January 28, 2013
David Flick, Principal and Founder, announces that the firm has successfully completed Section 404/401 Clean Water Act permitting for the Kenneth Road Drainage Improvements project in Overland Park. Designed by city staff in consultation with engineers and scientists at Terra Technologies, the project serves to reduce routine flooding ofthe roadway atop a low profile culvert.
Flooding results from sediment occlusion in a former ephemeral channel adjacent to the roadway. A resulting linear forested wetland creates backwater on the roadway during routine storm events.
Staff at Terra Technologies coordinated a Cultural Resource Investigation and determined the presence of eligible sites adjacent to the drainage corridor. Scientists also delineated a central wetland complex alongside the drainage corridor. John Kahl, principal and gemorphologist with Terra Technologies, designed a shallow broad swale to convey sufficient storm water flow to reduce associated roadway flooding. Scientists with the firm designed a wetland restoration seed mix to ensure maintenance of wetland limits.
Staff prepared a scientific justification and received a waiver of the Nationwide 404 Permit 300-foot rule. As a general condition of most Nationwide 404 permit verifications, a project can not disturb greater than 300 lineal feet of stream channel to qualify for a streamlined permit. Receipt of a waiver request significantly decreases permit time, enabling a project to begin construction in an expeditious manner. For more information about the application for nationwide permit authorizations, contact your local office of Terra Technologies. |
