Floodplain Assessment for the Proposed Engineered Erosion Controls at TA-72 in Lower Sandia Canyon, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Abstract

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is preparing to implement engineering controls in Sandia Canyon at Technical Area (TA) 72. Los Alamos National Security (LANS) biologists conducted a floodplain determination and this project is located within a 100-year floodplain. The proposed project is to rehabilitate the degraded channel in lower Sandia Canyon where it crosses through the outdoor firing range at TA-72 to limit the loss of sediment and dissipate floodwater leaving LANL property (Figure 1). The proposed construction of these engineered controls is part of the New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) approved LANL Individual Storm Water Permit. The purpose of this project is to install storm water controls at Sandia Watershed Site Monitoring Area 6 (S-SMA-6). Storm water controls will be designed and installed to meet the requirements of NPDES Permit No. NM0030759, commonly referred to as the LANL Individual Storm Water Permit (IP). The storm water control measures address storm water mitigation for the area within the boundary of Area of Concern (AOC) 72-001. This action meets the requirements of the IP for S-SMA-6 for storm water controls by a combination of: preventing exposure of upstream storm water and storm water generated within the channel to the AOC andmore » totally retaining storm water falling outside the channel but within the AOC.« less