HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-01-13-Final-SDC-Trash-Removal-WaterWheel
T E C H N I C A L M E M O R A N D U M
Upper Newport Bay Trash Removal Recommendation
PREPARED FOR: John Kappeler, City of Newport Beach
PREPARED BY: Pat Fuscoe and Ian Adam, Fuscoe Engineering, Inc.
DATE: 01/13/2017
P URPOSE
The purpose of this letter is to advise on the feasibility of regional trash collection facility options to
prevent trash from entering into the Upper Newport Bay in the City of Newport Beach and help the
City meet forthcoming Trash TMDL requirements. Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. (FEI) has analyzed
several options, including a proposed Water Wheel, that are summarized below.
TRASH REMOVAL FACILITY R ECOMMENDATION
As mentioned, FEI has analyzed several trash removal facility options to reduce trash accumulation
in the Upper Newport Bay. The main options analyzed included inflatable trash boom traps,
Bandalong Litter Traps and a Water Wheel. Out of all options explored, we have concluded that a
combination of upstream trash boom traps and a Water Wheel would be technically feasible and
would provide significant trash reductions in the Upper Newport Bay.
A proposed Water Wheel, similar to the one employed in the Baltimore Harbor by Clear Water
Mills, Inc., would be feasible approximately 100 feet west of the San Diego Creek (SDC) transition
point into the Upper Newport Bay, west of Jamboree Road. There is enough flow depth at this
location to allow the Water Wheel to float and remove trash from SDC. The Water Wheel would
not be able to be placed upstream within the SDC as the average SDC water level is less than 6”
throughout the year and the Water Wheel must float in deeper water. In addition, the SDC
discharge point in the Upper Newport Bay is a prime location for maximum trash removal as it is
tributary to several cities including Newport Beach, Irvine, Tustin, Lake Forrest, Orange, and Santa
Ana. The Water Wheel has the capacity to handle at least 20 feet per second of flow which is more
than enough capacity to handle high flows coming from SDC.
In addition to the Water Wheel, two upstream inflatable trash boom traps would be feasible to
provide a robust level of pre-treatment prior to flows entering into the Water Wheel. The best
upstream location for these devices would be just upstream of the confluence of SDC and Peters
Canyon Creek at Barranca Parkway as both channels have hard sides and access for boom
maintenance. We analyzed the possibility of only implementing the two upstream trash boom traps
as standalone trash collection systems without the Water Wheel. However, approximately 4 miles of
SDC would remain without a trash collection facility and trash from this section of the SDC from the
contributing cities including Irvine, Santa Ana and Tustin would continue to flow into the Upper
UPPER NEWPORT BAY
TRASH REMOVAL RECOMMENDATION FUSCOE ENGINEERING, INC.
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Newport Bay. In addition, the inflatable trash boom traps have limited capacity and cannot
withstand the same flow rates as the proposed Water Wheel.
A Bandalong Litter Trap was also analyzed instead of the Water Wheel. Bandalong Litter Traps do
not have enough capacity to handle the flows and amount of trash that ultimately discharges into
the Upper Newport Bay without constant maintenance. Bandalong Litter Traps also operate best in
8”-10” of water and would not be as effective upstream due to limited flow depth throughout most
of the year.