Enterprise Technical Services

Portfolio

• Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP)
• 
  Project Implementation
• 
  Environmental Compliance
• Facility
  Design &
  Management
• 
  Site Survey
  & Mapping

Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) Help

Rivers and streams are more than mere conduits for water and fish. They are long, linear ecosystems made up of the physical environment, communities of organisms, and a variety of ecological processes that shape and maintain these ecosystems over time. The long-term conservation of important aquatic resources (such as fish) requires the maintenance of healthy and ecologically viable ecosystems. Road crossings have the potential to undermine the ecological integrity of roaded river and stream systems in a number of ways. To ensure the productivity and viability of river and stream ecosystems, we must protect and restore the quality of the physical environment (habitat), maintain intact communities of aquatic organisms, and take care not to disrupt critical ecological processes.
Stream simulation is an approach to designing crossing structures (usually culverts), that creates a structure that is as similar as possible to the natural channel. When channel dimensions, slope, and streambed structure are similar, water velocities and depths also will be similar. Thus simulated channel should present no more of an odstacle to aquatic animals than the natural channel.

Enterprise Technical Services (ETS) provides turn-key services in aquatic organism passage project design and construction. We can help identify critical barriers within your transportation system; provide National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), wetland delineation, permitting and other environmental compliance services; site (stream) surveys; site designs for a variety of AOP solutions; contract preparation; and contract administration.

ETS Project Lead Dennis Vogan at Scout Creek on the La Grande Ranger

District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The corrguated steel pipe

culvert (left) was replaced by a prefabricated concrete, grade control

structure (right) which restored the natural stream flow and connectivity.

Surveys on the Shawnee National Forest

ETS civil engineer Thomas Laurent, P.E. has been on the Shawnee conducting topographic surveys for future replacement of existing AOP structures. The staff of ETS are experts in locating, designing and constructing stream crossing structures that provide free and unrestricted movement for all swimming or crawling aquatic species. ETS offers comprehensive AOP services.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest

On the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, civil engineer Eleanor Oman and retiree Dennis Vogan are working with the Forest fish biologist, hydrologist, and engineers to replace a culvert installation at Beaver Creek. The existing twin culvert installation does not meet aquatic organism passage requirements, and 2011’s Wallow fire and subsequent rain events highlighted the crossing’s inadequacy to carry flood flows. Dennis and our land surveyor gathered site specific data to create a topographic model of the site. Eleanor is using the data to design a new crossing structure and assemble a contract package. John Slown is conducting the NEPA analysis and permitting for the site.

Project Implementation Help

“Representing your mission and interests through construction”

Contracting Administration Services for the Northern Research Station

Enterprise Technical Services provides expert services for Contracting Officer's Representatives. Richard Mora, an engineering technician with ETS, spent several months this year helping the Northern Reasearch Station in Hamden, CT with construction and remolding projects.

Environmental Compliance Help

“Helping you meet the laws, regulations and other requirements to which you subscribe”

US Forest Service Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Services

ETS's enviromental engineer Karen Bower routinely performs Phase 1 Site Environmental Site Assessments prior to property transfer. For example, the Alaska Lands Team was looking to acquire a trail easementfrom the Tatitlek Corporation in a very remote area in south-central Alaska. The trail will allow the public to access National Forest Lands via the Copper River. Also in 2010, the Rocky Mountain Research Station was looking to convey the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute building at the southern edge of the University of Montana Campus in Missoula, Montana. An Environmental Site Assessment was conducted to examine the property for possible contamination or recognized environmental conditions prior to property transfer. In both cases, the Phase I Site Assessment complied with American Society for Testing And Materials (ASTM) E 1527-05 standards and with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) / United States Department of the Interior (DOI) Pre-Acquisition Environmental Assessment Guidance for Federal Land Transactions. No recognized environmental conditions were identified at either facility.

Enviromental Assessments for the Gallatin Forest

Enterprise Technical Services planner John Slown prepared three environmental assessments addressing land exchanges for the Gallatin National Forest. John's expertise in wildlife habitat assessment and implementation of the Endangered Species Act were particularly helpful to these projects, given the high profile of wildlife and endangered species issues in the Greater Yellowstone Ecoregion.

Facility Design & Management Help

“Helping you create, fix, and maintain your buildings, roads, and other facilities”

Anaconda Job Corps Center

ETS water and wastewater engineer Debbie Davis is helping the Anaconda Job Corps Center install a filtration and disinfection treatment system for their spring fed water system in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Recreation/Engineering Program Services

ETS Civil Engineer Eleanor Oman provides engineering services for recreation program managers. She is currently working on two projects on the Chugach National Forest along the Alaska Railroad: Placer River Trail Bridge construction and Grandview Whistle Stop construction. The Placer River Trail bridge will be a 280 ft long treated timber camel back truss. Eleanor helped with site reconnaissance, put together the design/build contract package, and is COR for the contract. She is working closely with the Forest staff, RO bridge engineer, and retired geotechnical engineer Richard Kennedy to implement this high profile recreation project. The Grandview Whistle Stop is a developed recreation site, constructed along the railroad, that will consist of pavilions, a vault toilet, short trail bridge and trail, and viewing platform. Eleanor worked with retired Landscape Architect Dave Kissel to develop conceptual construction drawings; retired Civil Engineer Lynette Carlson to develop a structural analysis and design for the pavilions; and with the Regional Office and Forest to put together a design-build contract. She is COR on the contract. The timeline was tight to get these two projects to contracting because ARRA funding had a definite deadlines, so the design-build contracting approach was taken. Eleanor has assisted the Tongass National Forest with picnic shelters, recreation cabins, trail construction, and the Titan Trail Bridge. ETS provides the full range of recreation/engineering services from site reconnaissance and site survey to design and contract preparation through to contract administration. Eleanor and Tom Laurent are qualified to inspect all trail bridges, including major and complex, and are instructors for the Trail Bridge Inspection course developed by MTDC.

Forest Service Southern Region Bridge Inspection