Water Quality

Pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. We have experienced staff that specializes in the evaluation of various sources of pollution such as, nutrient pollution, sediment loading, and mine drainage. The intention of a water quality assessment is to collect data that characterize the health of a designated stream reach or watershed. The assessment results will identify areas that are impaired or have exceptional quality. This information can then be used for planning, obtaining grants, preservation and restoration. Typically, the watershed assessment is the initial phase of planning to prioritize stream improvement projects.

Through our strategic relationship with ESG (clarification) and non-profit groups, we’re able to pursue grant assistance from state and federal programs.

Restoration

Stream channels that are impaired can become unstable and cause damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and houses. In addition, unstable streams can produce high sediment loads that impact aquatic habitat and stability of downstream reaches.

WHM has assessed hundreds of miles of streams to determine impairment that affect channel stability. Bank erosion surveys determine the rate of channel movement and sediment production, leading to the development of strategies to remediate the problems.

As part restoration, riparian zones play a vital role in overall water quality and stream health. For many streams, there is little or no riparian zone, due to development, urban sprawl, and agricultural practices. This may result in increased flooding and erosion, and may cause property damage. The establishment and preservation of the riparian zone surrounding streams provides habitat, streambank protection, shading and filtering of stormwater runoff. WHM will evaluate riparian zones and provide solutions to improve and restore these vital areas.

Stream restoration includes returning a stream, its floodplain and riparian area to its natural and stable condition, as well as re-establishing its biological habitat and function.

Natural Channel Design

Today, many stream channels are impaired due to development, sprawl and agricultural practices. It is important to restore impaired waterways not only for water quality, recreation and aesthetics, but also because streams provide habitat for complex ecosystems and are critical to the overall health of any watershed.

Geomorphic stream classification is a system of defining streams based on morphological characteristics and functions. With our staff specializing in fluvial geomorphology, WHM is able to provide stream channel classifications as a useful tool for natural stream channel design. This stream classification is useful when identifying areas of impairment and forecasting channel migration.

Natural channel design is a method of restoring or creating a stable stream channel by using a natural system as a model. Using Natural Channel Design the stream is restored to effectively transport sediment while protecting stream banks from erosive action. WHM has successfully designed stream restoration projects using these methods in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia. We offer full-service solutions: background data collection, surveys, design, permitting and construction.

Abandoned Mine Drainage

Many streams and landscapes throughout the coal region have been heavily impacted by historic mining practices. The mined lands consist of unreclaimed landscapes with the most common problem being AMD. AMD has impaired stream quality to an extent that no aquatic life exists within many streams in Pennsylvania and throughout coal county. With new technology and funding sources becoming available, reclaiming scarred landscapes and treating AMD has led to a realistic goal of restoring local watersheds to once again support aquatic life.

WHM employees have assisted watershed groups in secure funding for watershed assessments and restoration plans, reclamation, and design, permitting and construction of AMD treatment systems. WHM has experienced staff and offers solutions for all AMD and Abandoned Mine Land issues your watershed may be facing. The process to restore your watershed begins with an assessment of the impaired stream segment. Next, water quality will be monitoring to determine pollution loadings. Then a design to treat the discharge, either actively or passively, will be completed to precipitate metals and increase the pH to a level able to support aquatic life.