Terranext - Waste Water Management

Terranext engineers, hydrogeologists, and geophysicists provide water supply consulting services dedicated to the protection and development of ground water and surface water resources. Terranext uses state of the practice technology and highly skilled personnel to provide water supply services, which include:

New water supply exploration
Well field design/management
Well head protection studies
New Pumping well design and permitting
Design of river bank filtration systems
Aquifer safe yield analysis
Identification of alternative water supplies
Surface water intake studies
Surface water quality studies
Ground water/surface water interaction studies
Aquifer testing and characterization
Ground water modeling
Geophysical surveys
Industrial wastewater conceptual design
Stormwater Polllution Prevention Plans

RECENT PROJECTS

Well Field Design/Ground Water Modeling

Metropolitan Utilities District

Omaha, Nebraska

Terranext personnel completed the design of a 42 well water supply well field, near Omaha, Nebraska. The well field design included comprehensive planning and engineering, including: development of well designs, instrumentation and analysis of aquifer tests, evaluation of the Platte River as a source of recharge to the well field, and ground water modeling. Terranext personnel developed a ground water model, using the USGS MODFLOW code, to assist with project planning and evaluating the potential impact of the well field on other ground water users, including: other municipal well fields, local irrigators, and the hydraulic containment wells of a nearby Superfund site. The ground water model was reviewed by two districts of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), The USACE Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste Center of Expertise, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region Seven, and the USEPA Center for Subsurface Modeling Support.

Well Field Design/

River Bank Filtration System Design

Lewis and Clark Rural Water System

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Terranext completed a pre-design study for a 50 million gallon per day ground water well field near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The well field is located adjacent to the Missouri River and will obtain most of the raw water from induced infiltration of the Missouri River. The well field design includes vertical, angle, and radial collector water supply wells. Terranext analyzed the impact of the Missouri River as a source of recharge to the well field, determined the appropriate well spacing to minimize well interference, and evaluated the impact of well field operations on the flow in the Missouri River. Additional activities performed include: development of plans and specifications for water supply wells, analysis of 72 hour pumping tests, and development of a ground water flow model. The ground water model was used to estimate the safe yield of the aquifer.

HIGH CAPACITY WATER WELL EXPLORATION

Central Iowa Water Association

Waverly, Iowa

Sigourney, Iowa

Terranext personnel completed a geophysical exploration survey to determine bedrock fracture locations for a high capacity municipal water supply in central Iowa. A bedrock fracture trace analysis was conducted to determine potential fracture trace orientations and locations as Phase I of the geophysical survey. Following the results of the bedrock fracture trace analysis a surface geophysical survey was conducted to determine specific orientation, location and depth of the bedrock fractures. An electrical resistivity survey was chosen as the geophysical method of choice based on the high resistivity contrast of fracture zones. Based on Terranext’s work, two different fracture zone locations were identified. Drilling the first test well location revealed numerous large fractures and test well production from the location was over 2,000 gallon per minute (gpm). Drilling of a test well on the second location is currently being conducted.

Erosion Control & Stormwater Management

Former Lead and Cobalt Mine
Frederickstown, Missouri

This former mine is listed for possible addition to NPL and consists of 1750 acres of land near Fredricktown, Madison County, Missouri. Mining began on the property in 1843 and continued to 1961. Over time, this mine produced copper, lead, cobalt, nickel, iron, and small amounts of zinc and silver. In 1992, Terranext conducted baseline stormwater sampling from three outfalls at the mine to evaluate the offsite transport of tailings into surrounding streams. The sampling demonstrated heavy metals were entering the streams. Terranext designed a stabilization program consisting of grading the tailing piles to reduce slopes, capping of the tailings to prevent distribution by wind and precipitation, establishing vegetation above the cap, and routing storm water runoff around the tailings area. Construction was completed in November 1998 at a cost of approximately $650,000.

Terranext identified historic processing areas as another source of metals,. and subsequently designed and constructed a new sedimentation structure consisting of a new dam and 7.9 acres of storage area to capturing run-off from the processing and tailing areas. This project was completed in October 2000 at a cost of approximately $330,000.
A third source of metal discharge was a continuously flowing discharge from an unplugged mine decline. After evaluating treatment options for removing metals, such as engineered wetlands and precipitation of metals by pH adjustment and settling in the sedimentation pond, plugging of the decline was determined to be the most cost effective method for controlling the discharge. Construction of the decline plug was completed on September 24, 2002 at a cost of approximately $335,000.

In 2003, Terranext prepared a Characterization Study Workplan and Baseline Risk Assessment for properties along a creek that flows from the former tailings area. The plan was approved by EPA and Terranext is conducting the study which includes screening of residential yards and city parks for metals using an X-Ray Fluorescence unit, collection of soil, sediment and surface water samples and coordination of access and screening of over 150 properties. Terranext is currently responsible for negotiating access and provides coordination of field activities between EPA Region 7, local residents, property owners and city personnel including dissemination of screening information and reports. Project value is approximately $2,000,000.

Wastewater Design
International Paper/Escambia

County
Pensacola, FL

Terranext supplied engineering and technical support for the International Paper/Escambia County Utilities Authority (IP/ECUA) wastewater treatment improvement project, in Pensacola, Florida. The project involves the upgrade and improvement of treatment operations at the IP pulp and paper mill, as well as the relocation of the outfall from Eleven-Mile Creek to new constructed wetlands. When completed, the treated process wastewater from the mill will be combined with treated sanitary wastewater from the ECUA and transported approximately ten miles in a new pipeline to constructed wetlands. The project will dramatically improve the water quality in Eleven Mile Creek. Project value was $120,000.

Water Supply Planning
Heart of GA Regional Development Center
Baxley, Georgia

Terranext completed comprehensive water supply plans for a four county area in southeast Georgia, including Appling, Tattnall, Toombs, and Wayne counties. Water supply plans were designed to identify future water needs and supplies necessary to provide adequate water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial usage and protect the state's natural resources. The four county area is primarily agricultural and is located in what is locally termed the "onion belt" for its Vidalia onion production. The plans focused on:

obtaining accurate data on current water demand, water supply, and wastewater treatment
methods used to project future domestic, industrial, and agricultural usage
alternative groundwater and surface water sources
practical conservation approaches
balancing stakeholders requirements
public involvement process

Project value was $88,000.