California firm garners ACEC award

Sacramento, Calif.-based RBF Consulting has been tapped by the California Chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for a Merit Award in its 2009 Engineering Excellence Award competition.

RBF was recognized for planning, design, and construction management of Miner’s Ravine Off-Channel Detention Basin project, situated in the rapidly expanding Placer County region of northern California, between the cities of Roseville and Rocklin. Completed in October 2007, the project realized multiple benefits for local communities, including flood protection, environmental restoration, wetlands preservation, recreational trails, bike trail connectivity, opportunities for public education through interpretive signage, and sustainable design elements, and was completed just under budget.

The City of Roseville and County of Placer had sought to use the area of the detention basin for flood control purposes for more than 20 years, but had been unsuccessful in finding a plan supported by the community. RBF Consulting developed an innovative solution for the site and conducted an effective public outreach campaign, which gained support from a broad spectrum of environmental, community, and other special interest groups.

The facility was designed to provide long-term benefits by using a system that automatically provides for filling and draining of the basin during peak events, making it simple to maintain and effective for back-to-back storm conditions. The flow control system designed by RBF provides exceptional peak flow reduction over a wide range of storm events, which was a concern due to the size of the watershed and site constraints.

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