Management Practices

Land managers need to manage their lands for the products they provide.  Thus, farmers manage lands for crops. Duck club for waterfowl.  Wetlands for habitat.  But all types of land uses are under increased regulatory pressure to reduce nonpoint water quality effects.  Bachand & Associates is active and progressive in development of innovative and applicable cultural and structural management practices to reduce water quality impacts. We begin with understanding the systems through interviewing the landowners, assessing the current system design and practices, and reviewing the water quality and hydrologic goals.  We then work to develop effective and pragmatic approaches that will integrate and leverage current management practices to target constituents of concern. 

Water Resource Investigations

Bachand & Associates has expertise for investigating water resources challenges from the initial study design through data collection, analyses and reporting.  We have led investigations of hydrology and the fate and transport of various constituents of concern including nutrients, organic carbon, disinfection byproduct precursors, metals and mercury for projects of various scales from agricultural fields to watersheds.  We work in a broad range of semi-natural systems including agriculture, wetlands and stormwater.    

Stormwater and Wastewater Treatment Wetlands

Bachand & Associates is an innovator in enhancing treatment wetland performance efficiencies and applicability.  We identify the opportunities and constraints of wetlands to address specific water quality and hydrologic concerns, and recommend science based solutions targeting constituents of concern.  Important in optimizing these systems is understanding their interactions with other components in the treatment train and understanding underlying processes. 

Principals at Bachand & Associates have worked on studies to assess methods to improve treatment wetland performance: integration with coagulation systems, improved hydrologic designs and use of adsorptive media.  These approaches are promising for improving the performance of wetlands to target specific treatments.  We have several publications on these technologies and in 2004 were part of a California State Board Conference on Advanced Treatment Tchnologies for Stormwater.

Wetland Restoration

Bachand & Associates has worked closely with Wetlands and Water Resources and others on wetland restoration projects. We have been involved with a comprehensive feasibility study for the South San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds, efforts to assess the impacts of restoration of wetland processes, and impacts of wetland restoration to greenhouse gas productions and the potential for carbon farming. We have collaborated with Wetlands and Water Resources on implementation of a number of restorations in the North San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. On these projects we have provided technical support related to water quality, engineering economics and hydrology.

Aquatic Toxicity

Bachand & Associates has led efforts to understand and quantify aquatic toxicity resulting from coagulation treatment processes.  We have worked closely with the University of California Aquatic Toxicity Lab in the design and implementation of these studies.  We have also supported assessments on the effects of mercury in wetlands and other aquatic environments being conducted by the USGS.

Geotechnical and Groundwater Services

Bachand & Associates has been involved in geotechnical assessments related to levee stability and predicted subsidence on peat soils and bay muds.  Bachand & Associates has also conducted investigation of shallow groundwater response in agricultural systems.   Most recently, Bachand & Associates has teamed with the USDA, UC Davis, Sustainable Conservation and Terranova Ranch, Inc. to develop on-farm practices to capture flood flows from the Kings River to decrease downstream flood risks, and recharge and protect groundwater resources.