News

Nebraska Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Water ResourcesCivil EngineeringStormwater Management Project Summary Blackstone Environmental provided water resource engineering to an industrial facility in Nebraska to assist in replacement of an undersized storm water culvert and restoration of channel riprap lining and vegetation. An existing channel crossing the culvert system, which consisted of multiple circular corrugated metal pipes, did not provide adequate hydraulic capacity or have the ability to pass woody debris downstream. The existing culverts needed replacement, and the client requested a box culvert to improve hydraulic capacity through the channel. Existing channel banks downstream of the culvert crossing were eroding due to lack of riprap and exposure to the elements over many years. The native soils are highly erodible, which was evident in multiple areas of the storm water channel. Services Provided This project included water resource engineering, streambank stabilization and Corps of Engineers environmental permitting. Blackstone designed a new concrete box culvert for an access road crossing for the main storm water…

Colorado Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Pipeline ServicesWater Resources Project Summary Blackstone was tasked by Magellan Pipeline Company to provide an environmental risk evaluation associated with the removal of an abandoned section of pipeline crossing the Cache la Poudre River in Larimer County, Colorado. A 900-foot section of pipeline crossing the river was horizontal directionally drilled below the river channel, resulting in about 900 feet of abandoned, inactive pipeline being left in place. About 130 feet of the abandoned section was exposed on the riverbed. Prior to re-drilling the pipeline, previous efforts to protect the exposed section of pipeline included installation of concrete grout matting around the line to prevent damage from debris such as tree limbs flowing down the channel. Larimer County wanted a review of potential environmental impacts associated with the abandoned section of line to assist in their determination of whether it should remain in-place or be cut, capped and removed from the river channel. Services Provided Watershed evaluationHydraulics and hydrology…

Kansas Location Rowley Tedlock Contact Service Lines Pipeline ServicesWater ResourcesCivil Engineering Project Summary Magellan Pipeline Company retained Blackstone to conduct a slope stability evaluation of a streambank on the Verdigris River in Montgomery County, Kansas. Three underground pipelines and one cable-suspended overhead pipeline cross the river at this location. Cement grout matting was placed on both banks in 2001 to protect the underground lines and deter bank erosion. Over time, the grout mat buckled over on itself on one bank of the river due to soil movement beneath the grout mat. The project involved determining the root cause of the failure, evaluating the potential impact to the pipelines, and designing a long-term repair solution. Services Provided Determination of the locations/depths of the pipelines with hydrovac equipmentRemoval of the failed portion of the grout mat and temporary repairInstallation and monitoring of inclinometers in the bank failure areaHydraulics and hydrology analysisNationwide Permit 3 (maintenance) authorization from USACEDesign of bank repair/protection featuresConstruction observation and documentation Results The buckled…

Missouri Location Rowley Tedlock Contact Service Lines Pipeline ServicesWater ResourcesCivil Engineering Project Summary Blackstone provides on-call engineering services for Magellan Pipeline Company. We help Magellan evaluate and correct underground pipeline exposures and at-risk foundations for cable-suspended overhead pipelines due to erosion at stream crossings. This location in Cooper County, Missouri included one active and one inactive underground liquid petroleum pipelines crossing Smiley Creek. These pipelines had been covered with concrete many years ago at the creek crossing. The concrete beneath the pipelines split from the concrete covering the pipelines causing an emergency situation with the weight of the concrete over the now-unsupported spans.  Services Provided Emergency mobilization and site inspection by contractors, pipeline inspectors and Blackstone engineersEmergency correspondence/permitting with USACE and MDOCIn-field design of exposure correction and streambank stabilizationConcurrent hyydraulics and hydrology analysis in the officeConducted onsite contractor direction and construction observations Results The stream flow was diverted and the concrete was removed from the channel.  The pipelines were inspected, maintained and protected with rock…

Kansas Location Rowley Tedlock Contact Service Lines Pipeline ServicesWater ResourcesCivil Engineering Project Summary Blackstone provides on-call engineering services for Magellan Pipeline Company. We help Magellan evaluate and correct underground pipeline exposures and at-risk foundations for cable-suspended overhead pipelines due to erosion at stream crossings. Blackstone has worked on over 100 of these types of projects for Magellan over the past six years. This location in Atchison County, Kansas included one underground pipeline and one cable-suspended overhead pipeline crossing Deer Creek. The underground line was exposed in the stream bed and one of the support towers for the overhead line was in jeopardy of being undermined due to bank erosion. Services Provided Initial site investigation and evaluation of bank stabilization feasibilityEvaluation of biological sensitivity and project permit requirementsConcept design and preliminary construction cost estimateTopographical surveyHydraulics and hydrology analysisPreparation of construction plan setPreparation of applications for USACE, DWR and KDHE project permitsConducted construction observations Results The streambank stabilization design included the construction of modular concrete block walls…

Iowa Location Lindsay James Contact Service Lines Due DiligenceWater ResourcesAir Qualilty Project Summary Blackstone Environmental, Inc. supported the development of a new cement terminal in the Des Moines area by conducting a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and wetland delineation for a proposed site location and then preparing air quality permit applications for the proposed equipment. Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Blackstone conducted the Phase I ESA for a 15.09-acre agricultural property that was identified as a potential location for the cement terminal. The Phase I ESA assessed site conditions, both past, and present, for indications of recognized environmental conditions (RECs) at the Site prior to purchase. Land use in the area included recent light industrial development and agricultural/undeveloped properties. Aerial photos reviewed indicated that the site had been vacant or agricultural land since at least the late 1930s. Blackstone reviewed environmental database records, interviewed the current landowner, and conducted site reconnaissance, and did not identify indications of RECs associated with the historic use…