Todd Engineers: Water Resources Management

Groundwater Seepage
Fremont, California

Net.com leased a multi-office building complex in Fremont, California. In its first year of occupancy, severe water seepage through the concrete foundations of all buildings forced the company to abandon operations in its basement floors. Net.com retained Todd Engineers to determine the cause of the seepage and provide recommendations. After reviewing site geotechnical reports and topographic maps, Todd Engineers conducted coring activities inside the buildings, installed six shallow monitoring wells, and implemented a water level monitoring program. Todd Engineers concluded that shallow groundwater conditions and very poor drainage of native soils caused the water seepage.

Net.com reached an agreement with the building owner to move to two proposed new buildings located adjacent to the existing office complex. Todd Engineers was retained again to assess potential shallow groundwater conditions prior to construction. Six temporary monitoring wells were installed inside and outside the perimeters of the two proposed buildings and water levels were measured over time. In addition, slug tests were performed to determine hydraulic conductivity of underlying soils. Todd Engineers proposed a sub-floor drainage system that was incorporated in the final design of the buildings.

Eden Shores Community Buffer Zone Channel
City of Hayward, California

Eden Shores Community is a proposed 251-acre, planned residential and commercial development located in Hayward, California. The western portion of Eden Shores is adjacent to wetlands that provide critical habitat for the federally endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse.

Todd Engineers was retained by the developer to design an engineered lake system, or buffer zone channel that would prevent domestic animals from entering the wetlands and harming the endangered wildlife and also provide an aesthetic asset to the community.

Todd Engineers directed a team of engineers, biologists, and hydrologists to address design criteria for the channel. Project concerns included determination of a viable water supply source, definition of water quality objectives, and evaluation of available biological and engineered aquatic systems. For the final design, the team recommended the use of groundwater for water supply, nutrient absorptive aquatic planter pockets and aeration and circulation systems for water quality control, and an automated water level monitoring system.

Pipeline Leakage and Landslide Litigation
City of Orange, California

Earth movement and ground cracking affected 21 residences in the City of Orange, resulting in condemnation of the properties by the City. Historic aerial photographs showed landsliding in the area prior to development. These slope stability concerns led to the construction of a buttress designed to stabilize the area prior to development. The City was named as a defendant in the lawsuit brought by homeowners against the property developer and others. The plaintiffs claimed that leaking sewer and water supply lines operated and maintained by the City added water to the slide mass and contributed to the slope failure.

Todd Engineers was retained by the City to provide expert technical support in the matter. Todd Engineers determined that breaks in the City's water and sewer lines were the result of the earth movement, not the cause of it. The case was settled out of court to the satisfaction of the City of Orange.

Todd Engineers

Water Resources Management

Groundwater SeepageFremont, California

Eden Shores Community Buffer Zone Channel City of Hayward, California

Pipeline Leakage and Landslide Litigation City of Orange, California

Groundwater Seepage
Fremont, California

Eden Shores Community Buffer Zone Channel
City of Hayward, California

Pipeline Leakage and Landslide Litigation
City of Orange, California