The City of El Paso asked Parkhill to design, bid and oversee construction of a Solid Waste Citizen Collection Station, named for the street it’s on — Confederate Drive. The station has brightly colored accents and honeycomb-like symmetrical bays. One of the more visually pleasing recycling/waste centers in the city, it provides residents with a convenient place to take recyclables and trash.

Parkhill’s design improvements and site layout will save time and frustration. Before, vehicles would unload waste from their vehicles, and trash would empty into the bins, some of which would inevitably miss the Dumpsters. The metal channels are designed to now minimize spillage and allow the placement of the Dumpsters perfectly without any damage to the retaining wall.

The project also saved money by redesigning electrical requirements more properly based on the size of the station.

Lubbock’s Caliche Canyon Landfill (TCEQ MSW #0069) included a 45-acre cell with a prescriptive final cover designed with earthen and geomembrane components equal to the bottom liner system. From the surface to the waste mass, the prescriptive cover included a 6 to 10-inch thick soil erosion cover, an 18-inch thick compacted soil layer and a 60-millimeter HDPE geomembrane layer. Construction of this type of cover system is difficult for several reasons, one being that the geomembrane is easily punctured. Even with careful precautions, cover leaks through geomembranes punctures are likely.

Parkhill's solution was to utilize local sandy soils and eliminate the need for expensive imported clays and geomembranes. The end result was an elegant balance between soil porosity, thickness and vegetation. Working with all three of these parameters a cover was constructed that not only met but exceeded EPA regulations for final cover infiltration rates. This type of final cover was an Evapotranspiration (ET) Cover – or more commonly known as a Water Balance Cover.

The ET Cover designed for Lubbock was a 3-foot thick soil liner comprised exclusively from onsite soils. The liners were constructed in three, separate 12-inch thick loose lifts on top of a prepared subgrade. The ET cover was seeded with a blended mix of native grasses intended to provide a vegetation cover that will thrive during any weather condition.

Awards

Engineering Excellence Awards, Texas Council of Engineering Companies – Silver Medal

Project Leadership

Robert “Holly” Holder, PE

The Northeastern New Mexico Regional Landfill is located approximately six miles north of Wagon Mound, N.M. The client, Arthur Regional Landfill, Inc., selected Parkhill to provide professional services for design a new landfill cell at the historic site.

One of the unique parts of the project concerns landfill gas control measures. These measures can be used in situations where landfills are meeting regulations, having uncontrolled releases of unsafe gases, or odor problems.

Parkhill provided bid support, bid evaluations, recommendations, and a community information meeting and testimony at a public hearing.

Project Leadership

• Robert Holder, PE
• Mike Crepeau, PE

A property located in eastern Las Cruces, N.M., was a disposal site for municipal waste until 1965. Waste at the site was covered with soil, and the property has been environmentally stressed and limited in use since. At the time of waste disposal, the site was located well east of the City of Las Cruces. Over the years, Las Cruces has grown eastward and engulfed the site.   

The city disposed of municipal waste at the site under terms of a lease with the Bureau of Land Management and has since acquired the 160-acre property with the intent to restore the site to a “no environmental stress” status to allow development. The city is removing and transporting the waste to South Central New Mexico Solid Waste Authority’s Corralitos Landfill, located about 20 miles west of Las Cruces. 

Waste disposal practices at the pre-1965 Foothills Landfill were primitive. Wastes were not placed in excavated regularly shaped cells but were deposited on existing land surfaces in low-lying areas, generally next to or inside arroyos. 

As wastes were placed, soil from the adjacent arroyo banks was pushed downhill over the wastes. The resulting buried waste bodies are irregular. Test borings and potholes were advanced to allow estimates of the thickness and lateral extent of wastes.

The City of Las Cruces chose Parkhill to assist with planning, permitting, and site operations to excavate approximately half of the waste (Phase I, Areas 1-3). Parkhill’s assistance with Phase I began with preparing projections of waste volumes and geometry, estimating project costs, and preparing a waste excavation plan approved by the New Mexico Environment Department. Parkhill currently supports site excavation with updated waste delineation, air quality monitoring, excavation base soil sampling for clean confirmation, documenting the project progress, keeping the client informed, and ensuring a successful project. Parkhill anticipates follow-up assignments for waste characterization, excavation planning and site support services for Areas 4-5 (Phase II). 

This project is aligned with the Parkhill goals of engagement in projects that contribute to community improvement, as well as to environmental diligence and sustainability. The project will result in a significant area in eastern Las Cruces being transformed from an environmental liability to a valuable real property, will profit the city monetarily and will improve quality of life for Las Cruces residents.

Sustainability

Site restoration

Project Leadership

• Charles Fiedler, PE
• Michael Ramirez, PE
• Clay Kilmer, PG

The Montana Power Station ponds, sought by a power utility in the West Texas/New Mexico region, called for ways to meet environmental requirements on a tight deadline to provide power to the fastest-growing region in the border area.

The geomembrane liners have specialty electrical leak-detecting capabilities that prevent additives from the power generators’ cooling tower systems to seep into the groundwater.

The station features state-of-the-art, simple-cycle aero-derivative combustion turbines powered by clean natural gas. The aero-derivative technology is more efficient and provides quick-start capabilities to help increase the power grid stability in the blazing hot summer days. This reduces the risk of outages due to transmission system failure.

Fast-paced, well-coordinated teamwork by Parkhill, a construction company, and the Utility helped the power company exceed its goals and gather the proper documentation necessary to obtain a state regulation permit.

Awards

2017 Engineering Excellence Award

ACEC New Mexico

Project Leadership

Robert H. Holder, PE

Parkhill had successfully completed similar engineering services for El Paso on the previous cells 3 through 6 project. Cells 7 through 10 were the final landfill cells to be developed under the Phase I Site Development Plan.

The project consisted of preparing roughly 37 acres of subgrade and installing a dual liner system. The liner system permitted for this project consisted of reinforced geosynthetic clay liner, overlain by a 60-millimeter HDPE geomembrane liner. A double-sided geocomposite drainage layer was installed to facilitate leachate conveyance and collection. Leachate chimneys were designed and installed to collect leachate conveyed from the geocomposite to one of four sumps. Parkhill then designed an automated leachate collection system at each sump to convey leachate through a force main system to an existing leachate evaporation pond — a previous Parkhill project.

Each of the four leachate sumps houses a submersible pump and leachate level transmitter. When the level transmitter senses the leachate level rise to a pre-determined depth, the pumping system is automatically engaged to evacuate the sump, keeping the liner system in compliance with TCEQ regulations. A red LED beacon and a leachate pond level transmitter are programmed to notify the landfill operator if leachate exceeds permitted levels. This streamlines the operator’s checklist of daily landfill activities.

Once construction was complete, Parkhill then utilized all of the QA/QC logs to assemble the Geosynthetic Clay Liner Evaluation Report and the Geomembrane Liner Evaluation Report and subsequent submittal to TCEQ for approval. The reports were approved by TCEQ upon first review.

Project Leadership

Robert "Holly" Holder, PE

The legacy facilities in Jal, New Mexico, that had been servicing disposal of the Exploration & Production (E&P) of fossil fuels no longer met New Mexico’s heightened standards established by the implementation of Part 36 Rules. Parkhill was at the forefront of developing the initial facilities, including the Northern Delaware Basin Landfill, to be permitted and operated under Part 36. The client Oilfield Water Logistics (OWL) has been a leader in the management of produced waters from E&P in the Permian Basin for over a decade, and Parkhill has been supporting their efforts to manage all waste generated from the process safely. After the evaluation of 100 square miles of Southwest Lea County and Southeast Eddy County, a suitable site on NM 128 in Southern Lea County was chosen for the new Surface Waste Management Facility.

The Northern Delaware Basin Landfill is the first full-service E&P disposal facility developed in New Mexico and sets the standard for what an E&P Surface Waste Management Facility should accomplish. The facility can accept all drilling fluids and other solid E&P wastes, processing them and providing them with a permanent disposal solution that addresses any environmental concerns. The diligent separation of liquids from the drilling fluid solids is designed to minimize groundwater contamination potential associated with the permanent disposal option of landfill interment. With the ability to manage the produced water that represents over ninety percent of the materials processed through recycling or other OWL Facilities near this location, the Northern Delaware Basin Landfill and associated processing facilities can serve this area of the Permian Basin for decades to come.

The engineering solutions at the Northern Delaware Basin Landfill provide an efficient, convenient, and economical process for OWL to operate and maintain. Further operational considerations were taken to ensure public and customer safety by traffic improvements to ensure safe, controlled access to and from one of the busiest roads in Southeast New Mexico, electronic pre-filing of reports facilitating recordkeeping and rapid access to the facility, multiple covered unloading and washout bays at the Liquid Processing Facility to speed unloading, multiple unloading and washout bays at the drilling Mud Drying Pad to ensure rapid vehicle throughput and all-weather access to the landfill to facilitate timely disposal.

Services Provided

Site evaluation and design

Awards

2021 ACEC Texas Engineering Awards

Gold Medal

Project Leadership

Charles Fiedler, PE

Parkhill was selected by the City of Denton to perform design, construction administration, and TCEQ liner conformance reporting for the construction of the Denton Solid Waste and Recycling Services Cell 3 and 4 projects. These projects allow the City of Denton to plan for the next 5 to 6 years of solid waste and recycling services.

Cell 3 included the construction of 18 acres of the lined cell. This cell construction consisted of approximately 0.6 million cubic yards of excavation, underdrain system installation, 65,500 cubic yards of compacted clay liner installation, 840,000 square feet of high-density polyethylene and geo-composite drainage layer installation, and leachate collection system installation. Construction was completed in May 2018, and the first waste was placed in June 2018.

Cell 4 is a 30-acre composite lined cell including a 4-acre Pre-Subtitle D separation liner. The liner system is comprised of a groundwater underdrain, compacted clay liner, 60-mil HDPE geomembrane, geocomposite drainage layer, with 2 feet of protective cover soil, and a leachate collection system. The separation liner consists of a geocomposite gas venting layer, a 40-mil LLDPE geomembrane, and a geocomposite drainage layer. Construction was completed in October 2021 and the first waste was placed in November 2021.

Project Leadership

Frank Pugsley, PE

Midland’s Cell 7 consists of a 26.8-acre footprint at a maximum excavated depth of 35 feet. No portion of the cell had been previously excavated, resulting in almost 1.4 million cubic yards of excavation.

The liner system consists of a geosynthetic clay liner overlain by a 60-millimeter geomembrane liner installed on prepared subgrade in accordance with the site’s Soil and Liner Quality Control Plan (SLQCP). A leachate collection system overlaying the geomembrane liner was installed for liquid removal. A geocomposite drainage layer and perforated leachate collection pipe were included in the leachate collection system. A gravel “chimney” is encapsulated in a geotextile fabric that surrounds the pipe. The liner construction sequence was completed with a two-foot thick layer of protective cover soil.

A Geosynthetic Clay Liner Evaluation Report (GCLER) and Geomembrane Liner Evaluation Report (GLER) were prepared upon completion of liner construction. The reports document every phase of construction including independent third-party testing of liner materials, liner roll delivery and deployment, and soil thickness verification.

Additional construction items included removing an existing oil pipeline that transected the landfill, construction of a new heavy-duty asphalt access road, and abandonment of an existing groundwater monitoring well.

Project Leadership

Robert "Holly" Holder, PE

When its landfill reached its capacity, Teton County needed a transfer station to take the garbage to another state. Parkhill was a subconsultant engineering manager of this multi-phased, multifaceted, challenging Transfer Station project in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

The station could not be shut down. Instead of rebuilding half the station at a time, engineers handled the challenge by designing an interim station.

Another challenge was to keep the heavily loaded trucks from slipping on icy roads in winter. Heavy trucks now climb practical inclines.

Lastly, workers needed a solid level to build on. Trash tends to be unstable, so 30,000 cubic yards of it was removed from the multiple levels to obtain a firm foundation.

The reconstructed transfer station includes six bays to direct-load into semi-trailer trucks efficiently.

One of the unusual aspects of this project is that most residents bring their own trash. The team designed a layout that promoted safety on multiple levels.

Because this is an extremely high-profile project for the community, care was taken in how it will be viewed both from all vantage points, including the choice of colors.

Project Leadership

Charles Fiedler, PE

Parkhill designed and oversaw the construction of a 19.5-acre cell at the disposal facility for the City of Lubbock. Cell 4 presented Parkhill with several unique challenges that our team of experts was able to overcome.

Cell 4 consisted of a 19.5-acre footprint with a maximum excavated depth of 70 feet. City personnel completed approximately half of the excavation, leaving more than 1.38 million cubic yards of material to be removed during this project. The site’s Soil and Liner Quality Control Plan required the liner to be made of geosynthetic clay liner overlaid by a 60-mil geomembrane liner. The leachate collection system overlays the geomembrane liner and features a geocomposite drainage layer and a perforated leachate collection pipe. A gravel “chimney,” encapsulated in a geotextile fabric, surrounds the collection pipe and extends two feet up to the protective soil cover layer.

Upon the completion of the liner, a Geosynthetic Clay Liner Evaluation Report and Geomembrane Liner Evaluation Report were prepared. The reports document every phase of construction, including independent third-party testing of liner materials, liner roll delivery and deployment, and soil thickness verification.

Services Provided

Design, civil infrastructure planning, and construction services.

Project Leadership

Robert H. (Holly) Holder, PE

The Sundance West Surface Waste Management Facility was one of the most significant projects that Parkhill had taken on as a contractor. It was an old legacy site that was a dump for oilfield trash for many years. The client was in the process of closing it.

The team led by Parkhill had been in a trusted advisor relationship with the client that had begun 11 years previously.

Parkhill provided a unique partnership providing contractual expertise. Parkhill obtained experienced contractors to develop six ponds. This Parkhill project, which utilized PSC Services to deliver this project, represents the first time PSC Services has served in the role of general contractor in a Design-Build contract for a multi-million-dollar construction project. This relationship provided them with a firm contract price, pre-determined project cash flow, and a reasonable schedule that this team of individuals and companies delivered ahead of schedule.

The development of this Surface Waste Management facility represents the “first of its kind” development in New Mexico, setting the standard for oilfield waste disposal in the state.

Providing this new facility will allow for a structured, formal closure of a facility that could represent an environmental challenge if the continued operation of the Sundance West operations were not available.

The team effort has provided a road map that has been developed in this area with several other clients as well.

Services Provided

Engineering, full-service delivery, Construction Quality Assurance program

Project Leadership

• Robert Holder
• Charles Fiedler
• Carl King

The City of Big Spring retained Parkhill to prepare and submit a Type I Municipal Solid Waste Permit Application in 2014. The permitted landfill included 242 acres of land in the northeast of the city in Howard County. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) reviewed the permit and found it Technically Complete and issued an operational permit in November 2017. Over its life, the landfill will provide over 12.74 million cubic yards of waste disposal capacity and approximately 106 years of landfill life for city residents, businesses, and residents of Howard County.

Coordination with governmental agencies is always critical with MSW permits and this one was no exception. In addition to TCEQ, the Environmental Team also coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Texas Historical Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, as well as local government officials including the Permian Basin COG throughout the project. As required by TCEQ rules, Parkhill conducted a traffic study to determine the availability and adequacy of roads that would be used to access the landfill. Coordination efforts with TxDOT determined that a specific intersection would require upgrading by their engineering team. Parkhill produced specific plans for the intersection of concern that were approved by TxDOT and TCEQ. Additional requirements included thorough archeological and endangered wildlife investigations were performed for the landfill by our subconsultants and found no adverse impacts.

Floodway impacts were also evaluated as the Big Sandy Draw perennial stream was located immediately adjacent to the property on the east side. The site drainage system was designed with a series of stormwater detention ponds along the east side of the landfill to limit off-site flows from exceeding the predevelopment flow rates into Big Sandy Draw.

The project began construction in February 2020 and was completed in January 2021. In addition to the initial landfill cell, the project included a new scale house, maintenance building, and citizen waste drop-off facility. A TCEQ preopening inspection was performed on March 10, 2021, and all requirements of the permit were found to be met.

Services Provided

Surveying, permit engineering, design and construction phase services included liner installation CQA and reporting 

Awards

• 2022 ACEC Texas Engineering Excellence Awards
• Gold Medal

Project Leadership

• Robert Holder, PE
• Tyler Krueger, PE
• Spenser Harvey, PE
• George Molinar
• Max White

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