McCloy Consulting completed a Detailed Quantitative Hydrogeological Risk Assessment for a proposed residential development located within a hydrogeologically sensitive area, which has also been designated as a SPZ1 (Source Protection Zone 1). The proposed development included the construction of a basement below the groundwater table within the chalk aquifer.
The main benefits we brought to the project were;
- Specific expertise in groundwater flow and contaminant transport.
- Completion of assessment within extremely tight timeframe to meet planning application submission date.
- Proactive liaison with Environment Agency to ensure that the findings of the assessment would be acceptable prior to submission.
- Sensitive handling of a site located within a SPZ1.
Technical work we carried out to inform the Quantitative Hydrogeological Risk Assessment:
- Design and management of intrusive site investigation – borehole drilling works and aquifer / groundwater testing and monitoring.
- Detailed groundwater flow model using MODFLOW.
- Dewatering assessment.
- Contaminant transport assessment including assimilative / dilution capacity assessment.
The assessment demonstrated that the impacts of the proposed development on the water environment would be negligible, and that the protected groundwater abstraction(s) would not be affected.