Wetlands Maintenance Project
Pennsylvania-American Water Company
Hershey, PA
Kleinschmidt was hired to assist the Pennsylvania American Water Company
(PAWC) with the wetlands
assessment, environmental permitting, and engineering
design associated with potential wetlands impacts from the operation of
two water supply wells within a rural watershed with a wild brook trout
fishery in Sandy Ridge, Pennsylvania.
Initial studies to determine the potential environmental effects of the well operations found that hydrologic inputs to several wetlands could be reduced. As a condition for well operation, agencies required a Wetland Monitoring and Maintenance Plan.
A Kleinschmidt team of civil engineers, biologists, hydrologists, and environmental permitting specialists developed alternative approaches to wetlands monitoring and maintenance in consultation with PAWC, and state and federal agencies. In order to assess potential impacts associated with the proposed water withdrawal, Kleinschmidt analyzed baseline hydrologic data as well as quantitative wetlands vegetation and soils data for potential effects on wetland functions. Kleinschmidt also completed a wetland functional assessment and delineation. Various options for augmented hydrologic inputs to the wetlands were evaluated. Kleinschmidt engineers designed a system that uses pumped water from the underlying aquifer to augment natural hydrologic inputs with a system of spray irrigation, weirs, and piped inputs to the wetlands. The plan includes hydrologic (surface flows, soil moisture and groundwater levels) and vegetative triggers as an indication of when and how much water to add.
Kleinschmidt attended meetings with state and federal regulators, and conducted various site visits with regulators as well as the client. In addition to the permitting and biological analyses, Kleinschmidt provided the required engineering including preparation of site plans, design drawings, construction specifications, and erosion control plans. The permits PAWC received will allow them to economically maintain the wetlands while providing the necessary quantities of potable water to their customer base.