Containment

A baffled crump weir flow control structure was used for the first time at a UK dam at the Burn of Mosset flood alleviation scheme. The Scottish project has been operating successfully under flood conditions and is enhancing the ecological status of the watercourse. To make the design safe, the earth fill surface was benched and covered with a needle-punched geotextile. A 600mm layer of coarse gravel was placed on the benched profile, covered with a 400mm layer of open stone asphalt and topsoil. From International Water Power & Dam Construction. Learn more here.;

Engineers this week said that damage to vital infrastructure such as highways and airports would hamper Chile’s efforts to recover from a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the nation on Saturday. From New Civil Engineer (NCE). Learn more here.;

Tailings and Mine Waste '10 will take place in Vail, Colorado 17-20 October 2010. The event organizers--Colorado State University's Dept. of Civil and Env. Engineering--invite short abstracts from prospective authors through Monday, April 5. Key issues for this year's event include a focus on Containment Systems, including geosynthetic liners, composite liner systems, leak detection and leachate collection, groundwater protection, and water management. Detailed guidelines and instructions are available in the call for papers. Download here in PDF. Learn more here.;

Solarmax Arizona has an experimental installation of their solar photovoltaic geomembrane strips on slopes at Biosphere II. The company has proposed placing their system on tailings piles as part of reclamation activities. The panels are impermeable, preventing erosion, while producing electricity. Solid panels are bonded to geomembrane. Learn more here.;

The EcoPerspectives blog on the French nuclear industry has published a piece about La Manche Storage Center (CSM) for essentially short-lived waste of “low”- and intermediate-level radioactivity. One of the reports was on the advisability of installing a more durable cover over the waste. The next annual surveillance reports must evaluate the rate of infiltration through the geomembrane now over the waste. Read more. Learn more here.;

New from ASTM International: "Contaminated Sediments: Sustainable Management and Remediation" edited by Rosa Galvez and Mark Dyer. The book contains 23 peer-reviewed papers on the latest global information on environmentally sound solutions to the sustainable management and remediation of contaminated sediments. Includes several interesting case studies for important projects being conducted in Ireland, Scotland, Malaysia, Turkey, Japan, Canada, and the USA. Learn more here.;

ASTM is currently seeking student nominees for the 2010 ASTM International Graduate Scholarship and the 2010 Katharine and Bryant Mather Scholarship. The application deadline for both scholarships is 30 April 2010. Visit the Student Awards section in the Students and Professors section of the ASTM Web site for more information. Learn more here.;

Penton Media's 2010 Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS) has announced their initial sponsor lineup for 2010. The biennial event serves as an international forum for the presentation of both applied and fundamental research and case studies on waste management and will take place at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas, a new facility that just opened its doors this year.

In North Carolina's Asheville and Buncombe Counties, new data continues to show decreased amounts of sediment in the area's French Broad watershed. This year's data reinforces data collected in 2008 and monitoring from 2002 to 2007. The area's water has improved simultaneous with increased development. One explanation is the growing utilization of Certified Inspectors of Stormwater and Erosion Control (CISEC). Learn more here.;

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), Folsom, Pennsylvania will be holding its next GSI Short Courses on March 22 and 23. A certification exam will also be offered on March 24. The opportunities are: "Geosynthetics in Waste Containment Liner and Cover Design," March 22; "Quality Control/Quality Assurance of Geosynthetics Installation," March 23; and the Examination for Inspector Certification, March 24. Read more about these events and download a registration brochure.

At the 41st conference and expo of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) held in Dallas, Texas, 16-20 February 2010, the IECA Board of Directors installed one new officer and held an election to determine who would hold the position of Treasurer. All other members of the Board of Directors will continue to serve in their current roles. The IECA Board of Directors is made up of nine members, each serving a three year term. Read more.

ASTM has signed an official memorandum of understanding with the Institute for Standardization of Serbia. The MOU program promotes communication between ASTM International and national standards bodies worldwide, fostering awareness of the standardization systems of all parties involved. ASTM has signed 69 MOUs with national standards bodies. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Government of India, and India's Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry are hosting the 2nd Methane to Markets Partnership Expo in New Delhi from 2-5 March 2010. The event has attracted attendees from 30 countries and showcases more than 150 opportunities for capturing and using methane, a greenhouse gas more than 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide, as a valuable clean energy resource.

At Geo-Frontiers 2011, a special session will be held on "Soil-Structure-Geosynthetics Interaction." Session organizers invite abstracts through the overall conference abstract submission deadline: 8 March 2010. The proposed technical session will include presentations related to the development and application of analysis and design dealing with macro-scale mechanical interaction problems encountered in foundation engineering, underground construction, railroads and pavements, and ground improvement. Learn more.

At the Geo-Frontiers 2011 conference, there will be a technical session on Concrete Protection Liners co-chaired by Ian D. Peggs (icorp@geosynthetic.com) and Peter Dimaio (peterd@aks.co.za). All those working on tunnels, wastewater treatment basins, process chemical containment, or any other aspect of concrete protection using geomembranes or thicker polymeric sheet products, are invited to submit abstracts through 8 March 2010. Learn more.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) and the Erosion and Sediment Control Network (ESCN.tv) have announced an agreement to make ESCN.tv the official online news station of IECA. "This partnership will allow the International Erosion Control Association to better communicate with our members and potential members alike," states Russell Adsit, Executive Director of IECA. "The opportunity is here to use another medium to promote our members as well as to deliver timely information to the erosion, sediment and stormwater communities."

A former lead and zinc mine and mill located near Leadpoint, Washington will soon be cleaned up thanks to a $1.36 million settlement agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and Blue Tee Corp., the former operator of the site. These funds will allow EPA to complete remaining cleanup work at this Superfund site.The cleanup also involves placing a protective barrier over contaminated sediments in the tailings impoundment pond and in other nearby wetlands.

Abstracts for Geo-Frontiers 2011 are due by 8 March 2010! Please keep this in mind during the coming week. Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Tracks include Soil/Rock Mechanics and Modeling; Geotechnical Testing and Site Characterization; Foundations and Ground Improvement; Slopes, Embankments, and Earth Retaining Structures; Geosynthetics; Geoenvironmental Engineering; Geo-Hazards (Earthquakes, Landslides, Erosions, Others); Transportation Materials and Pavements; and Other Geotechnical Related Issues. Learn more here.;

Full-page abstracts for Filtrex 2010--an EDANA event--will be accepted through 15 March 2010. Themes include: New filter media technologies, market trends, automotive, air, liquid and gas filtration, water treatment, and emission controls and legislation. Learn more here.;

Despite an agreement signed last year by the New Ventures-owned landfill in Newburyport, Massachusetts, the odor control and cap construction issues have not been resolved. The Crow Lane Landfill has been repeatedly fined (though a fair amount of those fines have been suspended in hopes of repairs being made), neighbors have filed suit, and the city's mayor is now talking about pursuing the issue with the state attorney general. Torn liners and improper stormwater controls have plagued the site. Learn more here.;

On Wednesday, 17 February 2010, at the 41st conference and expo of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), the Awards of Environmental Excellence presentation ceremony was held. For the past 19 years, IECA has recognized the industry's best by awarding persons and projects epitomizing the principles of environmental excellence. Awards are only given to the highest quality projects and innovations. Annually, IECA members submit nominations of worthy individuals and projects. After careful review and consideration, the IECA Awards Committee selects each year's winners. Read more.

EDANA, the association representing the nonwovens and related industries, and BCH (Business Co-ordination House) have announced the successful completion of the first ever edition of the Filtrex Asia Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi, India. With over 200 attendees and 23 exhibitors from Asian markets, and additional representatives from Europe and the Americas, the conference highlighted one of the ultimate benefits offered by the sector -- better protection for millions of people through cleaner air and access to better quality water, and ultimately a much better quality of products and processes. Read more.

The next short course from the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) will be held 14 May 2010, the FGI's website indicates. Details of the events and location have yet to be announced. The FGI held its first short course on "Constructing with Fabricated Geomembranes" in October 2009 in Denver. That event was well-received and attended and featured speakers from across the industry. Learn more here.;

A Conservative government would rename the newly-formed Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), the government’s newly-formed planning body, as the ‘Major Infrastructure Unit’ in a shake-up to entire planning regime. Learn more here.;

The Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE) has offered a quality management system (QMS) certificate to Addis Ababa-based Geosynthetics Industrial Works Plc. QSAE began certifying companies about six months ago. So far, 11 companies have been recognized. Learn more here.;