environmental site assessments, engineering permits regulations, environment waste water, Huff and Huff

BACK

WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENTS

Stream and Lake Surveys
Antidegradation Studies

Huff & Huff, Inc. (H&H) has performed water quality assessments on both rivers and lakes. Extensive stream surveys, including fish, macroinvertebrate and mussel collections, chemical sampling and testing (e.g. dissolved oxygen and sediment sampling), and physical measurements (flow, substrate classification) have been completed. Many of these studies have been conducted for planned wastewater treatment plant expansions as part of the antidegradation analysis. Other surveys have been conducted to support adjusted water quality and/or effluent standards for dischargers with unique circumstances. H&H has assisted in the TMDL (total maximum daily load) assessments for the Big Muddy watershed and in UAA (Use Attainability Analysis) for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Mixing zone studies, including measuring the Zone of Initial Dilution, have been conducted, both through actual field sampling and through the use of computer models, including CORMIX. These studies have often led to designing and installing high-rate multi-diffusers, including in Egypt, the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and the Fox River. Mixing in lakes has been completed associated with both thermal and sodium chloride discharges.

Disinfection exemptions for wastewater facilities have also been prepared. Additional water quality issues include the search for an endangered mussel in the Mississippi River, and a year long study of ammonia levels in the Fox River, and evaluation of dissolved oxygen conditions in the Salt Creek Watershed.

H&H participated in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) preparation for surface and groundwater quality impacts, wetlands analysis, and natural resources identification were all completed for a 30 mile segment of roadway in Kane, Kendall, and Will Counties in Illinois. H&H utilized the FHWA approved Driscoll and Driver models to estimate pollutant loadings from roadway stormwater runoff. These models were used for I-355, I-355N, and I-80/94 studies. In addition, the effects of salt spray on surface and groundwater were evaluated for the Fox River Bridges EIS.

Surveys of stormwater impacts upon receiving streams have been completed. Water quality modeling to predict stormwater impacts or discharge impacts have been completed for industrial dischargers in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and New York.

The firm has completed over 50 biological stream studies (benthic, fish, and where appropriate mussels) to assess the impact of discharges on receiving streams. With a Ponar dredge, back pack electroshocker, flow meters, wastewater samplers and benthic sampling equipment, H&H can handle in-house the requirements for biological and chemical inventories of streams.

The feasibility of in-stream aeration was investigated for a municipal discharger as a means of raising the dissolved oxygen in the receiving stream. Riffles, diffusers, and high purity oxygen were reviewed and the improvements in stream were DO modeled. Based upon this preliminary work, a full-scale test, utilizing high purity oxygen, was conducted during low flow conditions with intensive dissolved oxygen monitoring and subsequently two full-scale units were designed, installed, and have been operating successfully for over 20 years.

Groundwater modeling with MODFLOW has been utilized to assess contaminant movement in aquifers. This model also assisted in evaluating remedial options in Kansas, Ohio, and California.