Clarke County Conventional Septic System Installation Inspection

Clarke County Conventional Septic System Installation Inspection

In late May 2017, we completed a job for the construction of a new home in Boyce, Virginia. Mr. Bob Holmes and his soil sniffing dog, Buddy, meticulously investigated the proposed building site, searching for the best soil. The study concluded with the location of a conventional drainfield, paperwork and drawings submitted to the Virginia Department of Health, and the issuance of a septic system operations permit. In the end, our clients were able to move forward with the construction of their new home with no headache and at a minimal expense.    ...

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Volcanic Activity in Virginia

Volcanic Activity in Virginia

  When most people think about Virginia, volcanoes do not immediately come to mind. However, many of us are living and working on top of what used to be one of the most volcanically active places in the world. On a recent soil study in Fauquier County, we uncovered tangible evidence of our states tumultuous geologic history. Pictured above is a piece of lower Jurassic vesicular basalt. This odd looking rock was formed between 201 and 174 million years ago as the ancient supercontinent Pangaea, broke apart to form the Atlantic Ocean and the continents of Africa and North America. While the Earth’s continents appear to be static, they are actually continuously moving around on giant “islands” of the Earth’s crust called tectonic plates. These plates move at a rate of about one inch per year, driven by convection currents in the soft upper portion of the mantle. This movement results in a number of interactions between tectonic plates and can result the creation and destruction of mountains, ocean and continents as well as the formation of, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and more. When the supercontinent Pangea broke apart during the lower Jurassic period, lava from beneath the Earth’s crust rose to the surface and flooded onto the land forming the igneous rock basalt. The vesicles (cavities) that are apparent in the basalt that we uncovered resulted from the process of extrusion.  As the magma rose to the surface of the Earth (extruded) the gases that were dissolved in the hot magma expanded as the pressure decreased. When the magma quickly cooled upon reaching the surface, the gas bubbles froze in place leaving behind a vesicular texture. Not that we think soil is boring, but its little discoveries like this that help to keep us excited about going out day after day, playing in the dirt. -Nick...

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New Soil Tech for Hadley Environmental – Nicholas Jewitt

New Soil Tech for Hadley Environmental – Nicholas Jewitt

We are happy to announce that Nicholas Jewett has recently joined the Hadley Environmental team as our new soil science technician. He is currently pursuing his Masters of Science in Environmental Science at Johns Hopkins University. Nick tells us that he has been enjoying the opportunity to apply his background knowledge of geology, hydrology, and soil science to find solutions for real world situations. We are excited to help foster his growth as a soil science...

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Fauquier County AOSE Soil & Site Evaluation (Perc Test) to Permit Replacement Drainfield Construction

Fauquier County AOSE Soil & Site Evaluation (Perc Test) to Permit Replacement Drainfield Construction

This April 2017 project was for a property in The Plains, Virginia. We were contacted to find an area to replace the aged and deteriorated septic system components. The On-Site Soil Evaluator soil evaluation as required by the state of Virginia includes measuring depth to root limiting restrictions, water table, paralithic/lithic bedrock, soil horizons, soil texture, soil color, and identifying fill material. The site evaluation includes locating an area outside of the required setback of wells, cisterns, springs, ponds, etc. Local requirements including Chapter 17 of the Fauquier County Ordinances are also met. After the evaluation is complete, we will prepare the conventional design plans and coordinate with the client to procure a Virginia Department of Health Septic System Repair Permit. When the new system is installed, we will inspect the system to insure the components comply with the sewage handling and disposal regulations. An OSE report and As-Built Drawing will be supplied to Virginia Department of Health for an Operation’s...

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Loudoun County Virginia Onsite Wastewater Disposal Soil Feasibility Review

Loudoun County Virginia Onsite Wastewater Disposal Soil Feasibility Review

In April 2017, we were contacted to assist a development team to determine the land suitability for a commercial project near Lovettsville, Virginia and Brunswick, Maryland. Data collected from the evaluation pits included total depth of hole, depth to restrictive feature, depth to water table, soil profile characteristics, estimated percolation rate, and suitability of the sample for a decentralized wastewater treatment plant. GPS information was collected for the purpose of identifying the evaluation pit and to find the hole location in the future. A findings report will be provided for the client’s...

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