Overview of Qualifications: Water Resouce Planning Services Apr 2003

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Firm Qualifications - Continued Boyle has also been responsible for field investigations to assess environmental conditions on water resource projects. Most projects begin with a preliminary field investigation to determine existing conditions and establish biological benchmarks for a particular project site. Biological benchmarks are the physical parameters of an existing habitat that can be measured, quantified, and documented. These parameters are then used as a template for the replication, restoration, and enhancement of the natural habitat during the design process. Field investigations on our projects have included wetland delineations and inventories, surveying, habitat evaluations, threatened and endangered species surveys and streambank stabilization evaluations. Geotechnical Studies Geotechnical studies on existing dam projects generally focus on embankment performance, foundation behavior /seepage analysis, and seismotectonic influences on structure stability. Studies performed on Boyle water resource projects include the following: • support on project permitting; • characterizing borrow sources (for aggregate, structural fill, common fill, rock fill, riprap, and earthen filter and drain materials); • defining geologic hazards (slope instability, expansive /collapsible soils, karst, fault rupture, strong ground shaking and related secondary seismic effects such as liquefaction); • characterizing ground water resources and/or seepage /dewatering conditions. Geotechnical studies have included a full range of technical analyses, including slope stability, compression and consolidation (settlement), seepage and dewatering, loadings on backfilled structures and buried outlets, and shallow and deep foundation parameters (bearing capacity, shear strength, etc.). An important component of these studies is testing of selected samples derived from the field investigations. Tests include routine index property and gradation testing, as well as more sophisticated strength (direct shear, triaxial compression), permeability, and deformation (consolidation, swell/expansion, etc.) testing. These geotechnical studies are tailored to provide the input required to support dam safety evaluations of existing facilities, civil design of rehabilitation and/or enlargement of existing facilities and structures, and/or design of new construction. - 9 - MOVLE