clallam County (County) levee setback project from River Mile (RM) 0.8 to 1.75, and the River’s Edge Project between RM 1.75 to 2.7. The County project started in 2015, but then the floodplain restoration work hit a standstill – until the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (JST) brought the River’s Edge Levee Setback project to life.

Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Rebuilds a Floodplain to Restore the Region

For thousands of years pre-colonialism, the JST nurtured the land and many saltwater bays and freshwater rivers. Today, the JST takes an active role in community environmental projects, including participating in the Dungeness River Management Team and implementing habitat restoration projects such as this levee project, which is a part of the Lower Dungeness River restoration efforts.

JST purchased farmland along this stretch of the Dungeness River (with a strong show of support from local community members) with the understanding that the purchased land would be used for conservation efforts. JST secured funding support from Washington state’s  Floodplains by Design grant and brought on Engineering Services Association (ESA) to lead the project design. ESA in turn brought Aspect in to be the geotechnical lead, as well as several other key team members like WEST Consultants (hydrology and hydraulics) and Johnston Land Surveying.

The River’s Edge project will renew historical riparian habitat and boost the overall health of the ecosystem, including salmon recovery for key species like Chinook salmon, summer chum, bull trout, and steelhead. The new setback levee will also double as a walking path to be used by all members of the community.

Early Detective Work in a Floodplain Leads to Success

Rivers deposit soils in highly varied and complex ways. To set up the 2600-foot-long setback levee for success and understand the subsurface conditions, Aspect led a two-phase subsurface exploration program that included six soil borings (2 with vibrating wire piezometer installations), 11 test pit excavations, 13 hand-dug explorations, and 4 cone penetrometer explorations. Using this information we created a profile of subsurface conditions to power smart levee design.

Levees Need to Be Made of the ‘Right Stuff’

Nearby gravel pit that ‘fed’ the levee

Photo credit: Krazan & Associates

A key driver in any levee project is the availability of material. This levee was made up of over 37,000 cubic yards of gravel and sand. ESA identified a material source only two minutes away and Aspect and ESA tailored the levee design to make sure the material available from the gravel pit could be successfully used to build the levee to meet design standards. Having a material source so close to the Site helped save budget, time, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Finishing a 2,600-Foot Levee in Under Two Years: A Win !

Floodplain restoration without River's Edge Levee Setback project (on the left) and WITH River's Edge Levee Setback Project (on the right).

Photo credit: North Olympic Land Trust

Aspect collaborated with ESA, JST, and USACE to design the setback levee in just under one year, with construction of the project hot on the heels of the final design submittals. Construction then started and the new setback levee was built in just over 2 months!

In summer 2022, the existing levee will be removed to allow the Dungeness River to reclaim 56 acres of floodplain. The Clallam County project will eventually tie into the River’s Edge Setback Levee to open up an additional 87 acres for a combined 143 acres of reclaimed historical floodplain and habitat for salmon, birds, and wildlife.

The hard work and dedication of the River’s Edge project team helped realize the JST’s desire to create a quality setback levee that meets the latest and greatest safety standards, within their desired schedule – and underbudget!

Putting Data to Work: Kubota Garden Stormwater Story Map

Mud and sand carried by stormwater is washing into the catch basins and through the ponds at the beautiful Kubota Garden in south Seattle. Learn about how a savvy team including a mapmaker, field staff, water quality expert, engineer, and landscape architect put data to use to determine the sources of sediment and craft a plan to restore the garden to the delight of its visitors.

Click to learn how Aspect used Esri StoryMaps to help guide the Kubota Garden Foundation and the City of Seattle (SPU, Seattle Parks and Rec, and SDOT) through the decision-making process.

The Path to Professional License: Ida Fischer, PE

In the science and engineering industry, seeing a “PE”, “LG”, “PMP”, or other initials behind someone’s name shows that person went through years of work experience that culminated in a substantial test to confirm the right to practice their area of technical expertise. Many go through this licensing journey but few outside that group know what the process is really like.

We’re telling those stories here. Aspect’s professionals are writing a series of articles that capture the trials and successes of studying for and receiving these career-defining milestones.

Ida Fischer, Professional Engineering (PE) License

Test: 5/17/2021  Awarded: 6/3/2021

Ida at Rialto Beach.

When did you start with your test prep?

My PE test timeline was largely dictated by COVID. I began studying in January 2020, and was rolling along when COVID struck and everything shut down. So, I put studying on the back burner until December 2020 with the goal of taking the test before summer 2021—since I was taking the Environmental PE test, which is administered on a computer, you have to schedule it based on testing center availability (rather than the biannual pen and paper tests). I started to feel the pressure and kicked my test prep into high gear mid-March 2021.

What were your study tactics? How did you get started?

Generally, for standardized tests (SAT, GRE) I like to review testing strategies, but I couldn’t find much discussion of strategy for the PE test any other than “study as much as you can.” Taylor Dayton generously shared her study materials with me, which included a box of various books, practice tests, and some notes. I don’t have an undergraduate in engineering, so I thought a comprehensive review book was a good option to make sure I saw all the possible topics. I worked my way through the entire book (PE Environmental Review by Lindeburg), then about a month before the test, I switched to practice problems. I also used flash cards to drill general info and problem types I was consistently missing. In hindsight, I think it would have been more time-efficient to focus on the problems and then read up on topics that weren’t feeling familiar rather than reading the entire book. Problems force you to engage with key concepts in a different way.

What should a person gearing up to do this know about the mental, physical, and social challenges of test prep?

For most people, studying is a significant time commitment which will likely impact all other areas of your life. It is important to set your own expectations and get the other significant people in your life onboard with what your studying is going to look like. My studying experience was largely impacted by COVID – I didn’t have to cut back on socializing in a significant way since I was already at my maximum Zoom capacity.

Mentally, you have to find a time when you are able study productively. This will look different for everyone – I was a hybrid after work and weekend studier. Physically, I was studying while concurrently training to cycle across Washington. I think the physical activity provided an important mental break. I benefitted from multiple routine activities reinforcing each other.

Walk us through the Big Test Day…

I woke up early enough to have time to have a good breakfast and coffee and allow for traffic on the way to the testing center, but not so early that I had any time to review or extra time to work up any nerves. The Environmental PE test is administered at standard testing centers, so there is the usual review of how to check in and out and use the computer. As I was working through the problems, I kept track of the ones I was confident in, those that I was less confident in, and those that I had to guess on. I had some extra time when I was done, so I reviewed all problems I was less confident in and some of the others as well. Overall, the test felt easier than I expected. On the way home, I celebrated with a cookie. That night before bed, I did not review my flashcards and that felt like relief.

How did you feel when you got the results?

While studying for the PE exam, Ida was also planning a cross-state bike trip. She and her dad and uncle rode from Seattle to Idaho over 6 days along the Palouse to Cascades Trail and smaller country roads. This picture is on PCT either along Keechelus Lake or Lake Easton (hard to keep track on the trail). She was on the trail when she found out she’d passed the exam.

I was delighted. I did a victory cartwheel even though I had biked 70 miles that day. The test results were supposed to be ready in about 10 days, so I had been checking my email even though I was on a bike trip and generally like to eschew email while on vacation.

What lessons did you learn that you’d want others to know?

I believe I could have achieved the same result (passing) with less studying. I think I was so concerned about the possibility of not passing that I didn’t weight the opportunity cost of the amount of studying I was doing.

Washington requires an application and Board approval to even register for the test. I put this off until the 11th hour and the application process was more work than I expected and consequently more frustrating than it needed to be. I’d say as soon as you’re thinking about taking the test, get the application out of the way.