Ground Improvement

While the term "best management practice" (or, BMP) may be misleading, especially since agencies from town to town may disagree on which BMPs are acceptable--that is, which are actually "best"--erosion control is clearly of need. You can see this on a very large scale around Las Vegas. The Review Journal looks back at 10 years of major erosion control and bank stabilization projects and how sediment loads have been reduced by 75%, 38,000 native plants have returned, more than 100 species have returned, and much more. Learn more here.;

Raven Industries released strong third quarter results on Wednesday. The Flow Controls Division continues to perform well while the Engineered Films Division (which includes Raven's geomembrane lines) saw 23 percent growth in third quarter sales. Raw material costs (including the often volatile resin market) pinched some profit, but overall volume was good and high demand in the oil and gas industry for pit and pond liners continued to be one of the company's signature successes. Learn more here.;

The Journal of Environmental Quality's (JEQ) most recent issue includes "Can Urban Tree Roots Improve Infiltration through Compacted Subsoils for Stormwater Management?" The researchers who produced the article examined the effects of root penetrations on water infiltration and examined water detention system using special soil arrangements and geotextile separation fabrics. “Manipulating root penetration through these separation geotextiles could potentially play a large role in bioretention system function and design," says the project lead, Susan Day of Virginia Tech. Learn more here.;

Organizers for StormCon 2009 remind readers that the deadline for the submission of abstracts is Wednesday, 3 December 2008. They invite your submissions for six key conference tracks: BMP Case Studies; Low-Impact Development; Stormwater Program Management; Water-Quality Monitoring; Advanced Research Topics; and Source Control. The conference will take place 16-20 August 2009 in Anaheim, California. Learn more here.;

SKZ's Irina Bender has written a short report on the recent "Lifetime of Geosynthetics" conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The two-day event in late October marked the first time this conference took place outside of Germany. Dr. Helmut Zanzinger chaired the sessions and was joined by experts such as Dr. John Greenwood (ERA Technologies), Hartmut Schröder and Peter Trubiroha (BAM). Mrs. Bender's report indicates that attendees (from 13 countries) reponded favorably to the discussions and showed a particular interest in geosynthetic performance with ponds and in tunnel linings.

Joel Sprague of TRI/Environmental has authored a piece about the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) Southeast Chapter Training and Field Days. The two-day October event included a full day at TRI's Denver Downs Research Facility, a large-scale testing facility for erosion and sediment control products and systems. Read the report and see photos from the event at ErosionControl.com. Learn more here.;

Erosion Control magazine editor Janice Kasperson writes about the eighth annual StormCon event, which will take place in Anaheim, California, 16-20 August 2009. Six conference tracks are being offered: BMP Case Studies; Low-Impact Development (LID); Stormwater Program Management; Water-Quality Monitoring; Advanced Research Topics; and Source Control. Read more about the event in Kasperson's write-up. Learn more here.;

Forester Communications is located quite near the wild fires currently racing through Califorinia. Veteran editor John Trotti has written an interesting report of first-hand observation and a thank you to the firefighters working to contain. Learn more here.;

Register online to participate in November 19's webcast on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) being broadcast by the Environmental Protection Agency. Four EPA officials will answer questions about the final CAFO rule. During the webcast, there will be an opportunity for the public to submit questions about the final rule to the EPA presenters. The two-hour audio web broadcast will be held from noon to 2 p.m. (EST) on November 19. Learn more here.;

Firestone Specialty Products produces geomembranes that are the durable, dependable solution for nearly any application. Whether for decorative commercial water features or critical containment applications such as agriculture, aquaculture, mining and other water containment, Firestone’s geomembrane systems are easy to install and built to last. The company has retooled the design and layout of its website. We encourage readers to give the new site, with its clean look and organization, a spin. Learn more here.;

A creosote-contaminated soil berm at a school in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada has been remediated with the placement of a geotextile separation layer and clean soil. The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) contained the area in 2007 after the forest products-polluted soil was discovered. Learn more here.;

The latest CE News "Civil Connection" newsletter includes an interesting note on AskNature.org--free database is a public-domain online library where architects, designers, and engineers can search for and study nature’s solutions to design challenges, air and water filtration and solar energy retention. The site is the brainchild of naturalist Janine Benyus and design software firm Autodesk. Learn more here.;

Advance registration ends 30 November 2008 for the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 88th Annual Meeting. The event will takes place 11-15 January 2009 in Washington DC. More than 10,000 transportation policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions are expected to attend. Learn more here.;

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will offer a free informational webinar to detail its projected $2.6 billion, I-15 CORE (Corridor Expansion) in advance of the release of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the design-build project. The webinar will be a live broadcast from Salt Lake City on 2 December 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (MST). The RFQ will be released and posted on the UDOT website on December 3. UDOT's previous I-15 work involved a significant amount of geofoam. Learn more here.;

The city of Franklin, Tennessee has a cracked and leaking reservoir. Officials now believe the best repair scheme will involve dredging the reservoir and lining it with a geosynthetic barrier. As the idea has only now been suggested, cost and timeline estimations have not been calculated. Learn more here.;

MEED--the Middle East Business Intelligence group--has arranged the Water Treatment and Reuse 2008 conference, an in-depth review of the Middle East’s expanding water industry. The event takes place 24-26 November 2008 in Dubai. The conference organizers have announced a keynote address will be presented by H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister, Ministry of Water & Environment, United Arab Emirates. Learn more here.;

Boom times in the developing world, particularly in the BRIC nations--Brazil, Russia, India and China--have led to a number of serious environmental challenges as industrialization has outpaced pollution controls. This is particularly true in India. In the 13 November 2008 issue of the Financial Times, reporter James Lamont takes an analytical view of pollution challenges in India and how the next generation is being asked to find the solutions both for future production and growth and for correcting the ill legacy being left to them. Learn more here.;

The rubber and polymer materials specialty publisher and conference organizer, Smithers Rapra, is offering a 10% discount on its top ten bestsellers: Characterisation of Polymers (Vol 1); Determination of Additives in Polymers and Rubbers; Introduction to Plastics Recycling (2nd Edition); Handbook of Biodegradable Polymers; Thermochromic Phenomena in Polymers; Polymer Reference Book; Plastics Rubber and Health; ARBURG Practical Guide to Injection Moulding; Chemistry and Technology of Polyols for Polyurethanes; and European Plastics and Rubber Directory (2007/2008). Visit the bookstore for more information. Learn more here.;

The latest conference update from the Asia Mining Congress (23-27 March 2009, Singapore) is available. Registrations placed before 30 November 2008 qualify for 10% discount. Read the latest on the event in the online newsletter. Learn more here.;

In 1992, during the construction of the third runway of Sydney's airport (Australia), reinforced earth walls were designed into the runway's perimeter. Within four years, clear subsidence was observed. Litigation followed, and finally all of the case's issues seem to have been resolved. The ruling has found that either compaction was not to the proper density or not enough care was taken in placement of the necessary geotextile fabric over joints in the fabric. Read more at Mondaq. (Registration required.) Learn more here.;

New York's Crown Point Reservation is a historic landmark. Geomembrane-lined coffer dams are being used to enable some critical bulkhead reinforcement work and a zebra mussel-removal scheme below water. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is also improving drainage works and stabilizing the shoreline. Learn more here.;

Over at Marketwatch.com, they've picked up the ReportLinker.com press release regarding the study, "Geosynthetics: Materials, Applications and Markets." This market study was original published in March 2008 and relies somewhat on 2007 statistics. But there is no indication that estimations on material needs have been amended based upon changes in the global credit market and government spending estimations. Read about the report directly at RL's website. Learn more here.;

Organizers for TechTextil North America have updated registration information for exhibitors and attendees at the conference website. The event will be held 21-23 April 2009 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Among the many sectors included in the show one will find geotechnical and building material suppliers. Learn more here.;

Waste News has published its annual list of the largest landfills in the country, state by state. View it online. Free digital editions are available but registration is required. The largest landfill breakdown is published on pages 15 - 17 of the 10 November 2008 issue. Learn more here.;

Voters in the American state of Minnesota have approved a sales tax increase that will go directly to clean water initiatives. The amendment passed with 56 percent of the vote. It is expected to generate roughly $250 million to $275 million in each of its first two years. Key funds will target wetlands preservation and restoration, trail building, and clean water initiatives including potable water protection. Learn more here.;