On February 7^th, I attended the Nevada Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Meeting only to learn that yet another funding program has been cut from the federal budget.  In FY 2012 FEMA’s National Pre-disaster Mitigation Fund was reduced from $49.9 Million in FY 2011 to $35.5 Million.  However, the FY 2013 budget proposes to completely eliminate funding for the Pre-disaster Mitigation Program.  While there are other programs that some mitigation activities are eligible under, funding to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to public infrastructure will now only be available through post disaster assistance under a Presidential major disaster declaration. This is a disappointing blow to those committed to breaking the damage/repair cycle to critical public infrastructure caused by natural disasters and their effects.

On the flipside of this rollercoaster, six months earlier than expected the Department of Transportation has announced the availability of $500 Million in funding for the National Infrastructure Investments program.  Although not identical to previous TIGER Discretionary Grants, the program will continue to be referred to as TIGER 4.  Pre-applications are due by February 20, 2011 with full applications due March 19, 2011.  The purpose of the TIGER program is to invest in road, rail, transit, and port projects that have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area or a region.  DOT program goals include providing infrastructure that makes communities more livable and sustainable, strengthening the economy by creating jobs, and providing innovative ways to save on construction costs. This program appears to have picked up momentum and hopefully will provide for greater infrastructure investment for years to come.

As for what’s around the next bend, who knows!  But hold on as I am sure it will be a wild ride!

Using guidance provided by Douglas County personnel and their architectural consultants, R.O. Anderson adjusted the FLO- 2D model to block out cells impacted by the proposed structure and filled are of the parking lot.   Using the revised bathymetry, the model was operated and results extracted.  R.O. Anderson determined that a northwest-southeast orientation of the long dimension of the footprint results in less impact on the Cottonwood Slough than a more north-south orientation.  However, potential impact to the floodplains of the Cottonwood Slough and Martin Slough was such that a rise in base flood elevation of about 0.1 feet could occur to those structures downstream from the site and adjacent to Lampe Park.  Because these structures are impacted by the effective SFHA, no increase in water-surface elevation is permitted by FEMA.

R.O. Anderson analyzed several potential alternatives that could be used to mitigate the downstream impacts on the Cottonwood Slough/Martin Slough floodplain and presented these findings in a report to the Douglas County Parks Department.   A more thorough analysis will be required to prepare an application for a CLOMR based on the selected alternative in the future.

A quality Internet connection does not guarantee high performance on your home network. How your devices and computers access that connection may negate any benefits obtained by paying for more bandwidth from your Internet service provider (ISP). Many users meet with the frustration of outstanding performance on their wired network devices while their wireless electronics suffer.

The superiority of wired connections is due to their long history in the marketplace. Routers and switches as old as five years are likely to support at least a 100Mbps connection. That is more than adequate to display several HDTV streams at 18Mbps, or a couple of HD Video streams at 40Mbps.

Home wireless’ popularity is more recent and tied to the rapid success of smart-phone technology. A wireless router or access point purchased five years ago may not support a bandwidth above 54Mbps. Combine that with a wireless network interface card (NIC) on a connected device that goes even slower and the issue becomes apparent.

Wireless networks must also contend with problems of signal interference, noise, bandwidth theft, and intrusion that are less likely to affect wired networks. In a business environment, there are many ways these can be dealt with in order to maximize cost efficiency. At home, it is best to remember, “n is your friend”.

802.11n is the latest wireless networking specification for which there is equipment available to the consumer. It offers speeds up to 150Mbps, on par with a wired connection. Several issues must be understood in order to securely achieve those speeds, though.

First are the issues of interference and noise. Just as a closed door can muffle a sound, the conditions that surround your wireless router can dampen its signal. Place wireless routers in a central location, as high as safety and aesthetics will permit. Keep them well away from objects with metal surfaces such as filing cabinets. Avoid the use of cordless phones (cell phones are fine) and microwaves when performing activities that require high bandwidth since they create noise on the same frequencies as the wireless network.

Other problems are with bandwidth theft and network intrusion. Since wireless networks must broadcast in the same fashion as a radio station, anyone with the proper technology can listen to the network’s traffic. Wireless encryption is required to protect the information that travels between a wireless device and router. Wireless network security prevents unauthorized users from getting easy access to an Internet connection or computers and devices on a home network.

Finally, older wireless devices may simply lack the required bandwidth and communication abilities to take advantage of modern wireless routers. In most cases, a laptop can be upgraded, but an older consumer device may not provide that luxury. If a device does not support 802.11n speeds and security protocols, having an “n” router alone won’t improve your Internet experience.

Wireless networking poses many challenges in the realms of connectivity, bandwidth and security. The convenience it provides comes at the expense of more complicated setup and installation requirements. Failure to respect those requirements invites disappointing performance, along with the potential for theft of service and data. Allow us to help with your home or business wireless needs.

R.O. Anderson Engineering offers various IT services, including installation and configuration of wireless networks. Go to http://www.roanderson.com/solutions/information-technology-solutions/ for more information.

• vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle circulation,

• design for a smooth interface with public transit,

• public parking and parking for private businesses in a way that makes sense and supports the overall success of this business district; both during construction and as a permanent amenity to the district,

• water quality through a district wide approach to storm-water conveyance and treatment that considers economic realities, smart use of limited space, aesthetics and community/public spaces,

• visual quality through the implementation of a cohesive and comprehensive district-wide streetscape design,

• upon the public/private partnership opportunity for this district and create an innovative/successful template for future projects in the City,

• upon the ability to attract, retain and expand business opportunities in the Harrison Avenue business district

• the ability for this business district to compliment the improvements underway on Highway 50, Campground at the Lake, and Lake Commons, and

• upon the juxtaposition and quality of public spaces creating a sense of place that is unique .

The project team is providing a number of important documents to assist in the construction of this important project, including CEQA/TRPA compliance documentation, civil, landscape and electrical plans and related construction documents, SWPPP plans and permits, regional stormwater analysis, Business Improvement District analysis, topographic surveying, and public outreach are just some of the tasks our team is performing on behalf of the City. We understand how important the City sees a transparent process will be to the success of this project. The number of potential stakeholders, property owners, business owners, agencies and City departments dictate the need for clear lines of communication concise project updates on a regular basis. A transparent process also includes the ability of interested parties to engage in the process, know when and how they can do this and understand how their engagement will inform the outcomes.

R.O. Anderson was engaged to prepare a master plan for the trail system, as well as the design documents necessary for construction, permitting, and construction bid process. Due to funding restrictions, only Phase 1 of construction has moved forward at this time. R.O. Anderson prepared the topographical survey for design for the project. The project’s features includes an extensive trail system to provide access to a variety of natural points of interest provided by the site, including public access to the Carson River, an ADA compliant outdoor interpretive addition to the existing Whit Hall Interpretive Center, featuring a path, signage, planting areas, and boardwalks, and providing key connection points to several future off site trailhead locations all while working to minimize the project footprint thorough the use of existing, recycled, and natural materials.

The original mapping was done for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by a contractor, probably the Sacramento District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The modeling was completed using the USACE HEC-2 steady-state, gradually-varied, water-surface profile model using cross sections collected by field surveying. Effective model cross sections were separated by distances of about 4,000–5,000 feet, too far apart for detailed hydraulic modeling. The topographic mapping used to delineate the floodplain was constructed using aerial topographic methods with a contour interval of five feet, greater than the current two-foot standard. A number of floodplain features were absent from the effective model. Subsequent to floodplain mapping adoption, a number of changes were effected to the floodplain, including addition of crossings (Gilman Avenue, Lucerne Street, Monte Vista Drive), modification of two crossings (U.S. 395 and Buckeye Road), and numerous developments adjacent to the drainageway.

Existing conditions were such that a significant fraction of the base flood discharge is diverted by U.S. 395 north along the east side of the highway. This represents a substantial difference from the formulation of the original modeling. R.O. Anderson was contracted to develop an existing conditions model and prepare a Letter of Map Revision for the study reach. The project was amended to include an approximate analysis of the reach downstream from U.S. 395 to East Fork Carson River.

LiDAR topography supplemented with field surveys was used to develop a suite of models of Martin Slough. The suite of models included an existing conditions model (as well as a duplicate effective model) using more than 80 cross sections for the analysis. The project culminated with reports and applications for a Letter of Map Revision.

A complex two-dimensional hydrodynamic model was used by the FEMA contractor to analyze shallow flows over the valley floor. The model was uncalibrated and no convergence test was performed. The conclusions of the hydraulic modeling were challenged on the basis of a lack of understanding of the application of the numerical method in the context of a complex hydraulic system. The lack of convergence testing and not including hydraulic structures (such as culverts) was an omission that would result in significant differences to the floodplain delineation. Conservation of mass in the model application was not achieved.

The floodplain boundary adjustments reflected in the provisional FIRMs were substantial. A review of the floodplain boundaries determined that the AE zone boundaries did not comply with FEMA 38 floodplain boundary accuracy standards for three panels of the provisional FIRMs that were available for detailed comparison.

A report was developed and submitted to Douglas County, Nevada. The purpose of the report was to document the findings of the R.O. Anderson review for submission to FEMA as part of their public-review process. The results of the submission of materials to FEMA are not known at this time.

Roadway realignment and Roundabout

Peri Enterprises retained R.O. Anderson to prepare an amendment to the Transportation Plan in order to correct this inconsistency. The amendment included the relocation of Pinenut Road (a master planned collector road) as it intersected with Muller Parkway, as well as, an amendment to the Trails Plan consistent with the realigned roads, and to adjacent land uses.

Following approval by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, R.O. Anderson designed the project and prepared the plans, technical specifications, and cost estimates for Peri Enterprises who will both dedicate and construct these regional road improvements. Design considerations included re-alignment of Pinenut Road further to the north to allow for adequate vehicle stacking on Muller Parkway; design of the storm drain system to accommodate these improvements and existing flows from the historically agricultural project area; abandonment of approximately 1,250 lineal feet of the existing Pinenut Road north of the intersection with U.S. Highway 395; removal of the existing asphalt concrete (AC) roadway; design of a roundabout at the intersection of Muller and Pinenut Road; and the design of the new AC roadway with lighting, curb and gutters, water, sewer, storm drain, sidewalk and bike path improvements.

The project is now well under construction with an anticipated completion date of Spring 2012.

R.O. Anderson was engaged by the Owner to utilize the architectural site plan from the landscape architect to prepare the preliminary and final civil improvement plans for the proposed park. R.O. Anderson prepared plans for site grading and construction details, the drainage report, Best Management Practices plan, and an engineer estimate of probable construction costs. The project was designed with infiltration trenching at strategic locations and permeable pavers with storage beds to mitigate storm water run-off.

R.O. Anderson teamed with Coleen Shade, AICP, LEED AP, on this project prior to her employment with the firm. Ms. Shade led the facilitation of stakeholder and public input to develop the design. Additionally, she coordinated and obtained permits through the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, City of South Lake Tahoe, South Tahoe Public Utility District, Liberty Energy and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board. The project team met the client’s vigorous schedule and brought the project from visioning to permitted bid documents in a total of six months.

The project is currently out to bid and construction will occur in spring 2012.