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1 <br /> INTRODUCTION <br /> Mr. Kevin Wentworth is proposing to improve a modular(manufactured)two bedroom home on <br /> the property he owns,referenced on the Title Page. This proposed modular home is considered a <br /> Second Unit Dwelling by San Joaquin County since there is an existing Single Family Residence <br /> structure on the property. Currently,the Second Unit Dwelling designation is undergoing various <br /> revised definitions pursuant to County Ordinances. <br /> The San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department(EHD)required a Soil Suitability <br /> Study and Nitrate Loading Study for this project and all projects where exceedance of nitrate <br /> loading standards may occur. These Studies were completed by AdvancedGeo (Project No. j <br /> 20-6095), dated September 10, 2020 and submitted to EHD on September 18,2020 (SR0082620). <br /> The findings from the Soil Suitability and Nitrate Loading Studies indicate: 1.) The soil <br /> underlying the property possesses an exceedingly rapid percolation rate of 0.56 min/inch that <br /> requires a civil engineering design for the onsite wastewater treatment system(OWTS), and 2.) <br /> The calculated nitrate loading from this project exceeds the standards and must also be mitigated <br /> by a civil engineer designed system. <br /> The rapid perc rate test result stipulates a soil depth separation distance of 20 ft between the floor <br /> of the disposal system and the highest anticipated depth to groundwater. From 2011 through <br /> 2018,the depth to the water table under the property has fluctuated between 20 and 30 feet below <br /> grade,thus encroaching upon this separation distance. <br /> The Nitrate Loading Study calculations found the resultant nitrate-nitrogen effluent concentration <br /> to be 19.88 ppm nitrate-nitrogen(NO3-N), which is 9.88 ppm (-2x) over the Maximum <br /> Contaminant Level (MCL)of 10 ppm NO3-N. <br /> This report addresses both issues of the rapid permeability of the soil and excess nitrate loading, <br /> and provides EHD with engineered design resolutions,primarily by taking advantage of the high <br /> porosity of the native sandy soils and the importation of a sandy loam(silt) soil to impede <br /> permeability and promote denitrification. <br /> MATERIALS AND METHODS <br /> The first procedure to address the rapid percolation of the native soils was to replicate the <br /> percolation test results of 0.56 minutes per inch(mpi) obtained by AdvancedGeo. My perc test <br /> procedures consisted of soil testing conducted after the extreme presaturation measure of filling <br /> the entire 40 inch deep test boring depth with water five times, -24 hrs prior to testing. Since it is <br /> a critical standard to conduct percolation testing under saturated soil conditions,this presaturation <br /> procedure, in addition to conducting the perc test over a four-hour period(in lieu of a one hour <br /> time period)was performed to induce maximum soil saturation. Six inches of water readily <br /> infiltrated and percolated within each 30-minute interval over the four test period. To not observe <br /> percolation rates decrease over a four-hour test period, is highly unusual and very rare,particularly <br /> in this case where the native soils were significantly presaturated. <br /> Page -1- <br /> Chesney Consulting <br />