Journal

Sutro Science publications, project developments, opinions, and more.

SUTRO SCIENCE AWARDED FOR OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ON DESALINATION PROJECT

Sutro Science are very proud to have been part of the team receiving the award for "Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document" from AEP for the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project EIR/EIS. The project will create and expand three water supply sources, desalination, aquifer storage and recovery, and recycled water, for the Monterey Peninsula to reduce regional demand on groundwater and reduce diversions from the Carmel River to protect the river’s threatened population of steelhead.

Sutro Science provided technical leadership in support of the environmental review and planning efforts with responsibility for evaluating groundwater impacts in a complex regulatory setting as well as oceanic water quality impacts relating to the discharge of desalination brine into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Successful technical management required understanding of stakeholder concerns, evolving regulatory requirements, and conducting unique technical analyses with a diverse team of experts. Thanks to ESA, Dr. Roberts, Applied Marine Sciences, and the staff of Monterey Sanctuary and the CPUC. Amazing team!

SUTRO SCIENCE DESAL HEADS TO SO-CAL: WEST BASIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT'S OCEAN WATER DESALINATION PROJECT

The Ocean Water Desalination Project proposed by the West Basin Municipal Water District is a desalination facility that would produce 20 million gallons per day (MGD) of potable water supply, with potential expansion of the facility to a future capacity of up to 60 MGD.  The project will allow West Basin to develop a locally-sourced base load supply that is drought-proof and hydrologically independent. Such a supply will further reduce the dependence of imported water, increase drought resiliency and water security while further diversifying West Basin’s water supply mix by integrating desalinated ocean water with the local water supply portfolio, thereby relieving pressure on already heavily constrained surface water supplies.

Sutro Science, in collaboration with desalination technical partners Professor Phil Roberts, Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the team at Applied Marine Science, will bring technical expertise to the environmental review and planning process for this project under the CEQA and NEPA leadership of industry leader ESA. Sutro Science, leveraging experience garnered from previous work with this team on other California desalination planning projects, will evaluate potential impacts relating to the offshore marine environment, the coastal zone interface, and inland surface water and groundwater. Watch this space for future updates!

WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL & WATER RESOURCES CONGRESS, Sacramento, May 21-25, 2017.

The Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) is the recognized leader within ASCE for the integration of technical expertise and public policy in the planning, design, construction, and operation of environmentally sound and sustainable infrastructure impacting air, land and water resources. Leading environmental and water resource professionals will be gathering in Sacramento this May 21-25 to discuss “Creative Solutions for a Changing Environment.” 

Sutro Science is a proud co-author of a paper, "Disposal of Seawater Desalination Brines and the CEQA/NEPA Process", being presented by Professor Philip Roberts, Georgia Tech School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This paper showcases our recent work collaborating with Professor Roberts assessing changes in the California Ocean Plan regarding the regulation of desalination facility brine discharges and assessing impacts from a proposed desalination plant in an environmentally sensitive location in Northern California. Extensive investigations were conducted to ensure compliance with the Plan and to support environmental review under the CEQA/NEPA process. The work included the modeling of the plume dynamics and discharge dilution for various operational scenarios, predictions of salinity changes, and assessments of biota mortality due to entrainment into the jets of the proposed diffuser. Our paper is available at the ASCE online library here.

SUTRO SCIENCE PROVIDES TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP FOR CALIFORNIA DESALINATION PLANNING: MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER SUPPLY PROJECT EIR/EIS PUBLIC DRAFT RELEASED

The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (MPWSP) would include a 9.6 million gallon per day (mgd) desalination plant and facility improvements to the existing Seaside Groundwater Basin ASR system to secure water supplies for the approximately 40,000 customers in CalAm's Monterey District service area. The primary purpose of the MPWSP is to replace existing water supplies that have been constrained by legal decisions affecting the Carmel River and Seaside Groundwater Basin water resources.

Sutro Science is providing technical leadership in support of NEPA and CEQA environmental review and planning efforts. With responsibility for evaluating all groundwater impacts relating to the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin as well as oceanic water quality impacts relating to the discharge of desalination brine into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, technical management requires understanding of stakeholder concerns, regulatory requirements, and unique technical issues. Successful outcomes involved considered coordination of engineering and scientific sub-consultants with expertise in marine resources, quantitative modeling of groundwater water quality and flow dynamics, hydrologists, coastal process engineers, and water quality specialists.

The MPWSP EIR/EIS public draft was released January, 2017 and is available here.

FOSTERING FUTURE SCIENTISTS: SUTRO SCIENCE SUPPORTING LOCAL EDUCATION

Sutro Science staff advocate for science in the classroom and regularly donate staff volunteer hours to local schools. From elementary level to high school, students experience wonder exploring the world of science. Engaging natural curiosity, our staff deliver scientific education programs that foster a love and curiosity for the natural world. Our programs inspire confidence and help develop critical thinking skills through constructing compelling stories that change how students learn about and interact with complex systems and scientific principals. Our inclusive, hands-on approach makes learning fun and builds independence, ingraining a deep understanding of scientific concepts and how they apply to the real world.