Attachment_K_-_Experience_and_Capacity_Response SWCA.pdf

TMDL and Watershed Modeling and Application: Attachment K

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ATTACHMENT K: EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY RESPONSE

1. COMPANY PROFILE

1.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW

SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA), a 100% employee-owned S-Corporation established in Arizona in 1981, specializes in providing comprehensive environmental planning, regulatory compliance, and natural and cultural resources management services to businesses and government clients across the United States. We work to understand the full life cycle of each project, from its early inception to completion. In the face of rapid environmental, economic, and societal changes, SWCA provides a thorough approach to these ever-changing challenges.

Since our founding, SWCA has grown to more than 1,400 employees in 39 offices nationwide, including three offices in Arizona—Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson. Our in-house experts include project managers, water resources experts, technical editors, geographic information systems (GIS) specialists, and field technicians. SWCA’s team of more than 50 water resource experts in the western United States have extensive experience in watershed planning and water quality assessments. We have worked with state departments of environmental and water quality nationwide, including the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

SWCA has supported more than 8,000 environmental projects in all 15 Arizona counties. We apply our high-level technical, scientific, and management expertise while managing multiple on-call contracts in Arizona. We currently hold more than 70 master service agreements in Arizona, including contracts for the Arizona Department of Administration, the cities of Phoenix, Tucson, and Chandler; and Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. We understand the unique project needs, processes, and various funding mechanisms of local government projects that can drive environmental requirements. Our team has focused expertise on state-level water quality issues with Arizona regulatory knowledge, and a strong focus on communication and customer service. SWCA offers the following benefits:

• A trusted consultant for total maximum daily load (TMDL) and modeling. SWCA’s professional scientists provide TMDL, watershed modeling, and water quality analysis services to states, local watershed councils, and local governments for a number of water quality impairments. With more than 20 TMDL projects in the West, our TMDL and water quality personnel understand local and regional landscapes that affect the natural and human environment, as well as the steps needed to complete a thorough TMDL analysis. SWCA approaches each impaired water individually with an evaluation of existing data sets, key questions, and considerations of uncertainty to select the simplest and most appropriate modeling tool(s) for the analysis.

• Extensive experience in watershed characterization and planning. SWCA has completed more than 25 watershed characterization and planning projects across the western United States that involve identifying data gaps, summarizing designated uses, summarizing water quality standards, and completing water quality data analysis. These projects involved U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's) 9-element watershed plans, stream restoration, comprehensive management plans, and water quality monitoring.

• Project experience that directly relates to Arizona water quality issues. SWCA is plugged into the issues and regulations for water quality nationally and at the state level. SWCA has worked on diverse surface waters in Arizona and neighboring states, including wetlands, streams and rivers in arid and montane landscapes, as well as lakes and reservoirs. We understand the role of TMDLs in other Clean Water Act (CWA) programs including permitting, standards, assessment, and Section 319 nonpoint source funding.

SWCA’s experience and leadership in water quality issues nationally and locally brings a team of specialists

Page | 2 that understand western water quality issues and EPA review standards. This is critical to successful and timely completion of approvable and actionable TMDLs. SWCA has developed TMDLs, models, and watershed plans for numerous water quality parameters found on Arizona’s 303d list of impaired waters including Escherichia coli (E. coli), sediment, temperature, total dissolved solids, nutrients, and metals.

• A team with national recognition and local water quality experience that can support a wide range of project needs. SWCA’s overall project manager—former Utah Division of Water Quality (UDWQ) director Erica Gaddis—will oversee the project, with support from Kristie Kilgore and Mark Murphy providing extensive ADEQ water quality experience and local Arizona management provided by Assistant Project Manager Victoria Casteel, based in SWCA’s Phoenix office. Our team will draw on water professionals across our western offices. The benefit of having a larger consultant such as SWCA is the understanding of Arizona resources and regulations from the local staff, supported by the strength of the knowledge base of our company-wide subject matter experts. This strong company-wide bench of professionals, within and around state lines, will allow for more complete support of ADEQ’s projects, wherever they may be located within the state.

• Public Facilitation Team. SWCA regularly develops stakeholder engagement strategies and conducts outreach activities and public information sessions in the areas of river management, TMDL development, and National Environmental Policy Act compliance. We are experienced in convening groups of diverse stakeholders, often with polarized interests. We seek to foster meaningful participation, provide transparent engagement, and document the diverse opinions of all who seek to participate. SWCA conducted the public comment analysis for the highly controversial Environmental Impact Statement for withdrawal of approximately 1 million acres of federal lands near Grand Canyon National Park, ultimately receiving, coding, and cataloging over 297,000 individual comments from 92 countries around the world.

1.2 LOCATION IN WHICH THE OFFEROR IS INCORPORATED

SWCA, Incorporated, dba SWCA Environmental Consultants, is an Arizona corporation. Our corporate address is 20 East Thomas Road, Suite 1700, Phoenix, Arizona 85012.

1.3 MAIN OFFICE ADDRESS

Our main office for performing work for ADEQ is at our corporate address in Phoenix, Arizona. Additional offices from which work may be performed are listed below in Table K-1.

Table K-1. Office Locations

OFFICE ADDRESS

Phoenix 20 East Thomas Road, Suite 1700, Phoenix, Arizona 85012 Tucson 343 West Franklin Street, Tucson, Arizona 85701 Flagstaff 1645 South Plaza Way, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001 Salt Lake City 257 East 200 South, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Denver 295 Interlocken Boulevard, Suite 300, Broomfield, Colorado 80021 Albuquerque 7770 Jefferson Street, NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 Half Moon Bay 60 Stone Pine Road, Suite 100, Half Moon Bay, California 94019 Bismarck 201 Slate Drive, Suite 8, Bismarck, North Dakota 58503 Raleigh-Durham 113 Edinburgh South Drive, Suite 120, Cary, North Carolina 27511 Amherst 15 Research Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002

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1.4 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND KEY POINT OF CONTACT

SWCA has an expert contract management team with in-depth, relevant experience as well as a deep understanding of the Arizona regulatory environment. Project Manager Erica Gaddis will serve as SWCA’s key point of contact and can be reached at 385-390-3621 or erica.gaddis@swca.com. Dr. Gaddis is the former Director of the UDWQ. During her time at UDWQ, Erica oversaw the implementation of all CWA programs in the state including the TMDL, water quality assessment, watershed planning, and nonpoint source programs.

Senior Technical Advisors Kristie Kilgore and Mark Murphy will work closely with Dr. Gaddis to ensure that Arizona-specific water quality issues are understood and represented in specific task orders. Ms. Kilgore has over 30 years of experience working in water resources, including 7 years working in the ADEQ Water Quality Division as a Unit Supervisor and then as a Senior Hydrologist/Advisor responsible for permit reviews and high-profile water projects. Dr. Murphy has more than 30 years of experience in stream restoration, arid hydrology, watershed science and CWA programs, including work on several TMDL and watershed planning projects in Arizona.

Dr. Gaddis, Ms. Kilgore, and Dr. Murphy will be supported by two assistant project managers who will allow SWCA to seamlessly manage multiple, concurrent projects.

• Assistant Project Manager/Arizona Regulatory Specialist Victoria Casteel (Phoenix, AZ) has more than 17 years of experience in environmental and water resources and has served as specialist on a wide range of projects throughout the state of Arizona, including transportation, infrastructure, mining, commercial, and residential. She provides guidance, agency coordination, and technical expertise to ensure regulatory compliance, with a specialty in CWA compliance.

• Assistant Project Manager/Watershed Scientist Arianna Disser (Salt Lake City, UT) has expertise in water quality sampling, data visualization and analysis techniques, watershed management plans, hydrology, technical writing, and project management. She has played a key role on the SWCA team for numerous water resources projects as a project manager, performing research, authoring technical reports, and analyzing and interpreting water quality data at a statewide level.

Project Support Staff. The SWCA project team, as illustrated in the team organizational chart in Figure K-1 on page 4, will be able to draw upon a large, permanent staff of specialists in GIS, technical editing, and document production, and we can use high-level scientific staff in other offices for specialized analysis. The permanent availability of this substantial scientific and technical support network will allow the SWCA project team to draw upon the resources necessary to conduct cutting-edge scientific research and produce top-quality deliverables on an aggressive schedule and at a competitive cost.

In addition, SWCA project managers are supported by Project Controls personnel to oversee project contract administration, as well as track our schedule and budget across all phases of the project. Project Controls will provide skilled and dedicated project-level financial oversight allowing our technical staff to focus on ensuring the technical parts of the scope are of the highest quality and are completed on time.

Commitment. Staff availability, responsiveness, and communication are critical elements to consider when managing and delivering work on time and within budget. Our local presence, supported by a large nationwide team, can provide capacity to handle any volume of work while offering area-specific resource expertise and the ability to respond quickly to requests. We are committed to maintaining the same team proposed here for the life of the contract, to the extent practicable. Biographies and resumes of our full team are in Attachment G – Key Personnel.

mailto:erica.gaddis@swca.com

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Figure K-1. Organizational Chart

1.5 CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE

SWCA is unaware of any facts or circumstances which would give rise to a conflict of interest in performing work under this contract.

1.6 BANKRUPTCY STATEMENT

SWCA has not filed (or had filed against it) any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, whether voluntary or involuntary, or undergone the appointment of a receiver, trustee, or assignee for the benefit of creditors since SWCA was founded in 1981.

1.7 SEC INVESTIGATION STATEMENT

There are no pending Securities Exchange Commission investigations involving SWCA.

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1.8 OPEN OR PENDING LITIGATION STATEMENT – CONTRACTED SERVICES

There are no open or pending litigation matters from contracted services that may have a material impact on SWCA’s ability to deliver the contracted services to the ADEQ.

1.9 OPEN OR PENDING LITIGATION STATEMENT – PUBLIC SECTOR

Currently, SWCA has the following active legal claims pending from public sector clients:

Donna Chick, as Administrator of the Estate of Louise Barbuzzi v. Rolfe House Limited Partnership d/b/a Rolfe House Apartments; SHP Management Corporation; MEW England Environmental, Inc.;

SWCA, Inc.; and Occuhealth, Inc.

• Court: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Suffolk, SS., Superior Court Department

• Case No.: Civil Action No. 2084 CV 00745

• Filing Date: May 2021

• Name of Project Owner: Rolfe House Limited Partnership D/B/A Rolfe House Apartments

• Basis for Claim: SWCA was hired to test for the existence of legionella in a retirement apartment complex and provide a plan for mitigating any such presence. The owner of the complex chose to re-do the plumbing system and stopped performing testing and using SWCA’s mitigation plan. An elderly tenant subsequently contracted legionella and succumbed to the disease.

• Claim or Suit Amount: Unknown

• Current Status: Ongoing

Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District #7 v SWCA, Inc., Longhorn Excavators, Inc. and C.S.

Britton, Inc.

• Court: 434th Judicial District Court, Richmond, Texas

• Case No.: 22-DCV-299033

• Filing Date: November 2022

• Name of Project Owner: Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District #7

• Basis for Claim: Alleged stream restoration failure due to construction errors; SWCA was drawn in as a related party.

• Claim or Suit Amount: N/A

• Current Status: Ongoing

No other claims have been filed with any courts as of the date of this submittal.

1.10 DISCLOSURE OF TERMINATED CONTRACTS

SWCA has not had any public sector contracts terminated for cause or convenience in the past five (5) years.

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1.11 CRIMINAL OR CIVIL OFFENSE DISCLOSURE

SWCA has never been indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a government entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any offenses enumerated herein.

1.12 ARIZONA BUSINESS LICENSE

Please see Appendix A for a copy of SWCA’s Arizona business license.

1.13 INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS

Per the Q&A posted to the Arizona Procurement portal, copies of professional and industry certifications for the following staff are in Attachment G - Key Personnel:

• Kevin Boesch, Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control

• Mark Murphy, Registered Geologist

• Jim Dawson, Registered Geologist

Please note that we were unable to secure copies of the following certifications prior to the submittal deadline. Per the Q&A issued in the Arizona Procurement Portal, we will provide copies prior to award. In the meantime, registration information for the following staff can be found in Attachment I – Organization Profile and can be verified at the following websites.

• Ben Snyder, Professional Engineer (Civil): https://btr.az.gov/public/registered-professional-search

• Chris Garrett, Professional Hydrologist (Groundwater): https://aih.certemy.com/public-registry/39a440af-244c- 4840-a70f-9b3ee64791f0

2. COMPANY EXPERIENCE

2.1 PROJECT EXAMPLES

SWCA’s project experience includes TMDL development, modeling, watershed planning, best management practice (BMP) implementation, ecological restoration, and water quality monitoring and assessment for waters throughout the western U.S. including Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Our team has experience working on streams, reservoirs, and lakes with a wide variety of water quality impairments including nutrients, sediment, pathogens, E. coli, and habitat alteration. Three of these projects are highlighted below to show key services that we have provided to other clients that are directly relevant to water quality impairments and improvements in Arizona from planning, modeling, and implementation. Table K-2 provides a longer list of projects with shorter project descriptions to illustrate the diversity and volume of our experience in this arena.

Rockport Reservoir and Echo Reservoir TMDLs and Watershed Plans SWCA completed TMDLs for Rockport Reservoir and Echo Reservoir (Summit County, Utah), both of which were listed as impaired for low dissolved oxygen related to excess nutrients. The work involved developing site-specific water quality standards for dissolved oxygen endpoints for a cold-water fish refuge, chlorophyll a, and algal composition. The work included developing and integrating BATHTUB reservoir models and Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) watershed models that identified the linkage between nutrient concentrations and low dissolved oxygen.

The TMDL identified both agricultural and urban sources of nutrients and included a hydrologic model consisting of reach-specific irrigation withdrawals, simulated flood and sprinkler irrigation on specific areas of the watershed, transbasin diversions, snowmelt hydrology, and storm event runoff. The approved TMDLs incorporated modeling of https://btr.az.gov/public/registered-professional-search https://aih.certemy.com/public-registry/39a440af-244c-4840-a70f-9b3ee64791f0 https://aih.certemy.com/public-registry/39a440af-244c-4840-a70f-9b3ee64791f0

Page | 7 nutrient dynamics, algal growth, and dissolved oxygen in the river and the reservoirs. The TMDLs also included the EPA’s 9-element watershed plans to reduce loads from nonpoint and point sources in the watershed. The report example is available at this link.

The watershed plans developed for these TMDLs prioritized actions across federal and state agencies and for critical areas of the watershed to maximize pollution reduction at minimal cost. Over the past 10 years, many of these actions have resulted in significant pollution reduction and the de-listing of the dissolved oxygen impairments in Rockport Reservoir, Echo Reservoir, and East Canyon Reservoir.

Watershed Sediment Management Plan | Colorado Over the past two decades, sediment loading from the upstream watershed (550,000 acres) into the project reservoir owned by Denver Water has created management challenges. SWCA implemented a sediment study to compile data and identify data gaps, using existing data to rank and prioritize 18 hydrologic unit code (HUC) 12 subbasins for further study. SWCA collected field data to model sediment input and transport in four high-priority study areas. Based on the data and literature review, a desktop analysis, and field quantification studies, SWCA identified areas of concern and areas identified as high risk for sediment input or transport into surface water bodies.

SWCA was then retained to develop sediment load reduction projects and a watershed sediment management plan to implement the projects. The final watershed sediment management plan describes sediment issues in the watershed, identifies areas of concern in which to focus project efforts, describes a 20-year implementation plan with prioritized projects, contains project slip sheets with basic concept design to support communication with internal and external stakeholders, and identifies potential funding opportunities for projects. Currently, SWCA is helping Denver Water implement the sediment management plan.

The final deliverable included a user-friendly story map that shows relevant data, web maps, and narratives to organize existing data and watershed assessments; shows areas of concern and sediment sources; and summarizes the watershed sediment management plan’s tools and proposed projects.

Provo River Watershed Plan and Story Map SWCA has supported the Provo River Watershed Council for the past three years with water quality analysis and annual reporting aimed at protecting and restoring water quality in the Upper Provo River Watershed. In this project, SWCA is:

• Determining if and how water quality conditions have changed over time by conducting statistical trend tests at appropriate sample locations.

• Calculating pollutant loading using concentration and flow data and preparing figures depicting temporal trends in pollutant loading across the watershed.

• Comparing water quality parameter concentrations to numeric criteria for designated beneficial uses, TMDL endpoints, or other relevant thresholds. This includes preparing figures depicting comparison of water quality data to relevant thresholds.

• Conducting various GIS geoprocessing analyses to integrate various GIS data layers for the story map.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of key watershed BMPs by integrating land management data with water chemistry results.

• Identifying data gaps and develop recommendations to fill the gaps.

• Organizing data to deliver to the Provo River Watershed Council in a final database.

The annual report and consecutive updates to the annual report are developed within the context of an ESRI online story map where watershed water quality analyses are displayed in an interactive, web-based format (Figure K-2).

https://documents.deq.utah.gov/water-quality/watershed-protection/total-maximum-daily-loads/DWQ-2015-006597.pdf

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Figure K-2. ESRI online story map for Provo River Watershed Plan

SWCA was tasked with developing a new, spatially oriented platform to suit the needs of a variety of stakeholders and audiences. Our team overcame the challenges associated with taking a conceptual idea and developing a usable tool by forming trusted relationships with stakeholders during the brainstorming and planning phase. This allowed a better understanding of stakeholder priorities and requirements for the story map, which informed our design, development, and implementation of the final product.

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Table K-2. Additional Project Experience

PROJECT NAME /

LOCATION / CLIENT

KEY

PERSONNEL

INVOLVED

PROJECT DESCRIPTION TM

DL

Im pl em en ta tio n Pl an ni ng

Mo de lin g

QA

PP

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Lyman Lake TMDL / Apache County, Arizona / Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Erica Gaddis

SWCA developed a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for Lyman Lake for methylmercury in fish tissue.

The project included development of an empirical mercury (Hg) model to link measured hydrologic and chemical parameters for Lyman Lake and tributaries to Hg concentrations in Lyman Lake fish. The Hg model was developed empirically, using site-specific data and published literature values to estimate Hg concentrations in fish tissue due to external Hg loading and internal Hg cycling. SWCA also provided watershed-scale Hg targets and allocations based on available data and modeling results.

Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork TMDLs and Watershed Restoration Plan / Uinta County, Wyoming / Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Erica Gaddis

SWCA completed a pathogen and sediment TMDL and a watershed-based restoration plan for the 2,100-square-mile Blacks Fork watershed. The analysis included spatial analysis of land cover/land use, landownership, geology, soils, fisheries and wildlife, hydrology, geomorphology, and detailed water quality analysis. SWCA’s experience conducting this study resulted in strong relationships with local representatives for state and federal agencies and landowners, instrumental in the final product.

Peck’s Lake TMDL / Clarksdale, Arizona / Phelps Dodge Copper (now Freeport McMoRan) Mark Murphy*

The TMDL analysis focused on nutrient loading to Peck’s Lake, considering both ambient conditions and projected development. The analysis combined a watershed loading model (Generalized Watershed Loading Function) with a lake receiving water model (BATHTUB) for linkage of nutrient loading to algal and macrophyte productivity. SWCA reviewed fate and transport modeling of stressors to impaired water and represented client interests in TMDL development.

Heber Valley and Pot Creek EPA 9-Element Watershed Plans / Heber, Utah / Wasatch Conservation District

Ari Disser Erica Gaddis Austin Miller

SWCA developed a watershed plan for the Heber Valley watershed to address water quality problems by identifying potential contributing sources of pollution and prioritizing restoration and protection strategies. This plan was developed using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) nine-element planning process and included involvement from local landowners, watershed organizations, and agencies operating within the Heber Valley watershed in Wasatch County, Utah.

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PROJECT NAME /

LOCATION / CLIENT

KEY

em en ta tio n Pl an lin g

QA

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Mule Gulch TMDL / Bisbee, Arizona / Phelps Dodge Copper (now Freeport McMoRan) Mark Murphy*

TMDL proposed for Arizona watershed impacted by mining and other land disturbances. A Hydrological Simulation Program Fortran (HSPF) model was developed to simulate the transport of dissolved stressors. Results demonstrated that remedial scenarios can significantly reduce copper and zinc concentrations in the stream, but that it was unlikely that current water quality standards could be met. A site-specific water quality criterion for copper and zinc was proposed by ADEQ. SWCA reviewed fate and transport modeling of stressors to impaired water and represented client interests in TMDL development.

Waiakea and Alenaio Streams TMDL / Hilo, Hawaii / Hawaii Department of Health Mark Murphy*

The State of Hawaii prepared TMDLs for nutrients and turbidity for the two arms of Upper Kaukonahua Stream at Wahiawa and for Waiakea and Alenaio streams above Hilo Bay. SWCA completed data analysis and modeling of pollutant loads (HSPF, QUAL2E), and supported state planning efforts.

Provo River Watershed Plan and Story Map / Wasatch County, Utah / Provo River Watershed Council

Ari Disser Austin Miller Erica Gaddis Mary Huisenga

SWCA is supporting the Provo River Watershed Council for the past three years with water quality analysis and annual reporting aimed at protecting and restoring water quality in the Upper Provo River Watershed. SWCA is determining if and how water quality conditions have changed over time by comparing water quality parameter concentrations to numeric criteria for designated beneficial uses and TMDL endpoints.The annual reports are developed within the context of an ESRI online story map where watershed water quality analyses are displayed in an interactive, web-based format.

Watershed Sediment Management Plan / Denver, Colorado / Denver Water

Mary Huisenga Chloe Lewis

Sediment loading from the upstream watershed into the project reservoir owned by Denver Water has created management challenges. SWCA implemented a sediment study to model sediment input and transport in four high-priority study areas. SWCA also developed sediment load reduction projects and a watershed sediment management plan to implement the projects. Currently, SWCA is helping Denver Water implement the sediment management plan. The final deliverable included a user-friendly story map that shows relevant data, web maps; shows areas of concern and sediment sources; and summarizes the watershed sediment management plan’s tools and proposed projects.

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PROJECT NAME /

LOCATION / CLIENT

KEY

em en ta tio n Pl an lin g

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Rockport and Echo Reservoir TMDLs and Watershed Plans / Summit Counties, Utah / Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ), Division of Water Quality Erica Gaddis

SWCA completed nutrient TMDLs Rockport Reservoir and Echo Reservoir. The work included developing site-specific dissolved oxygen endpoints for a cold-water fish refuge, chlorophyll a, and algal composition. The project integrated BATHTUB reservoir models and Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) watershed models that identified the linkage between nutrient concentrations and low dissolved oxygen. The approved TMDLs also included the EPA’s 9-element watershed plans to reduce loads from nonpoint and point sources in the watershed.

East Canyon Reservoir and Creek TMDLs / Summit County, Utah / UDEQ, Division of Water Quality

Erica Gaddis

The Utah Division of Water Quality contracted with SWCA to revise the phospohrus TMDLs for East Canyon Reservoir and Creek to incorporate new data and to accommodate a wastewater treatment expansion for the growing Park City area. The approved TMDL incorporates detailed modeling of nutrient spiraling and dissolved oxygen fluxes in the creek and hydrodynamics in the reservoir. The TMDL also includes revised load allocations in the East Canyon Creek TMDL that are protective of designated uses in the reservoir.

Goose Creek Watershed Pathogen TMDLs / Sheridan County, Wyoming / Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality

SWCA recently completed watershed-scale pathogen and sediment TMDLs for Goose Creek (Sheridan County, Wyoming), which is 303(d)-listed for pathogens and sediment. Nonpoint sources contributing to impairment are septic systems, livestock, wildlife, stormwater, and erosion. The approved TMDLs included a modified load duration curve methodology that provided maximum transparency and flexibility of the analysis.

Bear River-Cutler Reservoir TMDLs / Cache and Box Elder Counties, Utah / UDEQ, Division of Water Quality

SWCA completed TMDLs for Cutler Reservoir and the Bear River from the Idaho–Utah border to Cutler Reservoir, both of which are 303(d)-listed for excess total phosphorus. Cutler Reservoir is a shallow reservoir with extensive wetlands and riparian areas. Inflows to the reservoir and tributary system include municipal, irrigation, and industrial discharges, as well as stormwater. The BATHTUB reservoir model was applied in multiple reaches to simulate water quality throughout the year and during the summer growing season. The model incorporated estimates of internal nutrient loading, tributary loads, and reservoir morphometry.

Groundwater Quality Management / Wasatch County, Utah / Wasatch County Health Department (WCHD)

Ari Disser Chris Garrett Austin Miller

The WCHD is concerned that rapid growth could put groundwater quality at risk of degradation due to increased on-site septic systems. WCHD engaged SWCA to develop a study of the groundwater and surface water resources that included summarizing existing information, identifing data gaps, collecting new water quality samples, and developing a MODFLOW groundwater model of the Heber Valley.

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PROJECT NAME /

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Ute Reservoir Water-Quality Based Watershed Plan / Logan, New Mexico / Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority Mark Murphy*

Using CWA Section 319 (h) funding, the project involved a watershed loading model, assessment, and best management practices (BMPs) for an impaired reach of the Canadian River entering Ute Reservoir in eastern New Mexico that is under a TMDL for nutrients and E. coli.

Middle Rio Grande Water- Quality Based Watershed Plan / Albuquerque, New Mexico / Ciudad Soila and Water Conservation District Mark Murphy*

This watershed-wide project involved establishingpriorities for watershed restoration. The watershed included Albuquerque Metro area and is under a TMDL for bacteriological stressors. The project team developed a Watershed Restoration Action Strategy for approval to the New Mexico Environment Department that incorporated current water quality efforts, multiple municipalities, regulatory intuitions and districts, and native water users.

Newcastle Reservoir and Nine Mile Reservoir TMDLs / Iron and Sanpete Counties, Utah / UDEQ, Division of Water Quality

Erica Gaddis Allen Stutz Linda Burfitt

SWCA completed TMDLs for Newcastle Reservoir (Iron County, Utah) and Nine Mile Reservoir (Sanpete County, Utah). Both reservoirs are 303(d)-listed for excess total phosphorus and low dissolved oxygen. Nonpoint source pollutant loads from the watershed and the effectiveness of BMPs were estimated using the SWAT watershed model. The hydrology of both watersheds is complicated by transbasin diversions that have also been captured by the SWAT model.

East Canyon Creek Streambank Enhancement Project / Summit County, Utah / Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District Erica Gaddis

SWCA worked collaboratively with eight landowners in the East Canyon watershed to improve stream shading, decrease thermal input, and reduce streambank erosion. BMPs include grazing management planning, channel vegetation planting, streambank protection, livestock fencing, and off-site watering for livestock in riparian areas. The project involves funding from Section 319, a federal earmark through the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project is an example of SWCA’s familiarity with project implementation, funding, and contract vehicles.

Davis County Septic Tank Density Analysis / Davis County, Utah / Davis County Health Department

Ari Disser Erica Gaddis Chris Garrett Austin Miller

SWCA assisted Davis County investigation the potential for additional development of unincorporated portions of the county and the impacts to water quality. SWCA oversaw the installation of 15 shallow groundwater wells, characterized the soil cores on site, and developed well lithology logs for each well.

This study assessed the appropriate types and density of septic systems in the area that would prevent impacts to public health and surface and groundwater. Results of the sampling and the analyses (hydrogeologic and water quality) were compiled and presented in a report and online in a story map.

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PROJECT NAME /

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Big Chino Ranch Water Delivery Project / Yavapai County, Arizona / Black and Veatch Chris Garrett

SWCA conducted environmental permitting, clearance, and compliance activities along a 26-mile pipeline route, from the Big Chino Ranch to a pumping station in the Town of Chino Valley. Clearance activities included assessing multiple pipeline route alternatives with respect to biological and cultural resources, as well as evaluating regulatory requirements for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies. SWCA conducted biological and cultural surveys, delineated potential waters of the U.S., and prepared a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for the entire pipeline.

Jurisdictional Waters Delineation and Adequate Water Supply / La Paz County, Arizona / Bella La Paz Chris Garrett

SWCA delineated potential waters of the U.S. and prepared an Adequate Water Supply hydrologic report for a 1,000-acre property in La Paz County proposed for residential development. SWCA performed a video log and an aquifer test on two wells on the property to gather data for the hydrologic report. Water quality testing data for the existing wells were used for ADEQ drinking water source approval.

Verde Subflow Review / Yavapai County, Arizona / Water Resources Consulting Southwest Chris Garrett

SWCA and Water Resources Consulting teamed to assist the Verde Valley Water Users in field investigations to be used during the general adjudication of water rights on the Gila River watershed, specifically on the Verde River in central Arizona. SWCA designed and implemented groundwater level and water quality monitoring for private water supply wells, and prepared expert reports filed on behalf of the Water Users in Superior Court. SWCA also prepared a GIS model to assist individual water users in the Verde Valley with record-keeping and reporting for the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Environmental Consulting Services On-Call / Maricopa County, Arizona / ADOT Kevin Boesch

SWCA assisted ADOT in updating three of their Stormwater Monitoring Guidance Manuals for construction activities, industrial activities, and municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) activities. The manuals were revised to comply with ADOT’s Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Statewide Stormwater Discharge Permit issued by the ADEQ in 2008.

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PROJECT NAME /

LOCATION / CLIENT

KEY

em en ta tio n Pl an lin g

QA

PP

an d

SA

P

De ve lo pm en t

Fi led

M on ito rin g

Sp at ial A na lys is

Im pl em en ta tio n/ R es to ra tio n

Pu bl ic Pa rti cip at io n

BM

P

Ef fe ct ive ne ss

E va lu at io n

Underground Mine Reactivation - Baseline Studies / Marble Peak, Mount Lemmon, Arizona / Tetra Tech and EnviroIntegration Services LLC Kristie Kilgore*

SWCA managed baseline environmental studies and permitting for Tetra Tech for approximately one year and a $4M contract. SWCA managed teams that: assessed baseline water resource studies;

performed Clean Water Act Section 404 jurisdictional delineations; assessed water resources for water supply; and served as the primary interface with the ADEQ for Aquifer Protection Permits (APP) and AZPDES permitting.

Mt. Lemmon Wastewater and Watershed Study / Tucson, Arizona / EEC Kristie Kilgore*

The project involved assessment of wastewater/water reclamation system upgrade options for a small, remote, mountain community, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act impacts to various wastewater management and land use options, including evaluation of impact of both the AZPDES and the APP program on upgrade and expansion options, given current and projected effluent quality and volumes. The project involved Endangered Species Act considerations for the Gila Chub due to potential changes in an outfall location.

Colorado River RCRA Related Consultation and Studies and Compressor Station Studies / Arizona/ ADEQ Kristie Kilgore*

The project involved a multi-division team that investigated hexavalent chromium use at natural gas compressor stations in Arizona. Activities utilized resources from the ADEQ Water Quality Division and Waste Programs Division. Ms. Kilgore served as the Arizona representative on consultative and technical workgroups for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act remediation project.

Responsibilities involved interaction with stakeholders including residents, tribal nations, water districts, California agencies, and federal agencies, as well as overseeing a consulting contractor.

*Work completed by SWCA team member prior to joining SWCA.

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2.2 TMDL CALCULATIONS AND REPORT EXAMPLES

SWCA offers a robust background in all aspects of the TMDL process, including prior work for departments of environmental quality in Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona, and with public and stakeholder involvement. Our staff members have completed TMDLs for various stressors, including nutrients, E. coli, sediment, habitat alteration, and mercury. Our staff members have also prepared implementation plans for restoration of TMDL-listed waters across the western U.S. A summary of select TMDL, modeling, and watershed planning projects is available in Table K-2.

Our TMDL experience includes developing water quality targets, characterizing pollutant sources and loads, preparing actionable implementation plans, and conveying this information to stakeholders and the public. In addition, our staff are accustomed to managing data gaps in TMDL projects. We typically address these data gaps through data interpolation, extrapolation, regression analysis, reasonable assumptions, and best professional judgment. Where assumptions are required that result in uncertainty, these uncertainties can be accounted for in the margin of safety for the project.

SWCA’s project experience includes the development of TMDLs for river, lake, and reservoir systems including the Utah waterbodies of Rockport Reservoir, Echo Reservoir, East Canyon Creek, East Canyon Reservoir, Bear River, Cutler Reservoir, Nine Mile Reservoir, and Newcastle Reservoir. In Wyoming, we completed TMDLs for multiple impairment listings in the Goose Creek watershed near the town of Sheridan, Black Fork River, Smiths Fork River, Willow Creek, and the Bear River in southwestern Wyoming.

Our project experience includes some particularly notable success stories. For example, by implementing a thorough stakeholder review and involvement process involving numerous entities throughout the watershed, SWCA successfully completed the Bear River/Cutler Reservoir TMDLs despite a highly contentious climate surrounding two point-source discharges in the basin. The East Canyon Creek TMDL was among the first TMDLs revised by the UDWQ, and we successfully incorporated unique aspects of that system such as in-stream flow commitments into the final TMDL document and incorporated the increase of a point-source waste load allocation and low summer stream flow into the implementation plan. Finally, the implementation plan completed for the Goose Creek watershed TMDLs is considered by EPA Region 8 staff to be a model for how states should complete these plans.

TMDL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

• Interpreting water quality standards

• Compiling and analyzing hydrology and water quality data

• Conducting watershed characterization

• Conducting source identification

• Calculating TMDLs

• Developing implementation plans

• Disseminating information to stakeholders

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2.3 WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN EXPERIENCE

SWCA recognizes that watershed planning and nonpoint source reduction are critical components to enhancing and protecting waters throughout the state of Arizona. Given the complexities of pollutant cycling in a watershed, we understand how critical it is that implementation plans are clear, concise, and incorporate stakeholder input. For these reasons, SWCA’s approach to watershed-based planning is founded on addressing each of EPA’s nine key elements of watershed-based planning in a concise and comprehensive manner designed for easy stakeholder adoption and implementation. Using this approach, SWCA has successfully developed implementation plans for a variety of stressors in several states throughout the Intermountain West. Our detailed implementation plans identify source-specific BMPs, critical watershed areas for implementation, a timeframe for implementation, a monitoring plan, and costs associated with recommended BMPs.

In addition to working extensively with stakeholders to identify previous implementation efforts that can be built upon to improve water quality, we have also tried to develop projects to compliment efforts that other stakeholder groups are doing. For example, in the Tongue River watershed, implementation work to address E. coli impairments by stakeholders has been widespread and diverse. SWCA worked with stakeholders to better understand BMPs that worked specifically for the Tongue River watershed and to identify locations where BMPs would be most effective from both a cost and load reduction perspective. We understand the importance of creating a message that resonates with stakeholders and then providing them with the appropriate information to engage.

Furthermore, the cost analysis and identification of sponsors provide a clear path forward for carrying out recommended BMP suites and ensuring that work can be efficiently completed.

Our project experience includes the completion of EPA 9-element watershed implementation plans for TMDLs developed in Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico including Rockport Reservoir, Echo Reservoir, East Canyon Reservoir, East Canyon Creek, Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork River, Bear River, Goose Creek, Ute Reservoir, Middle Rio Grande River, and others. Most recently we developed two EPA 9-Element watershed plans, the Heber Valley Watershed Plan and the Pot Creek Watershed Plan, both in Utah. In these plans, we developed paired implementation plans and implementation maps. We took this approach because we understand the importance of creating an implementation plan that is easy to understand and immediately actionable. After receiving input from the advisory committee and completing the characterization of the watershed, SWCA worked with the Wasatch Conservation District to develop a suite of implementation activities that support the goals and objectives identified for the watershed. Each activity is aligned with one of the objectives and includes a measurable indicator of progress and a target outcome to ensure that implementation activities are achievable, financially and technically sound, and measurable. These included non-structural activities, structural BMPs, and information and outreach activities. The implementation plan included details on the activity, the estimated cost, the expected outcome of each activity (e.g., expected load reduction), and a responsible party. Paired with the implementation map, stakeholders and partnering state agencies could visualize and implement the plan efficiently and effectively. Additionally, as part of the plan, we compiled a comprehensive list of funding sources in the state of Utah and details on each source including the funding requirements, deadlines, and any other relevant information. The watershed plan development for Heber Valley resulted in proposed management measures to achieve load reductions in the watershed and described the individual projects and initiatives (e.g., action items) to be completed in the watershed over the next 10 years.

WATERSHED PLANNING AND

NONPOINT SOURCE REDUCTION

SERVICES

• Implementation plan development

• Implementation schedule

• Cost analysis

• BMP identification

• Implementation monitoring

• Effectiveness monitoring

• Stakeholder engagement

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2.4 OTHER PROJECT EXAMPLES

TMDL and BMP Effectiveness SWCA staff has worked directly with public and private landowners to improve water quality and land management practices, including restoration projects along the Jordan River in Utah and streams throughout New Mexico. Through BMP monitoring, SWCA can evaluate parameters such as water quality, riparian habitat condition, invasive weeds, bank stability, water use, and vegetative cover to determine if BMPs have provided measurable environmental benefits. BMP effectiveness monitoring methods are drawn from well-established protocols for evaluating riparian ecosystem integrity (e.g., Multiple Indicator Monitoring, as described by the Bureau of Land Management) and upland vegetation community health (e.g., the point-intercept transect method). We recognize that BMP effectiveness monitoring is a critical component of adaptive management of water resources, and it feeds directly back to TMDL revisions and implementation planning. Our experience developing quality assurance project plans (QAPPs) and sampling and analysis plans (SAPs), as well as our on-the-ground experience installing and doing compliance monitoring of BMPs directly informs our ability to assess their effectiveness.

Modeling The SWCA staff has a broad background in limnology, including hydrodynamics, aquatic ecology, sediment-water chemistry, and in-reservoir treatment to manipulate internal nutrient loads from sediment. We have participated in the restoration of urban canals, lake and pond systems, wetlands, and streams, and are experienced in watershed, stream, groundwater, and reservoir modeling. Our modeling experience includes hydrology, hydrogeology, hydrodynamics, pollutant transport, and fish bioenergetics. We have conducted watershed, stream flow, and reservoir modeling, using a variety of different tools and software (see box to the right). We also have experience with statistical modeling tools such as SPSS, R statistical software, and tools imbedded within Microsoft Excel.

SWCA has constructed groundwater models for projects throughout Arizona, as well as conducted technical reviews of third-party models to support clients seeking permits or clients in litigation. In Arizona, the primary application of groundwater modeling by SWCA has been to support permits for recharge projects and assess the potential impacts of recharge on aquifer water levels. We have also conducted model reviews to support water rights claimants in litigation, conduct well spacing analyses for new production wells, and support applications for assured water supply.

Water Quality Sampling SWCA staff are experienced in water resource field monitoring and reporting. SWCA has engaged in monitoring efforts for both surface and groundwater quality, water depth, streamflow, stormwater, precipitation, geomorphological condition, and riparian health. We are familiar with a variety of water quality monitoring techniques that include taking grab samples, deploying and maintaining in-situ water quality sondes, using hand-held water quality meters, and using autosamplers.

WATERSHED AND WATER QUALITY

MODELING TOOLS

• Pollutant Load Estimation Tool (PLET)

• Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)

• QUAL2E

• BATHTUB

• CE-QUAL-W2

• GoldSim

• Bacteria Source Load Calculator

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Our monitoring efforts are guided by a detailed SAP that is developed at the outset of the project. The SAP defines the personnel, sampling locations, sampling frequency and schedule, sampling collection, methods and analysis, and data management necessary for meeting the requirements of the project. Our SAPs typically include a QAPP developed specifically for the level of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) required for the project. Our QAPPs range from simple plans that address the basic field and laboratory requirements, to comprehensive plans that meet EPA requirements, including but not limited to the development of data quality objectives, data controls, laboratory validation, and data management. SWCA maintains program-specific standard operating procedures (SOPs).