Environmental Intelligence
Utilizing over 15 years of experience with the latest
technology to deliver sustainable solutions
Four Mile Run Watershed Management Program
Project Type
Storm Water Management
Client
Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)
Four Mile Run drains a twenty square-mile heavily urbanized watershed in Northern Virginia to Potomac River. Federal funding for a channel modification project, which was constructed in 1980 following several devastating floods, required the local jurisdictions to prevent any increases in flood risks due to developments in the watershed. Streams Tech evaluates the impacts of site development and other construction projects using a watershed model and recommends suitable control measures, if necessary.
Key features
Developed a stormwater model using extensive GIS data to compute the baseline peak discharges and evaluate the impact of development on the peak discharges
Performed hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling and analyses to support stream restoration, bridge design, FEMA’s Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
Modeled BMPs/LIDs in the Crossman Run subwatershed to assess their effectiveness
Used the stormwater model to assess climate change conditions and help build local climate resiliency plans
Bacteria TMDL Development for Mattaponi River Watershed
Project Type
Water Quality Assessment
Client
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (Virginia DEQ)
Streams Tech developed the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for fourteen impaired streams in the upper Mattaponi River watershed, which covers 550 square miles between Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Orange, Spotsylvania, Caroline, and King and Queen Counties. These water bodies were included in the EPA’s 303(d) list for failing to meet the water quality standards for bacteria. Streams Tech did extensive data compilation, GIS data processing, and modeling to estimate bacteria loads from various sources and develop bacteria load reduction scenarios and TMDL allocations. The rainfall-runoff processes as well as the fate and transport of pollutants were modeled using the HSPF model, which was calibrated and validated using long-term observed data. The TMDLs were approved by the USEPA and the Virginia State Water Quality Control Board in 2016.
Key features
Distributed watershed-based hydrologic and water quality modeling for assessing bacteria loads
Recommendations on the most suitable load-reduction scenarios to ensure compliance with the Water Quality Standards
Quantitative assessment of bacteria loads from point and non-point sources
Extensive application of GIS to capture and process hydro-meteorological, land use, physical, hydrologic and water quality data
Storm Water Drainage Master Plan and Drainage Design for the Municipality of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Project Type
Flood Management
Client
Government of Sierra Leone
Streams Tech conducted a detailed technical study, including data collection and modeling, to develop a stormwater management master plan for Freetown – the capital of Sierra Leone. Intense rainfall often causes major flooding and landslides in the city. Streams Tech team compiled extensive GIS data, processed remote-sensing-based data, surveyed hydraulic structures and drainage geometries, and collected climatological and streamflow data over a rainy season to support the modeling and drainage analysis. Various mitigation options, including on-site detention storage, restoration of natural watercourses, channelization, changes to land use planning, replacement of bridges and culverts, and relocation of settlements in the flood plains, were evaluated, and specific solutions were recommended to attenuate the risk of flooding.
Key features
Approximately 500 sites of significant blockages and conveyance problems were identified through detailed field survey
Multiple automatic flow gauges and weather stations were installed to collect data and help calibrate and validate the stormwater model
Supported local capacity development by engaging local technical staff throughout the process
High resolution satellite-based topographic data were processed in GIS to define drainage network and catchment boundaries
Areas vulnerable to flooding were mapped and various mitigation options, including structural and non-structural measures, were determined
Guidance Manual for Developing Bacteria TMDLs in Virginia, USA
Project Type
Water Quality Program
Client
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (Virginia DEQ)
Streams Tech developed the Guidance Manual for Developing Bacteria TMDLs in Virginia to assist Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) staff and contractors to successfully meet scientific, regulatory, and policy requirements. It explained the sources and processing of data, model development steps, TMDL allocations, and reporting in detail. The manual also discussed the information that is essential for the review and approval by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Key features
Listed potential data sources for TMDL development, including hydrologic and water quality analyses
Explained the setup, calibration and validation of HSPF – a continuous model applied in watershed modeling and bacteria TMDL development in Virginia
Described the steps involved in processing of data
Elaborated the steps involved in the development of TMDL allocations
Study on Prospective Hydroelectricity Generation in Southeast Bangladesh
Project Type
Hydropower
Client
Ministry of power energy and mineral resources, Bangladesh, and The World Bank Group
The Government of Bangladesh wanted to maximize its renewable energy supply to support its fast economic growth. Streams Tech carried out a hydropower feasibility study to identify the potential sites for both the reservoir and run-of-river type hydropower plants in the hilly southeastern region of the country. In this World Bank-sponsored project, a scientific and systematic approach was followed to estimate the power potential at nineteen sites despite the challenges presented by the lack of local data. Streams Tech utilized satellite-based rainfall and digital topographic data together with advanced GIS-based analysis and hydrologic modeling to identify the locations of significant hydraulic heads, estimate long-term stream flows, generate flow-duration and energy-duration curves, calculate the maximum power and energy potential, and map the reservoir inundation zones. The government made major investment decisions on hydropower based on the findings presented in the study report. In 2020, this project won the South Asian Esri GIS Award.
Key features
Identified the most suitable locations for the maximum hydropower generation
Determined the human resettlement needs and potential environmentally affected areas
Performed a compressive analysis applying scientifically defensible methods in extreme data limited conditions
Estimated the total annual and peak power productions and the reliability of the forecasts
Development of a Water Distribution System Model, Alabama, USA
Project Type
Water Supply
Client
A government client
Streams Tech developed a water distribution model for a government client in Alabama, USA to estimate the water age in different parts of the distribution system. Longer residence time or water age is a major factor in water quality deterioration within the distribution system. The two main mechanisms for water quality deterioration are interactions between the pipe wall and the water, and various chemical and physical transformations taking place within the bulk water itself. Streams Tech identified and recommended remedies to water aging in the system.
Key features
Identified the high-risk zones in the distribution network.
Developed a hydraulic model and ran simulations to determine the best options to minimize water aging.
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