Ground Improvement

A "floating-geotextile mat" has been selected to be the first wetland-based filtering system for the Rangitikei District Council's wastewater treatment plant in Marton, New Zealand. Since only one company provides the system in New Zealand, the project will not go to tender. It is expected to cost roughly $500,000. It replaces a mechanical oxygen input system and is thought will save $40,000 per year in operations cost. Learn more here.;

Last year, Geosynthetica reported on a large erosion control study being directed by Germany-based SKZ. Now, SKZ is shedding more light on this research. On 5 May 2011, a special event will be held to take attendees through the site-based research: "Formulation and verification of selection criteria for geosynthetic surface erosion control systems." A main focus for this data will be to better assist in road construction erosion and sediment control. Read more.

The Ngaruawahia Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in New Zealand receives domestic wastewater from several towns for treatment. Upgrading of the plant required that the flow of the wastewater into the plant is never disrupted and that the quality of the water leaving the plant has received as much treatment as possible. Read a case study from Nikolai Vakhroushev of Permathene on how the company's baffle curtain and dewatering approach fulfilled the facility's needs.

The Canadian Institute of Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP) Board of Directors has introduced Thomas Esakin as CIELAP's new Executive Director. Most recently Tom worked as a Profesor Asignatura at the Universidad del Caribe, the public university in Cancun, México, where he was cross-appointed to the university's Sustainable Tourism Department and English Departments. During his career Tom has also been the Executive Director and Director of Development for JUMP Math; Inaugural Executive Director for the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust - the administrative arm for the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; and a senior aide and policy advisor on Parliament Hill.

Registration is now open for the "New Shoreline Alternatives to Hard Armor" seminar from the Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA). The event will take place 13 August 2009 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Get a first-hand view of what shoreline property owners are doing to improve water quality. The seminar will include information on and images from eroded shorelines in construction stages of repair, overall site layout and site preparation completed for a shoreline restoration. A brochure is available on the MECA website. Learn more here.;

According to the Philippines' newspaper Tempo, the Belgium-based company Baggerwerken Decloedt en Zoon (BDC), which had spent four years trying to bring a proposed P18.7-billion (USD$435 million) lake rehabilitation project to life, has announced the project has been canceled. The government scrapped the Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Project (LLRP) without further comment. BDC had planned to dredge the lake and store the silt/sand in a newly created, geotextile-lined wetland. Learn more here.;

Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd. and Aterian Investment Partners are pleased to announce that they have jointly purchased the PVC additives business of Chemtura Corporation, newly named Galata Chemicals. Galata Chemicals is a leading global producer of additives for numerous PVC and other polymer applications. The expansive product portfolio includes heat stabilizers, plasticizers and impact modifiers. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has extended the window for proposals to EC10 through 29 May 2009. IECA organizes its work into 8 technology sections: slopes, stream restoration, vegetative establishment, stormwater management, wetlands, erosion and sediment control, beach and shoreline stabilization, and wind erosion. The "Hot Topics" for 2010 are LEED for new construction, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. EC10 will be held in Dallas, Texas 14-17 February 2010. Read more at IECA's site. Learn more here.;

By Strata Geosystems – DLF Ltd (Delhi Land & Finance - largest commercial real estate developers in India) redesigned its 18-hole golf course into a grand 27-hole facility in...

EC06, 20 - 24 February, Long Beach, Calif., will feature a Field Day event at which erosion control products and site management techniques will be demonstrated. Among the day's participants will be gsa underwriters Colbond (booth 639) and North American Green (booth 300).

Fiberweb is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Fraser as Business Director of Geosynthetics. Ian has more than 25 years of experience working in the geotechnical industry and has...

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA Region One) is currently accepting abstract submissions for educational courses and technical sessions (case studies, technical papers, workshops, forums, or posters) at Environmental Connection...

Wow. In Bibb County, Georgia, the effects of more stringent erosion control regulations have become quite severe. In this instance, fines are not the concern. The problem is that for a road widening project the state DOT may need to claim four homes (that were built and occupied just three years ago) and 20 feet of land from many other residents - all to comply with erosion control rules on building detention ponds. Learn more here.;

The Belgium-based nonwovens association EDANA and India-based Business Coordination House (BCH) will present a high-level conference and unique business opportunities in support of the expected market growth for filtration across the Indian subcontinent and Asia. FiltrexAsia 2010 will be held 18-19 February 2010 in New Delhi, India. Themes include new filter media technologies, market trends, water treatment, gas filtration and more. Learn more here.;

The slope adjacent to the athletic fields at Saint Mark Catholic School in Huntersville, North Carolina had been experiencing severe surface erosion and shallow/surface failures. Engineers decided to pursue a solution that involved driven soil anchors and a turf reinforcement mat for veneer stability. Fortrac® 3D from HUESKER was chosen as the ideal fit for the turf reinforcement because of its high tensile strength at low elongations. Fortrac® 3D's unique three-dimensional construction and high tenacity differentiate it from other turf reinforcement mats. Unlike other products that elongate as much as 65%, Fortrac® 3D has a maximum elongation of 12%, which means it keeps soil in place.

Mississippi is doling out money from its $5.4 billion Hurricane Katrina recovery fund. The Brookhaven community, for example, has received $665,000 for erosion control. The city will offer a $100,000 match. The Daily Leader's story, via Zwire, includes a breakdown of other recent awards in the state for shoreline repair, road construction, erosion control and much more. Learn more here.;

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana is still playing catch-up from recent years' hurricanes. Road repairs along the coast are expected to include lane and buffer widening with geotextiles and riprap. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved $6.3 million in support for the project. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association Region One (IECA) has announced the environmental award winners for the 2015 Environmental Achievement Award and the 2015 Outstanding Professional of the Year. Top...

In its latest animation, TenCate Geosynthetics profiles how road building with geosynthetics can extend service lives up to 10x. The 1 minute, 37 second video shows design with TenCate...

The triennial INDEXTM global nonwoven event from Edana will be held 20 - 23 October 2020 in Geneva Switzerland. (NOTE: These represent new dates since this story was published.)...

Omya Inc. has received a draft certification to dispose of its chemically tainted calcium carbonate waste in a lined facility in Vermont. The $1.5 million lined tailings management facility dovetails with the company's $10 million dewatering plant. The plant removes 85 percent to 90 percent of the water from the waste, which is pumped back into the plant for reuse. The draft certification requires a single, high-density polyethylene double liner and leachate collection system. Learn more here.;

The Defiance, Ohio Canal Road Landfill expansion is progressing into the $1.7 million Phase II. The lining system is constructed with 60-mil high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane atop compacted clay. Cost for the 10-acre site has been reduced through taking advantage of drainage systems installed last year during Phase I. Learn more here.;

TenCate Geosynthetics Americas has been selected by Parsons Engineering of New York as the sole source to supply TenCate Geotube® containers for the dredging project on Onondaga Lake, in the State of New York. This project is the largest geotextile tube project in the US and North America. As a result of over a century of industrial activity on the shores of Onondaga Lake, lake sediments have been contaminated with chemicals such as heavy metals, PAH's and volatile organic compounds (e.g., chlorobenzene). Due to this contamination, Onondaga Lake and related upland sites were added to the Federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994.

The City Council in Aiken, South Carolina is considering construction of a new retention or detention pond on a roughly 5.5-acre plot of land that takes drainage from two roads and to head off flooding of an area of the city. The city must decide upon either a dry detention pond that would focus on infiltration back into groundwater or a retention pond that would utilize a liner or partial liner and keep a steady level of water in the pond (approx. 3 feet) with a design capacity of 6 to 8 foot depth. The latter approach would enable development of the pond's surrounding area for trails and park land. Learn more here.;

Keeping cattle healthy in times of drought and bad weather requires shrewd stock and feed management. Also, as the University of Kentucky's Aimee Nielson writes on the Cattle Network, these balancing measures should also be supported by such practices such as building cattle feed lots with geotextile separation to reduce detrimental waste. Learn more here.;