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CDI Featured in "Effectively Solving Erosion Problems" Article
CDI is featured in the following article in "Environmental Connection."
Effectively Solving Erosion Problems
Environmental Connection, October 2011,Volume 5, Issue 4, pp.26-27 http://www.ieca.org
By combining outside-of-the-box thinking with a result oriented approach, CDI, an environmental contractor, has been pioneering soil stabilization practices sites since 1994. The 200 employees of the company, which is based in Colorado, provide erosion control, revegetation, wetland construction and related services throughout the western United States. Their construction experience includes projects such as road and bridges, mines, oil and gas development and pipelines, and land developement.
This IECA Emerald Member uses a custom approach to projects and partners with clients for site specific solutions. CDI initiates on-going field testing of new erosion control products and shares these results with their clients to provide alternate methods and products.
“By focusing on innovation, we’re able to provide our clients with the latest in techniques, processes and technologies to provide cost effective solutions for our clients,” saysJim DeGrado, president of CDI.
One of the company’s primary goals, he stresses, is to produce results that eliminate any need to re-do or maintain a site for a prolonged period of time.
“We do that by proposing innovative processes (value engineering) on a site-by-site basis, while reducing unnecessary expense on methods that have proven to fail,” DeGrado says. “Our approach is to do the job one time and to do it right.”
Performance-based specs
He and his staff pride themselves on remaining at the forefront of innovation in the industry. CDI regularly participates in field testing of new erosion control products with manufacturers, government agencies and private industry. The company has been involved with various new product approvals through the Colorado Department of Transportation, various counties and other regulatory agencies.
“As the contractor performing the installations, CDI is uniquely positioned to evaluate constructability and effectiveness of products,” DeGrado says. “We are working to change the industry to produce product specifications based on proven performance criteria, in lieu of using traditional products, which may have been in data bases for the past 30 years but won’t necessarily provide the results we are looking for.”
The company also conducts pilot programs to test the viability of new products as they’re introduced to the industry. “By getting the regulators and contractors working together to determine the effectiveness of new products, we feel it produces a culture of cooperation and a vested interest in using products that are result-driven,” DeGrado explains.
A better option
“We recognize that construction and energy development cannot be done with zero impact,” adds Stephanie Dreiling, CDI’s Senior Environmental Director. “However, we strive to help clients minimize the environmental impacts of these activities in an economically-sound manner
A challenging road stabilization and revegetation project in the fall of 2009 in Douglas County, Colorado, illustrates how CDI puts this philosophy into practice. The company collaborated with county engineers and several product manufacturers’ representatives in devising and installing a solution to some unique problems at a site near Daniels Park in the fall of 2009. Known for its bison herd and dramatic mountain views, this 1,000-acre historic ranch is one of the largest parks in the Denver Mountain Park system.
A steep sandstone slope, created by a road cut, presented a particularly difficult site, including poor soils and a high pH. The site had sat dormant for over two years with little or no growth of native grasses or weeds to hold soil in place. The original plan was to blast and stain the rock; however, the sand stone proved to be highly erosive in contradiction to the original geotechnical reports. It was assumed the surface would be stable and not require any erosion control measures.
That’s when CDI became involved with the project. Because the rocky site was not conducive to the traditional soil preparation necessary for installing rolled erosion control products, the company proposed an alternative approach. It included balancing the pH, amending the soils, planting a sandy soil seed mix with wildflowers, and stabilizing the slope with a flexible growth medium that would conform to the challenging contours.
A flexible approach
In planning the project, CDI’s first step was to test the soil. Results revealed that the pH of the east slopes was high enough to prohibit successful seed germination. To correct that, the company applied a hydraulic product that brought the soil pH into a range that is conducive to native grass germination. Next, the CDI staff chose a mixture of amendments based on the soil samples: a mixture of organic amendments, fertilizer, and a tackifier. These materials were mixed in a slurry with the seed and applied hydraulically to both east and west sides of the road.
CDI completed the hydraulic process by applying Flexterra, a flexible growth medium (FGM). Currently, it is the only hydraulic product allowed by Douglas County specifications , Dreiling notes. This product adheres to the soil, ensuring the seed to soil contact necessary for successful germination and uses patented mechanical and chemical bonding elements to bind the FGM in place, stabilizing the slope prior to germination, she adds.
“The hydraulic approach was an ideal solution in this situation,” Dreiling says. “It created a stable and nutrient rich seed bed that encouraged plant growth while protecting the slope during the germination process. Nearly two years later, the native grass has established a root base that has effectively stabilized the slopes.”
Mutual benefits
Active involvement with IECA plays a key part in CDI’s ongoing education and industry awareness. The company has sponsored several Mountain States Chapter events and will be giving two presentations at EC12 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb.26–29, 2012.
“Participating consistently in IECA at the chapter and international levels helps to keep our team aware of new products, regulatory shifts and general industry trends.” says Dreiling, who also serves as Vice President of the Mountain States Chapter.
More information about CDI is available online at www.cdi-services.com