Under an eight-year contract, KCI is providing monitoring and maintenance services for mitigation sites associated with construction of I-69 in southwest Indiana for INDOT.
Tasks assigned to date include monitoring of mitigation wetlands, streams, endangered species habitat, construction observation, minor maintenance, and preparation of remedial design plans. Monitoring involves delineation of wetland boundaries, assessment of vegetation, and evaluation of mitigation sites based on established success criteria. Stream monitoring involves visual assessment of stability as well as geomorphic survey of cross-section and profile, pebble counts, and QHEI/HHEI. Hydrology is monitored within wetlands and streams using electronic data loggers as well as identification of traditional hydrologic indicators. Along Sections 1-4 of the roadway work, our team is monitoring 35 sites totaling approximately 3,475 acres that contain 250 acres of wetland restoration and more than 57,350 linear feet of stream restoration.
Annual reports summarizing site data are submitted to each regulatory agency and indicate whether the site is compliant with established permit requirements. Additionally, KCI is responsible for the development of adaptive management plans intended to bring deficient sites into compliance. In coordination with the INDOT, our environmental scientists provide oversight of all recommended maintenance activities being conducted.
In order to efficiently and securely manage the extensive monitoring data, KCI’s Geospatial Solutions Practice developed an environmental management system (commonly referred to as GeoFusion), which allows users to geographically relate project documents to spatial features within a GIS interface. Geofusion facilitates controlled access to all project data, and yearly monitoring reports are submitted electronically through the application to regulatory agency reviewers.
