Mike Sarmento Senior Construction Manager Floodplain Management Program Urban Drainage and Flood Control District

Mike Sarmento Senior Construction Manager Floodplain Management Program Urban Drainage and Flood Control District

Today s Objectives Understanding of the Maintenance Eligibility Program (MEP) Get us all on same page Better product 2

Our Topics (Briefly) What is the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District? What s the process and why it s important to you. How does it work? What is my role as a construction inspector? What to look for during construction with examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Where to get more information. 3

What is UDFCD? Denver Metro Region including: Adams Boulder Broomfield Denver Douglas Jefferson 32 Incorporated Municipalities 1600 Square Miles 1608 Linear Miles of Streams

UDFCD Organization Floodplain Management FHAD Studies LOMC Coordination MEP CRS Assistance MP Master Planning Master Plan Reports Criteria Manual WQ Research Design Software FPM Design Construction & Maintenance CIP Maintenance South Platte River DCM

What is the MEP? Maintenance Eligibility Program (MEP) was created in 1983 in order to help facilitate maintenance eligibility of non-district projects (Developer projects or Government Built). Any project that receives final acceptance by the MEP is eligible for maintenance by UDFCD subject to local government priority and budget limits. The DCM program assists local governments with various levels of maintenance for drainage and flood control facilities. Maintenance activities are usually 100% District funded. This includes stream management, and restoration projects. 6

How Does It Work? Developer provides plans to the local government planning/engineering department for review. Government and developer projects are then referred to UDFCD for review and comment. MEP issues design approval once all engineering design and review comments are resolved. Local Government determines whether they will seek maintenance eligibility for any project. Only the local government can request participation in the MEP. Design of the facility must be in accordance with the most current edition of the Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual (USDCM). Maintenance Access and public easement or ROW are always required. The construction of all drainageway improvements must be certified as constructed in accordance with the approved plans in order to be accepted as maintenance eligible by UDFCD. 7

The 3 Step Process Design Approval Design Approval Letter sent to local government. We request that the local government provide the project start date and contact information for the developer and contractor. (2 year limit on design approval) Construction Acceptance Construction satisfactorily completed and final BMP s in place. Construction Acceptance Letter sent to the local government. (you re not done yet ) Final Acceptance based on the revegetation success and site stability (may take 1 or more years) Certification of Maintenance Eligibility letter sent to local government. (Good to go!)

Construction Approval Steps Pre-Con Meeting with Team Periodic Site Visits by Team Punch List Walk Through by Team Construction Approval Letter 9

MEP Guidelines For complete guidelines for MEP go to www.udfcd.org and click on Working With Us then click on Maintenance Eligibility. For Construction Specifications for drainageway work click on Resources and then Specifications. You can also find mapping information, the USDCM and Current Updates, annual DCM work programs, and contact information for various departments at UDFCD. 10

Why Should I Care? Maintenance eligibility serves as a form of insurance should the site require future maintenance or repair of deteriorated/damaged structures. (Sept 2013 floods). Ineligible projects are the responsibility of the local government should they fail or require maintenance. Many local governments have regulations in effect that require them to obtain maintenance eligibility from UDFCD. 11

Construction Observation/Inspection The District will have a representative visit the site from time to time as deemed necessary to observe construction for the conformance with the approved design. UDFCD serves as a technical adviser to the local government/contractor and performs general construction observation; in-depth inspections and geotechnical testing are left to the the local government. Observation reports/photo documentation are sent electronically to keep the local government/developer/contractor informed of progress, overall compliance with the plans, and to note any issues of concern. 12

What We Don t Do Do not have any contractual relation with to the owner, design engineer, or the contractor. Local government has direct authority over the developer/contractor as the permit provider Not a substitute for local government construction inspection Do not interpret the approved plans in the field if there are design questions, we refer the contractor/developer back to the design engineer for clarification No geotechnical/materials testing No SWMP/GESC, state or federal permit (401,402,404) compliance inspections, or OSHA-style safety inspections. These are left to the local government 13

Design Changes/Field Modifications Conditions Can Change: unknown utilities, unstable conditions, problematic designs. Requires review by UDFCD and a Notice of Change to Approved Design form which must be signed by the design engineer, local gov t, owner, contractor, and UDFCD.

Pre-Construction Meetings We request a preconstruction meeting with the public works/engineering department inspection team, the developer, and the contractor. This provides us the opportunity to discuss specific issues related to the design and proposed work. This often gets overlooked by the office so, please call us if you have a project starting up so that we can ensure we all start off on the same page. Mandatory pre-grout inspection for all grouted boulders and cutoff walls. Two business days advance notice required. Teamwork: We all have a lot on our plates; let s work together to get it built safely and correctly. Communication is the key! 15

What Do We Look At? Regional Detention/inlets/outlets/Emergency Spillways Storm sewer outfalls FES s Low tailwater basins, grouted boulder rundowns, energy dissipater structures Channel grading, ECB installation Riprap/Soil Riprap/Boulders /Grouted Boulders Hydraulic Structures Check and Drop Structures Inlet/Outlet Sides of Box Culverts Headwalls, Wingwalls, Aprons Forebays, trashracks ANYTHING within the 100-year floodplain! 16

Outfall Problems We don t permit grouted riprap Didn t extend protection below the channel invert No cut-off trench along sides

Road Crossings Entrance and outlet protection Riprap Boulders Concrete aprons Wingwalls Toewalls/Cutoffs Headwalls

Typical Outfall Problems Plastic pipe/fes s no plastic outfall/pvc-rcp special considerations Joint Restraints missing or too long 19

Toewalls and Riprap 20

Pipe Outfalls Grouted Boulder Required when the outfall is >4 above channel invert Typical Problems: Subgrade preparation, toeing boulders 3 below channel invert in minor drainageways and 5 feet below channel invert in major drainages (Clear Ck, S. Platte, Boulder Ck, etc. Boulder and Riprap Sizing. Correct Grout Elevations Rundowns

Cutoff Trenches for Drop Structures and Check Structures 22

Sandy or Non-Cohesive Soils Design Change Form to change from concrete to sheetpile. Minimum PZ- 22 driven 10- ft or to refusal in bedrock. Meant for seepage control. Concrete cap or placed between grouted boulders. 23

Keyways no keyway, careless pour well-defined keyway, finishing not required 24

Grade Control or What s Wrong with this Picture? 25

Dewatering/Diversions well-points outside the footprint when possible diversion pipes/channels past the affected area 26

Grout Levels minimum specified depth; not too much or too little good placement and grouting 27

A Word About Subgrade Preparation Bedding material (squeegee/crushed rock) are NOT permitted below boulders due to piping concerns. Proper subgrade dewatering or surface water diversion is usually the issue MUST be stable and compacted (no muck) 28

Be Selective about Boulders! 29

Placement Problems Don t use riprap to get grade really?? 30

Other Issue to Watch Out For 31

Other Items to Look For 2 x 4 rule, clean boulders, wet before grouting gaps between walls/pipes, boulders not protruding above invert 32

More on Boulder Placement Pretty Good! Not so good 33

Revegetation and Site Stability ECB & other Final BMPs Not Acceptable 34

Revegetation (the final word) weeds are not native grass healthy native vegetation, site stabilized 35

For More Information For complete guidelines on MEP go to www.udfcd.org and click on Working With Us then click on Maintenance Eligibility. For Construction Specifications for drainageway work click on Resources and then Specifications. You can also find mapping information, the USDCM & Current Updates, DCM annual work programs, and contact information for various departments at UDFCD. 36

Training and Workshops We do MEP trainings and workshops for engineers, planners, and inspectors! We travel! Call us to schedule a workshop at your organization. Workshops are typically 3-4 hours and can be scheduled for your convenience. Contact: Teresa Patterson, 303-455-6277 37

Questions?? 38