Environmental Assessment Services Ltd ::: Projects

Rivers and flooding

eas have provided services to Water Authorities (now NRA), local authorities and private bodies mainly on the ecology, water quality and flood risk of rivers. Projects have included:

• Full environmental statement on major river barrier scheme.
• Ecological surveys to assess river duality.
• Water quality sampling and modelling.
• Studies for effluent disposal in rivers.
• Flood studies and risk assessments.
• Impacts of groundwater abstraction on watercourses.
• Invertebrate surveys on river and esturine areas.

Property acquisitions

Whether a site has been contaminated by historic or existing land use and whether the ownership of the site carries significant risks of liability for damage to third parties is of great interest to both potential purchasers and vendors.

Our preliminary contamination assessments (PCAs) provide answers to the above and include:

• Examinations of the site (a visit to the site, assessment of the on-site uses and a look at surrounding activities)
• Review of the sire geology and assessment of hydrogeological sensitivity.
• Consultation with the Environment Agency for confirmation of the current aquifer protection status, proximity of licensed abstractions and proximity of landfill sites.
• Consultation with the local planning authority environmental health department regarding any local register of contaminated land, any particular concerns relating to the site and the proximity of EPA 1990 authorised processes.
• Review of site development history from historic maps and other available sources.
• Review of the site planning history. Where underground fuel storage tanks are indicated, reference may be made to the Petroleum Officer's records.
• Assessment of contamination and associated liability risks.
• Recommendations for further investigations if required.

We can normally carry out such PCAs at short notice if required.

Power station cooling systems and control structures.

eas input for coastal power station projects includes:

• Outline design of cooling water systems.
• Modelling of cooling water thermal emissions.
• Analysis of near field mixing zone for cooling water.
• Thermal effects on benthic organisms.
• Ecological effects of chemical treatment of cooling water.
• Impact on shoreline.
• Advice on dredging, training and navigational aspects.

Projects studied include locations in the Philippines, Pakistan, the Bahamas and the Red Sea. eas have particular expertese in the analysis of cooling water emissions at sites of very low tidal flow.

Ports and the marine environment

eas have broad experience in the environmental assessment and engineering of ports and marinas in the UK and around the world. Areas of particular expertise are:

• Environmental statements for port and marina developments.
• Assessment of the impact of capital dredging.
• Flows and water quality modelling within harbour basins.
• Effluent disposal within ports and marinas.
• Ecological surveys of derelict port areas.

Numerical modelling

Numerical modelling is a modern computer technique. Complex natural systems are represented by mathematical equations. These equations are then solved for the required physical system and input conditions to give predictions of the future situation. Models mostly take one of two forms:

Grid Models:

The study area is divided into a 1, 2 or 3 dimensional grid of cells. The information required to set up the grid depends on the type of model being built. Inputs into the system and flows between the cells are described by appropriate equations and solved by finite element or finite difference techniques. Flows over long periods are represented by many small time steps. Models are calibrated against existing site data and verified against known situations.
Examples are river flows, tide driven water quality and some air quality models.

Plume Models:

Plume models have no fixed grid but have the emission treated as a free moving buoyant plume. The size, shape and orientation of the plume is derermined by the background water or air flows. Mixing within the plume and the entrainment or deposition of solids from the plume can all be calculated. Calibration and verification are applied as appropriate. Examples of plume models are stack emissions and near fields of marine outfalls..

eas undertakes a wide range of environmental modelling in:

• Water quality; river and marine.
• Air quality.
• Noise.
• River flows, drainage, surface water and flooding.

eas have access to and are experienced in the use of a wide range of standard UK and US numerical models.

The use of standard models offers regulatory acceptability and enables eas to provide a cost effective modelling service suitable for the majority of situations. Special and adapted models can usually be constructed for other situations.

Leisure developments

eas have provided a number of environmental statements for marina developments. Services provided have included:
Environmental assessments for all types of leisure development.
Ecological surveys of intertidal zone.
Benthic organism studies.
Modelling of flows and scour for marina developments.
Water quality modelling for marina basins.
Prediction of impacts on the marine environment.
Social, economic and visual impacts of marina development.

Contaminated land

eas undertake a wide range of contaminated land studies for pre-aquisition audit, risk assessment or for development planning:

• Preliminary contamination assessments (details) for preacquisition risk assessment.
• Investigation and analysis of contamination.
• Design of remedial measures.
• Landfill gas studies.
• Groundwater investigation and analysis.
• Manufacture of gas detection systems for buildings.
• Survey and remediation of abandonned buried tanks.

Industrial

eas have provided the following services in connection with industrial projects:

• Audit of disused sites for redevelopment.
• Advice on remediation measures, design, specification and supervision of work.
• Assessment and modelling of emissions and effluents.
• Environmental Statements for planning applications.
• Evidence on environmental issues to public enquiries.
• Assessment of effluents for licence compliance.
• Health and Safety audits, COSHH assessments.
• Noise, dust and air quality monitoring.
• Water quality monitoring for natural mineral water production.
• Social and economic impact of industial development.
• Noise, traffic and visual impact of development.

eas have been involved in a wide range of industrial projects ans services from COSHH assessments on small production plants to environmental statements for planning enquiry on large industrial complexes.

Building and development

eas has longstanding relationships with developers and builders to provide input for planning proposals and for the identification and remediation advice concerning problem sites.

• Pre-aquisition site audits (details).
• Advice on remediation for contaminated sites.
• Landfill gas control systems, alarm and ventilation schemes for buildings.
• Assessment and modelling of flooding risk.
• Health and safety assessments.
• Advice on long term environmental risk of site ownership.
• Mould and "sick building" investigations.

Highways

eas have provided advice on the highway aspects of complete environmental assessments and on particular aspects of highway planning and design for major road projects. Services include:

• Air quality studies and modelling for new road schemes.
• Ecological surveys for highway routes.
• Noise assessments and modelling.
• Air quality monitoring on existing highways.