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SVS has pioneered the use of the Value Methodology on environmental restoration projects. We began in the early 1990s on major ecosystem restoration projects such as Rio Salado and Tres Rios in the Phoenix, AZ area. Sinced then we have conducted numerous studies on projects with either a primary or secondary function of river or stream restoration, and ecosystem restoration and projects to re-establish riparian corridors, wetlands, fisheries habitats, various structures related to protecting migratory fish, and more.
Southwest United States Wetlands Rehabilitation
This $91 million environmental restoration project was the first of this kind and magnitude accomplished by the Corps of Engineers. The project was to restore the riparian and wetlands habitat to the now dry and barren Salt River. The natural habitat disappeared because of upstream usage. This project was to restore that natural habitat in the riverbed by planting 750 acres of various trees and plants. The trees and plants would obtain water through an artificial stream and piped irrigation system. The project was complicated by the fact that this channel also serves as a major flood control channel for the Cities of Phoenix and Tempe. The project was unique in its objective to plant trees in a flood control facility without compromising the capacity of the channel. The VE study resulted in changes to the size of the proposed plantings which resulted in a higher survivability rate and reduced the capital and maintenance costs. The VE team also assisted the design team in developing a more hydraulically stable planting scheme and provided them with a plan to better protect the investment during a flood event. The VE study resulted in $10 million in capital cost savings and another $10 million in operation and maintenance costs over the economic life of the project.
Fish Collection Structure
Five-day value planning project to build scenarios for a fish catching apparatus that would protect fish from the turbines of a dam on the Columbia River. The design presented to the value team was over budget by over $40 million. The focus of the study was to discover options for reducing the costs of the project and supplying power while performing the functions of re-establishing anadromy (fish migration patterns) for the fish in the reservoir which had been previously blocked from downstream movement for over 40 years. The study resulted in meeting the project budget of $62 million while meeting all the essential functions of the structure and also improving overall operation of the fish movement and safety. UPDATE: Since having constructed this structure, the client has reported an unprecedented success. Implementing the results of the value study created a first ever concept in fish collection and the successful fish collection and transport is upwards of 95% of all fish in the reservoir. This is an over 50% improvement on other traditional fish collection structures that average around 60-70% successful collection rate. This new model of facility is now being used with similar success all around the Northwestern United States as a solution to fish anadromy.
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