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June 21, 2022 <br />SOIL SUITABILITY STUDY / NITRATE LOADING STUDY <br />12958/12970 E JAHANT ROAD <br />ACAMPO, CALIFORNIA <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />Petralogix Engineering, Inc. has been retained by Mr. Baltazar Morones to conduct a Nitrate Loading <br />Study (NLS) and Soil Suitability Study (SSS) for the property located at 12958/12970 E Jahant Road, <br />Acampo, San Joaquin County, California. The site assessor parcel number (APN) is 077-270-22. The <br />parcel currently has three single-family homes on site; two (2) three-bedroom, 2 -bath and one (1) <br />two-bedroom, 1 -bath homes. Proposed development consists of one additional three-bedroom, <br />two -bath manufactured home to be placed on site. The Environmental Health Department has <br />requested the owner to submit a Soil Suitability Study (SSS) and Nitrate Loading Study (NLS) to <br />assess soil conditions pertaining to the development of the parcel and associated planned septic <br />system as well an evaluation of the projects potential to contaminate surface and groundwater with <br />nitrate. <br />The purpose of the SSS is to determine whether the soils are suitable for use with a septic system. <br />The study was conducted in accordance with the requirements of Section 9-1105.2(d) of the San <br />Joaquin County Development Code. An important element of an SSS consists of conducting <br />percolation tests to determine if soils meet the required absorption rates, as required by the San <br />Joaquin County, Public Health Services, and Environmental Health Department (EHD). This report <br />has been formatted to correspond with the Soil Suitability Study Requirements Checklist of the San <br />Joaquin County Environmental Health Department (EHD) dated July 14, 2003. <br />The San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department recognizes nitrate contamination as a <br />significant threat to the surface and groundwaters of the County. Groundwater quality may be <br />impacted by nitrate contamination where percolating effluent leaches into the ground, should this <br />effluent reach groundwater. Due to the EHD concerns regarding nitrate leaching into the surface and <br />groundwaters from septic systems, a nitrate loading study is required by the EHD for the proposed <br />development to measure the potential concentration of percolating effluent and rain fall over a long <br />period of time. This report has been prepared to meet the requirements of the San Joaquin County <br />EHD's Nitrate Loading Study Requirements Checklist, dated July 14, 2003. <br />A simple mass balance formula, as discussed in the article by Hantzshe and Finnemorel in Ground <br />Water, provides a method for nitrate loading analysis to estimate long-term groundwater nitrate <br />impacts for a wide area. Based on the Hantzshe and Finnemore study, water quality in the upper <br />saturated groundwater zone approximates the quality of percolating recharge waters, which the <br />authors believe is a reliable planning tool to estimate the potential impact to groundwater, as well as <br />a useful source of analysis to official planning agencies. The equation utilized by the Hantzshe and <br />Finnemore approach considers the development area, soil denitrification factor, rainfall volume, <br />rainfall nitrate concentrations, waste effluent quantity, and waste effluent nitrate concentration. The <br />formulas, calculations, and assumptions are provided on Plates 7 and 8. The units of nitrate used in <br />1 Hantzshe N., Finnemore, E.J., 1992. Predicating Ground -Water Nitrate -Nitrogen Impacts. Ground Water, Vol 30, No 4. <br />Petralogix Engineering, Inc. <br />26675 Bruella Road, Galt, Ca 95632 <br />(209)-400-5729 <br />www.petralogix.com <br />9 <br />