Service \ Soils
Soil science is one of our firm’s key capabilities. All land use decisions, including development, require consideration and assessment of the soil resource. Works that involve soil disturbance prompt further considerations including Acid Sulfate Soils, potential erosion hazard and soil resource management.
Acid Sulfate Soils
A serious issue in low-lying and coastal environments, Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) require careful investigation, assessment and management by experienced personnel. Oversights or failures in identification or management of ASS will lead to damage to the environment and problems that are both costly and difficult to fix. Specialist knowledge is essential to ensure the risk is properly understood and expertly managed.
One of Gilbert & Sutherland’s Principal Environmental Scientists is Neil Sutherland, former Chair of the Queensland Acid Sulfate Soils Management Advisory Committee (QASSMAC) – the key advisory body on this issue. Our clients benefit from Sutherland’s unique perspective and experience in developing and applying ASS regulation and management policies.
Our ASS assessments integrate years of experience and thorough field research with computer modeling and detailed data analysis. Gilbert & Sutherland’s ASS identification and investigation skills are supported by our in-house environmental and geophysical drilling capabilities and our advice and management plans are comprehensive, professional and proven.
Our acid sulfate soils capabilities include:
- acid sulfate soil investigations
- acid sulfate soil modeling
- ASS management planning, advice and implementation
- calculation of liming rates, volumes and costs
- drilling & field services
- expert testimony and evidentiary reports in legal disputes
- groundwater and water quality monitoring for ASS impacts
- groundwater modeling and assessment of potential impacts
- interpretation of analytical information
- liaison with local and state governments
- preparation of Acid Sulfate Soil Assessment reports and Acid Sulfate Soil Management Plans
- supervision of treatment processes
- tracking excavated and treated materials
- Validation Sampling
Sediment and Erosion Control
On development sites, sediment and erosion control failures not only damage the environment but they also expose owners, developers and others to serious risks, costs, and legal liabilities. Management of sediment and erosion issues requires expert knowledge, highly-developed skills and extensive experience, especially for mining, industrial, agricultural and residential development contexts.
Gilbert & Sutherland’s team includes expert scientists and specialist engineers with the skill and resources to identify sediment and erosion risks, to prevent problems from occurring and to advise clients on remediation issues if incidents or failures have occurred. Gilbert & Sutherland’s sediment and erosion management capabilities include:
- erosion assessment modeling
- erosion & Sediment Control Plans (ESCP)
- erosion hazard assessment
- on-site advice and troubleshooting
- particle dispersion testing
- sediment pond sizing and design
- water quality monitoring
Soil Survey, Analysis and Resource Management
Soils are a finite resource requiring careful management. Identifying, characterising, analysing and mapping soil resources both facilitates and informs a range of critical decision making processes in areas such as agriculture, land development, environmental management, contamination, enforcement action and legal disputes. Gilbert & Sutherland are specialists in:
- Soil fertility analysis and advice
- Soil sampling and analysis
- Soil survey and resource assessment and advice.