Environmental Feasibility

Is your project environmentally feasible? Is there any specific aspect of your project that makes environmental approvals impossible or the costs to obtain them prohibitive?

Environmental feasibility is a decision-making tool. Environmental feasibility studies evaluate potential project environmental outcomes. A feasibility study is the first stage. If the project is feasible, then, is there a categorical exclusion under NEPA? Is an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) warranted? What steps need to be taken to make this project environmentally feasible?

Waters of the U.S. Delineations

Waters of the United States (WOTUS), originally traditional navigable waters and then extended to include most waters connected to those waters, include wetlands with significant nexus. It is often difficult to delineate potential wetland impacts without field ground-truthing data captured during a GIS analysis. RES teams have worked in all types of WOTUS: open water, marine systems, freshwater streams and rivers, wetlands, riparian zone and Cowardin-designated waters. RES performs these services in support of permittee efforts to avoid and minimize their project-related impacts to Waters of the US.

Stream Assessments

RES provides stream assessments to determine and quantify the degree of degradation impeding natural stream flows within an ecological system. We aid client projects by determining the proper assessment protocol to use to evaluate a stream impact and develop the proper mitigation solution. We understand, utilize and evaluate both natural channel design and floodplain restoration approaches to stream restoration.

RES teams understand that streams and their buffers provide ecological benefit to surrounding communities. Stream assessment services also include evaluation of potential nutrient load reduction arising from stream course changes and riparian and buffer restoration and planting. 

Water Quality and TMDL Monitoring

States, counties and municipalities all have regulatory requirements to provide clean water for safe drinking, irrigation and public recreation uses. RES helps to enable compliance by providing complete water quality and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) monitoring services.RES teams conduct intensive monitoring, assessment, and watershed planning activities to aid compliance. As a water resource solution company, we understand how to improve water quality by applying wetland and stream restoration and green infrastructure solutions to directly, measurably improve water quality.

Nutrient & Sediment Reduction

Clean water in the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast and Chesapeake Bay and along the West Coast is enabled by managing, reducing and eliminating discharges into waters. NPDES permits are often needed for compliance with the Clean Water Act. Suspended sediments from stormwater events contribute to increased water pollution. Agricultural practices, wetland and stream restoration, and green infrastructure are several approaches applied to reduce fertilizer-sourced phosphorus and nitrogen from America’s waters. Erosion and sediment controls can be and sometimes are required to be applied on many scales to eliminate these problem pollutants. RES helps to evaluate all these water-related impacts to aid our clients with regulatory compliance and to obtain project development permits.

GIS/Graphics

RES Geographic Information System (GIS) & AutoCAD specialists provide ample support for mapping and graphic deliverables. Using the latest ESRI, Bentley, and AutoCAD Software, our staff’s expertise allows for deliverable combinations limited only to our clients’ imaginations.

Utilizing expertise in programming, scripting, and model building, the RES GIS team develops and implements automated tools to create efficient and effective workflows and data discovery. We provide an assortment of cartographic services such as data collection and management, customized tool creation, advanced analysis, and hard copy map production.