by Collin McCracken
While building your project, you may run into several roadblocks that require a lot of effort to work around. One common obstacle we encounter during construction in Western Washington is an inadequate plan for managing water.
Stormwater can throw many different wrenches in your plans if not carefully considered during the planning stages. From eroding constructed slopes to saturating subgrades and stockpiles and racking up potentially thousands in fines through contaminated discharges, a little preparation before construction goes a long way.
Seattle, while being known as one of the rainiest places in the country, averages only 38 inches of rain per year, only enough to put the city in 32nd place for rainiest metro area. What we don’t have in quantity, we make up for by having rain that falls over the course of a long rainy season. This means sites with exposed soil have more individual days they have to deal with precipitation. Because of this rainfall, a great deal of earthwork in construction takes place during the summer months. However, little would get done if work could only be completed during good weather!
Luckily, the Riley Group is here to help you get your project done in a cost effective, timely manner. We have a team of Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Leads (CESCL’s) that can help you manage the stormwater until your project is completed. We will work with your specific site topography and help implement and maintain erosion and sediment control measures that keep you and your neighbors protected, as well as avoiding downstream construction costs that could be mitigated with some foresight and planning.
During all construction, project managers are responsible for making sure the impact to surrounding properties is minimal to non-existent. This means ensuring your site is contained and water and soil don’t leave your site (except in a truck). They are also responsible for making sure public roads stay clean so municipal storm systems can continue to work properly.
Call RGI’s team of erosion control experts to help keep your investment protected and your neighbors happy!
