SAVE HINKLE CREEK
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Update for October 30, 2020

Save Hinkle Creek

Folsom City Council Recommendations
The Save Hinkle Creek Working Group has met with most of the candidates for the November 2020 City Council elections.  Our recommendations are focused on our assessment of the support each candidate has for the Save Hinkle Creek Nature Area campaign.  We do not try to assess their positions on other important issues such as:  homelessness, South of 50 development, utilization of the maintenance yard, response to the pandemic, growth/no growth, etc.  The candidates are organized in alphabetical order.Name                                                 Supports Saving the                     Follow up
                                                            Hinkle Creek Nature Area_____________  
    Jaya Badiga                                                  A                                                      na    
                                           
  YK Chalamcherla                                         A                                                         na

Mark Moore                                                A                                                         A

Justin Raithel                                               A                                                         na

Rosario Rodriguez                                      B                                                         D
 
We met with Mark Moore and Rosario Rodriguez early in the process.  Both were supportive of the Save Hinkle Creek Nature Area project and both volunteered to take a follow up action item.  Mark followed through on multiple occasions, but we never heard back from Rosario.   Personally, we were all impressed with Rosario, but follow up from an elected official is an important quality.   
Hinkle Creek Working Group
  
Hinkle Creek Update
October 2019
 
As most of you know, on September 10, 2019 the City Council voted 3-2 to adopt our plan to increase maintenance, repair and monitor the Hinkle Creek sewer line, not ruin the park with a road and new sewer line.
We would like to strongly encourage you to email the three City Council members who voted to Save Hinkle Creek! 
               Roger Gaylord:   rgaylord@folsom.ca.us
               Mike Kowloski: mkozlowski@folsom.ca.us
               Ernie Sheldon:   ernturn@comcast.net
Include your support of the decision they made September 10 and add any special comments especially about how the Hinkle Creek Nature Area has impacted your family.
 
A week later there was back-up in the line.  You may have seen the reporting in the Folsom Telegraph and KCRA 10 pm news on October 4, 2019 ( https://www.kcra.com/article/folsom-plan-decrease-sewage-problems-california/29373062 ). 
 
Here are the facts:
-This occurrence is not posted on the State Water Board web site, so we assume it was not considered an overflow. https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/sso/sso_map/sso_pub.shtml
-For the past 5 years our recommendation has been to flush and camera inspect the line annually.  The last time the this was done was August 2016 – over three years ago.  The focus should be on implementing what the City Council approved: 
  • Camera/clean the entire line more frequently,
  • Repair iron pipes
  • Implement flow monitors (they will begin installation 10/14).
 
For those of you who are interested in more details, go to www.savehinklecreek.com
 
We need to be sure the City of Folsom implements what the City Council approved on September 10, 2019. 
Please continue to voice your support to the City Council!
As many of you know, we WON this battle. Below is the link to watch the session.

Http://folsom.granicus.com/viewpublisher.php?view_id=2
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Save Hinkle Creek
Update

August 28, 2019

Agenda:
  • Taco Tuesday September 3
  • Lawn Signs
  • Summary:  Clean, Camera and Monitor – Alternative #1
  • Hinkle Creek Video
  • September 10, City Council Meeting
Save Hinkle Creek Taco Tuesday September 3, 2019 6:00PM to 7:30 PM. 
In honor of our goal to save 83 oak trees, the new owner of the Canyon Grill and Alehouse has agreed to provide a free carnitas taco to the first 83 people who mention Save Hinkle Creek or bring the brochure to the restaurant on Tuesday September 3 between 6-7:30 pm. 
Representatives from the Save Hinkle Creek Working Group will be on sight to discuss our plan for the September 10 city council meeting.   This is a great time to check out a new restaurant and spend time with your neighbors .. and take Mom out to dinner after the Labor Day Weekend 😊 
We would like to give Canyon Grill an estimate of how many people to plan on – Please send the quantity of Taco Tuesday family members you are planning to attend to:  savehinklecreek@gmail.com 
Canyon Grill and Alehouse is located at the intersection of Oak Avenue Parkway and American River Canyon Drive - 9580 Oak Ave, Folsom, CA 95630, United States  +1 916-987-8700 https://www.thecanyonfolsom.com/
200 Lawn Signs
100 lawn signs should arrive Wednesday 8/28 and distributed by Thursday.  Good news is we have received requests for +140 signs, so we ordered another 100 for delivery mid next week. If you have requested a sign and it is not delivered this week, we will get it done next week.  We have 60 signs not yet assigned, so just send an email with Lawn Sign in the subject line and include your address to savehinklecreek@gmail.com and we will be sure you get one ASAP.
 
 
Summary:  We received requests to provide a summary of Alternative #1
Clean, Camera and Monitor the Hinkle Creek sewer line annually and adjust as required.  - Replace three sections of iron pipe using trenchless techniques. 
  • The sewer line has worked well for 40 years
  • The sewer line is a small capillary sewer line that serves only 27 homes
  • Two sewer backups on the Hinkle Creek line since 2002.  Both backups were within eight months of a line flush.  The line flushes preceding the sewer backups did not include a camera inspection to assure the line was clear. 
  • Since 2002, there have been an average of 2.3 episodes of work scheduled on the line each year.
  • The 6-inch sewer line has ample capacity to serve the 27 homes and additional homes are not going to be added to this sewer line.
Alternatives 2, 3,4 all dig up about half of the current sewer line and replace the pipe.  The attached map shows green segments which are not impacted and blue/orange segments of the line which are. 
#2.  Leaves the blue segment of the line in the homeowner’s back yards and saves between 42 and 72 trees
#3.  Moves the blue line into the Hinkle Creek Nature area and replaces the orange line using a spider tractor.  Using a spider tractor vs. conventional backhoe saves 45 trees
#4.  Same as option 3 but requires a temporary road to accommodate a construction backhoe which impacts 88 trees. 
 
Key question is: does the Clean, Camera, Monitor alternative minimize the probability of an overflow?
  • Blue line – sags – City of Seattle and other cities have standards that when you have sags that are below 50% of the line capacity you clean and camera inspect more frequently.  Blue line sags are below 50%. Recommend starting annually and adjust base on results.  Answer YES
  • Orange Line – three segments of iron pipe which have scale build up inside the line.  Recommendation use descaling/lining or pipe bursting techniques to replace these segments using trenchless construction techniques.  This  will make the orange line fully functional.  Answer YES
  • Smart Manhole Covers – strategically locate smart manhole covers which monitor flow through the manhole and provide an early warning alert if there is a blockage.  The manholes are buried in the brush in the nature area, so extremely difficult to notice overflows.  City staff agrees with the smart manhole covers.    Answer YES
Are there other benefits of the Clean, Camera, Monitor alternative? 
  • Tree Impact – saves between 11 and 83 trees!   Answer YES
  • Cost Benefits – Current budget is to invest $3.2 million dollars to replace the blue/orange sections of the line.  The equates to $118,500 per home and it would take over 100 years before the Alternative #1 costs totaled to $3.2 million!  Answer Yes !!
Maybe the right question is:  Why would you spend $3.2 million dollars, to fix a sewer line:
  • that has worked well for over 40 years
  • that has had 2 overflows in 17 years,
  • that serves only 27 homes,
  • that could kill 88 oak trees in a protected nature area,
… if there is an alternative that ensures the line is properly maintained and an early warning overflow system has been installed?
 
Answer - You Wouldn’t!!
Hinkle Creek Video
As we gather together our documentation for the September 10 city council meeting, we ran across a very good 2 minute video about Hinkle Creek that was produced in 2017.  Our 8 page brochure on our web site contains the latest information (www.savehinklecreek.com), but the video gives you a very good overview of the Hinkle Creek Nature Area.  Forward to your friends!
https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrive.google.com%2Ffile%2Fd%2F0B5WkTyYj6X5BOWpadkVVS04yazg%2Fview&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd5cbdd2029de4387375b08d72781b979%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637021310417102577&sdata=gRBuJwUNaCj5ggt7mtvUn5IlaFbijQEF5cRP0AEaewg%3D&reserved=0
​

 
September 10 City Council Meeting
One of the most important milestones in the five year gauntlet to Save Hinkle Creek was the June 13, 2017 City council meeting.  Having 200 residents turn out to show their support of our nature area was key in turning the tide in our direction.   We need to make this happen again!  Please encourage your neighbors to join you.  All will receive a yellow bandana to show your support.  We do not want to make noise that is disruptive to the meeting, but anytime you hear anything you agree with, it is OK to give give a thumbs up and thumbs down if you disagree with something being said.  Given the facts surrounding this issue, it can be very easy to get angry and become disruptive – you can be sure that all of us in the Working Group feel the same way.  However, we are looking to get the City Council to support a critical outcome – move forward with alternative #1 and disruptive behavior is counter to that objective.  
Speakers – many of you may not fancy yourself as a public speaker, but we want to encourage you to share your concerns.  You only get a maximum of 3 minutes so focus on being brief and speaking from your heart.  Just show up a little early to fill out a speakers card .. we will have them at our sign in table.


​NEW UPDATES BELOW!!!!!!
Hinkle Creek Updates August 2019
(8 page document below, PLEASE scroll down the right side)
If you would like to expand the document, please hover and click the arrow in the right corner of the green square
Hinkle Creek Update September 2018
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HINKLE CREEK UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2018
Save Hinkle Creek Supporters                                                                                                                                                                                    
 
We have remained very connected with the City of Folsom having just completed our fourth in person meeting this year with Marcus Yasutake, Environmental and Water Resources Director and his team.  After our June 13, 2017 City Council meeting, where many you showed up to support Saving Hinkle Creek, we received a positive ruling from the State Water board stating that the City of Folsom was not required to access all manholes with a hydrovac truck.  After the positive ruling we received the September 1, 2017 letter from Evert Palmer, City Manager, outlining the path forward which is attached below.  The City Manager’s letter was in line with our recommended path forward.  Here is a summary of where we are today:
 
Update/Agreement – These are areas that we are in agreement.
Sewer Line Repairs
  • Approximately 2/3 of the sewer line will be replaced/realigned.  Approximate route of the new line is from the intersection of Blue Canyon way and Canyon Rim Drive to the center of Canyon Rim Court, then across the Hinkle Creek Nature Area to Oak Avenue.  The diameter of the pipe will be increased from 6 inches to 10 inches (with the exception detailed below).
  • To provide better flow, the upper portion of the sewer line will be re-routed which will result in abandoning the sewer manholes that are located in homeowners back yards.  The city will remove the steel lid and concrete cap and fill the manholes for those abandoned. 
  • Bidding Process
    • Staff is preparing two separate bid alternatives which will be presented to City Council for approval. 
      1. Conventional construction method:  This approach uses a conventional back hoe and requires a level temporary road to be constructed along the path of the new line which is 12 feet wide.  With the cuts and fills required to produce a level 12 foot wide surface on a steep slope this will have a significant negative impact on the trees and vegetation in Hinkle Creek.  If this method is necessary, the temporary road will be covered up and restored to as natural a condition as possible after construction.
      2. All Terrain Excavation method:  While we believe it is financially prudent to get conventional bid for comparison, our strong recommendation has been to employ an all-terrain excavator which can dig the new sewer line without a level road. This approach should have benefits of causing much less damage to the trees and nature area since a 12 foot temporary road will not need to be constructed/de-constructed.  Here is a link to photos of an all-terrain excavators in action: https://www.google.com/search?q=all+terrain+excavator&client=firefox-b-1&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=MlBioL3PQKOsnM%253A%252CGmdfgrQKvnFOnM%252C_&usg=AFrqEze51LPmspjF4xdLQXNx4mLoOOicTQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt2PL9ncPdAhUNHzQIHQLdA_gQ9QEwAXoECAYQBg#imgrc=-_pRPC8tMci1IM:
  • Schedule
    • The current outlook is to get City Council approval in the June/July 2019 time frame and begin construction August/September 2019.
Open Items
  • Tree Impact – Quincy Engineering is to provide an estimate of the trees that will be impacted in three categories:
    • Trees impacted by the all-terrain excavator
    • Trees impacted by the non-mechanical dirt walking trail (should be zero)
    • Trees impacted if they build a temporary 12 foot wide construction road
The results of the analysis should be available in the next few weeks
Concerns/Disagreement
  • New Bridge Over Hinkle Creek
    • In the City Manager’s September 1, 2017 letter he states:
“Construct minor improvements that facilitate construction of the improvements and practical, non-mechanical response to SSO events
·       Single/double track dirt trail to support stable access by maintenance workers with shovels, rakes, buckets, and wheel barrows
·       Bridge over the creek near Oak Avenue at the base of the single/double track dirt trail in order to facilitate removal/hauling of contaminated material”
  • When we read this letter we believed that the bridge would be a narrow single/double track size bridge to accommodate the non-mechanical walking path and we encouraged them to use the current walking bridge just about 100 feet from the proposed bridge.  However in July 2018, the City Council approved an additional $205,000 contract that  authorizes Quincy engineering to design a permanent bridge that would accommodate heavy vehicles such as a back hoe. 
  • We know the all-terrain excavator can cross Hinkle Creek without any disruption, so a bridge is not required for construction of the new sewer line if the all-terrain construction method is employed.  So the issue is access to the manholes should there be an overflow after construction is completed.   Here is a summary of why we feel the bridge is not necessary:
    • There are about 18 manholes in the sewer line.  The bridge will provide mechanical equipment access to only two of the manholes as the topography is too steep for mechanical access without a permanent 12 foot wide road. 
      • The City Manager’s letter states manholes should be accessed with non-mechanical equipment via a single/double track dirt trail.  Why would we spend $205,000 to design (not build) a bridge if it is not required?
      • Since we had the sewer line completely cleaned and camera inspected in August 2016 we know that every inch of the line can be flushed without any mechanical machinery entering the nature area.  This is accomplished via long extremely high pressure hoses that are computer controlled and guided through the sewer line – the same process to used to clean the lines without access issues.
      • Marcus Yasutake shared that their SSO on site response time is 30 minutes.  Which applies to all of the manholes in the nature area.  We had proposed that he contract for emergency response from an all-terrain excavator contractor in the event a mechanical support was required to resolve a SSO.  On site response of the all-terrain vehicle would take more than 30 minutes, so conventional high pressure hoses and other procedures would be necessary to contain an overflow until the all-terrain excavator arrived on site.  The two manholes accessed via the bridge with mechanical equipment are the two closest to Hinkle Creek so SSO’s are most likely to allow waste overflow into the creek.
      • The City Manager’s letter states they will “Install electronic flow and level reporting inside manholes”  which provides early warning of any backups as most of these manholes are buried in the brush in the park unlike manholes in the center of the street.  This provides early warning of potential blockages.  Given the low volumn of liquids in this line it is it would take many hours of normal flows to generate a spill caused by a blockage in the line. 
      • It is very important to keep in mind that the sewer line has been in service for over 35 years and the city’s maintenance records are available for the past 14 years.  City records have recorded only two overflows in the last 14 years.  The point here is that combining annual flushing and camera inspection of the line along with replacing all questionable sections of the sewer line with almost double the capacity lines and installing an early warning overflow monitoring system should be way more than is necessary to minimize the probability of an overflow given it has happened only twice in 14 years.
  • 6 Inch line under Hinkle Creek – for all sections of the pipe replaced except for one will be increased from a 6 inch diameter pipe to a 10 inch pipe.  That last section just before the sewer flow reaches Oak Avenue flows through a 6 inch line under Hinkle Creek.  The current proposal is to insert a liner in this line for better flow and not replace it with a 10 inch line because of environmental concerns of replacing the line under the creek.  Marcus Yasutake agreed to revisit this decision and get more details on the requirements to complete this construction with a 10 inch line under Hinkle Creek.  We believe it makes sense to upgrade the last ~50 feet to a 10 inch line vs. maintaining a 6 inch constriction at the critical point just before the overflow point into Hinkle Creek.   We will get an update in our next meeting on this issue.
 
We believe that combining: increasing the line to 10 inches under Hinkle Creek,  using non-mechanical access for SSO response (as agreed with the City), contracting all-terrain excavator for emergency response, annual flushing and camera inspection of the line and the fact that there have been so few SSO’s in this line results in an appropriate balance between maintaining the Hinkle Creek Nature Area and ensuring the sewer line is properly maintained. 
 
Since the June 13, 2017 City Council meeting we have made a lot of positive progress, however we still have some important open items to close.  We will keep you updated and will need your help when this issue is presented to the City Council for approval early next year.   
 
Given that there will be three City Council seats decided in the next election, we will be inviting all candidates to review our proposals and provide their opinions on how the city council should vote on this issue.  We will issue a summary of candidate responses to you before the end of October.
Thanks for your support – feel free to sent questions or comments to: SaveHinkleCreek@gmail.com 
 
Your Save Hinkle Creek Working Group
 
 
                                                September 1, 2017 Letter from Evert Palmer, Folsom City Manager
 
 From: "Evert W Palmer" <epalmer@folsom.ca.us>
Date: September 1, 2017 at 1:17:32 PM PDT
To: "John Combs (combsjw@cox.net)" <combsjw@cox.net>
Cc: Marcus Yasutake <myasutake@folsom.ca.us>
Subject: Hinkle Creek Strategy
John –
 
As you know, city staff has reached out to the State and Regional Board staff regarding exceptions to the vacuum cleanup requirements of the “General Order.”  We received a response that seems to provide an opportunity to develop protocols and practices that do not include the use of vacuum cleanup.  The State’s response hinges on the feasibility of any particular solution, and while we might all argue about what is feasible and what is not, we are working on the belief that the State has created a window of opportunity for us to identify, adopt, and implement alternative means and methods in order to limit disruption to the Hinkle Creek open space area.  According to Board staff, the State allows agencies to employ a variety of methods, strategies, technologies, and/or practices needed by the City based on its own site-specific considerations to effectively reduce/eliminate SSOs.  They further state that if the City is unable to access sewer manholes in the vicinity of Hinkle Creek with a vacuum truck, Provision D.8 of the general order allows the City the flexibility to determine whatever specific and feasible alternatives are necessary, which should be described in the City’s adopted Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) and Emergency Response Plan.  The State also points out that they are unlikely to consider the lack of feasible alternatives if the City does not implement a periodic or continuing process to identify and correct problems.  As such, it will be important for City staff to continue to maintain its sanitary sewer system in a systematic (proper design, maintenance, and emergency response) manner.
Based on the State’s response, City staff is moving forward with the steps necessary to fully leverage this opportunity, while ensuring that the sanity sewer system can be operated and maintained in a safe and effective manner.  The next steps are as follows, with many being executed simultaneously.
Step number one is to issue a design contract for the repair of high priority sewer segments, as identified in the Quincy study, and development the expected restoration outcomes (what the area will look like after the repair process.)  This item is currently scheduled for the September 12 City Council Meeting.  Step two is to revise the City Sanitary Sewer Management Plan (SSMP) and associated Emergency Response Plan (ERP).  This plan will be scheduled for a future City Council meeting, likely prior to the end of the calendar year.  Upon City Council approval, the revised SSMP and ERP will be submitted to the State Board as required.  Step three is to identify and implement a durable access methodology and associated documentation (binding permission slip, if you will) for access to the manholes in the area most removed from Oak Avenue.  Step four is to bid, award, and construct the sewer improvements and restore the open space area according to the outcomes identified in Step One.  The measures City staff is proposing come at some expense and some risk, but I believe that we are achieving a good balance between the many competing elements in this unique circumstance.  I intend that all city staff actions in development and implementation of the Hinkle Creek Sewer Plan be guided by the following principles and strategies
Design sewer improvements that remove private/public property conflicts and increase capacity to contain potential SSO events
  • Replace/repair pipe segments that are currently contributing to SSO risk
  • Relocate pipe segments from private property backyards onto public property in the Hinkle Creek open space.
  • Increase pipe capacity
  • Increase manhole (wet well) capacity
  • Install electronic flow and level reporting inside manholes
Construct the sewer improvements in a manner that limits impact to the open space area and facilitates the effective remediation of the impacted areas
  • Limit remaining construction spoils
  • Limit tree removal to minimum required to facilitate pipeline improvements and non-mechanical SSO response
  • Mitigate removed trees, favoring native trees and particularly oaks, with the largest number and size of tree practical, as guided by a consulting arborist, with an emphasis on emulating the natural development of oak woodlands such as the Hinkle Creek open space area.  We would view the City’s tree mitigation ordinance as a starting point, but look at this a more a reforestation project on public property than a tree mitigation project
Construct minor improvements that facilitate construction of the improvements and practical, non-mechanical response to SSO events
  • Single/double track dirt trail to support stable access by maintenance workers with shovels, rakes, buckets, and wheel barrows
  • Bridge over the creek near Oak Avenue at the base of the single/double track dirt trail in order to facilitate removal/hauling of contaminated material
Develop, approve, and implement changes to the SSMP and ERP to recognize non-mechanical SSO response techniques, such as shovels, rakes, buckets, and wheel barrows, where feasible access is not provided, and specifically in the Hinkle Creek open space area
  • Council Approval of SSMP and ERP
  • State Board consideration of SSMP and ERP as necessary
  • Develop “contractual” access methodology and documentation with certain land owners adjacent to the sewer line, as access through private property is necessary for routine inspection, flushing and cleaning of the sewer line above Hinkle Creek
 
I am pleased that the State has provided this opportunity for us to develop alternative means and methods in this case.  There is no doubt in my mind that the major contributing factors to these success are the City’s recent track record in maintaining its sanitary sewer system, Mr. Yasutake’s relationship with the State Board staff, and the involvement of the Hinkle Creek working group.  Thanks for your role in coordinating this group.  I will keep you updated as we progress, and thank you for your patience as we have worked with the State Board staff on this issue.  I have copied the Board’s unedited correspondence in its entirety below for your interest. –EP (Evert Palmer - added)
 
 
 
Mr Yasutake,
 
Again, I apologize for the delayed response to your request letter dated July 17, 2017 (Request). I have reviewed your Request and included attachments and conclude that an exemption to Section D7(ii) of the Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems Order No. 2006-0003-DWQ (Order) is not warranted or necessary. Provision D.7 (page 9) states that “[t]he Enrollee shall implement remedial actions to the extent they may be applicable to the discharge and not inconsistent with an emergency response plan” [emphasis added]. While Section D.7(ii) identifies the use of vacuum truck for sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) recovery as a remedial action, it does not explicitly require it. Further, Provision D.3 (page 7) states “[i]n the event that an SSO does occur, the Enrollee shall take all feasible steps to contain and mitigate the impacts of an SSO” [emphasis added].
 
I would like to offer additional information to further clarify the requirements of the Order.  Provision D.8 (page 9) requires the Enrollee (City) to “properly manage, operate and maintain all parts of the sanitary sewer system”.  To comply with this general requirement, the City may employ a variety of methods, strategies, technologies, and/or practices needed by the City based on its own site-specific considerations to effectively reduce/eliminate SSOs.  If, as you imply in your Request, the City is unable to access sewer manholes in the vicinity of Hinkle Creek with a vacuum truck, Provision D.8 allows the City the flexibility to determine whatever specific and feasible alternatives are necessary, which should be described in the City’s adopted Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) and Emergency Response Plan.  For example, the City may wish to include the use of portable pumps, hoses, other related equipment, operating procedures, and staff training needed for addressing easement maintenance and SSO responses. I would encourage the City to research available recommended industry practices and reach out to other operators in designing your sewer easement program for the City.
 
It is also important to note that while the State and/or Regional Water Boards will consider the lack of feasible alternatives in any potential enforcement action(s), Section D.6(iii) states that “[i]t is inappropriate to consider the lack of feasible alternatives, if the Enrollee does not implement a periodic or continuing process to identify and correct problems”. Therefore, it is imperative that the City make every effort to identify SSO response alternatives in the event conventional approaches are infeasible.
 
If you have any additional permitting or reporting questions regarding the Order, please contact Gil Vasquez at (916) 322-1400 or Gil.Vasquez@waterboards.ca.gov For enforcement questions, please contact Jim Fischer at (916) 341-5548 or Jim.Fischer@waterboards.ca.gov.
 
Sincerely,
 
Bryan Elder, PE
Senior Water Resources Control Engineer, Special Investigations Unit
Office of Enforcement
State Water Resources Control Board
801 K Street, 23rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
bryan.elder@waterboards.ca.gov
Ph. 916.327.8363
 
 
 
 

Evert W. Palmer
City Manager

City of Folsom
50 Natoma St, Folsom, CA 95630
o.916-355-7201

 <image003.jpg>  www.folsom.ca.us


 
 
 


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                                                                               We have good news to report!
The City of Folsom received a positive response from the State Water Quality regulators indicating that a vactor truck was not required to clean up spills in nature areas such as Hinkle Creek.    The regulators indicated that there are a variety of methods that can be used to cleanup a sewer overflow effectively.  Their opinion allows the City of Folsom the flexibility to develop alternate methods for managing an overflow.   No vactor truck required = no permanent road!

Folsom city staff has indicated that their next step will be to contract for the design of the repair of high priority sewer segments.  The vote to approve the contract for this design firm (Quincy Engineering again) was approved on Tuesday September 12 at the City Council meeting. 

Going forward we will be closely monitoring the construction plan and its impact on the nature area with an eye to minimize the impact on trees in the park.  We would like to have the construction work accomplished without the building of a TEMPORARY construction road and we have had conversations with contractors who have indicated that the work can be performed without a construction road.  The City’s approach will be to define a project with minimum impact in Hinkle Creek Nature Area and have this as a key attribute when they evaluate construction proposals to repair the sewer line.

In Evert Palmer’s letter detailing the path forward,   he included very positive direction regarding restoring Hinkle Creek after the repairs are completed.  This is a huge example of standing behind the City motto of being ‘Distinctive by Nature’!
“Mitigate removed trees, favoring native trees and particularly oaks, with the largest number and size of tree practical, as guided by a consulting arborist, with an emphasis on emulating the natural development of oak woodlands such as the Hinkle Creek open space area.  We would view the City’s tree mitigation ordinance as a starting point, but look at this a more a reforestation project on public property than a tree mitigation project”

We also will be working with Folsom staff to develop a feasible ongoing access plan for routine maintenance and SSO response.  This will require the support of the homeowners adjacent to manholes to allow access for planned maintenance and emergency service.   The City will be adding a dirt walking path to allow sewer workers to access the manholes. 
​
Thank you all for your continued support in this protracted process.  Your support is helping to protect Hinkle Creek for future generations.  City Council Members Andy Morin, Ernie Sheldon and Roger Gaylord were all very supportive to obtain this positive outcome.  We encourage you to write a short thank you note expressing your appreciation for their leadership.  
                Andy Morin        amorin@folsom.ca.us
                Ernie Sheldon    ernturn@comcast.net
                Roger Gaylord   Rgaylord@folsom.ca.us
                Evert Palmer      epalmer@folsom.ca.us
Hinkle Creek Working Group
Only a few times in my life have I ever witnessed the power of the people coalesce so uniformly as it did last night in the Folsom City Council Chambers.  Every speaker expressed with eloquence and emotion their reason for protecting Hinkle Creek.  The chambers were packed beyond capacity with supporters.  The energy was intense as democracy unfolded. 
 
Mayor Morin proved to be an exceptional moderator for the evening and should be commended. The mayor suggested to the sewer director, “We need to be more clever” (in developing a solution).      
Plan to move forward is outlined below:
1.The City Council directed the city staff to proceed with developing a plan to repair the sewer line which will realign the sections that have sags and replace the cast iron sections that are corroded while minimizing the construction foot print in the park.  A construction start would likely not be until the spring of 2018 and would take an estimated three months to complete. 
2.Mayor Morin will represent the City in a meeting with the State Water Resources Control Board to seek clarification of their General Order to use methods other than a vactor truck in the event of a sewer overflow.  If a vactor truck is not needed, then then neither is a permanent road. Common sense might dictate that every city in California is not plowing up their open space to provide roads for sewer line maintenance, but at this point in time we don’t know how they will rule.  Good news is the senior official in our City, Mayor Morin, is leading this effort make an accommodation happen.
3.If the road is not required, the trees impacted to complete the sewer line repairs would be mitigated in the Hinkle Creek Nature Area and the area restored to as natural a condition as possible. 
4.The Council directed the city staff to establish an oversight group which would include representatives of the Hinkle Creek Work Group to oversee the project as it moves forward and  engage the community in this process. 
We want to thank everyone who attended the meeting or took the time to send an email or make a call.  Without these actions, we are certain the staff recommendation for a road would have passed tonight.  Your actions made a difference.  Thank you. 
 
We would like to thank Roger Gaylord and Ernie Sheldon for their support throughout this entire process.  They listened, guided and were instrumental in achieving such a positive outcome.  We also would like to thank City Manager Evert Palmer and Environmental and Water Resources Department Director Marcus Yasutake for being forth coming when information was requested and for their responsiveness to the Hinkle Creek Work Group inquires. 
 
While this issue is not 100% resolved and will require continued monitoring, we have been assured that the city will engage with the residents and solicit their input through to the resolution of this issue.  We want to ask everyone to take their yard signs down at this time but store them in your garage.  If a permanent road vote resurfaces, we will need to dust them off and reactivate our community’s powers of persuasion. 
 
Here is a link to the City Council meeting from last night.  The Hinkle Creek item 8A begins at 11:44 minutes:  http://folsom.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=1608  
​                                                   ​ABC Channel 10 News Hinkle Creek Report
Below is the link to the ABC channel 10 news report that ran PM on May 22 and AM on May 23 about the proposed Hinkle Creek sewer road.  Pay special attention to the last part of the report where our Councilperson, Kerri Howell, explains why she supports building the road.
http://www.abc10.com/news/local/folsom-residents-protest-plan-to-build-road-through-popular-nature-park/442057319
Kerri Howell states that the road in Hinkle Nature Area proposed by the city is the only way to protect the city taxpayers from the fines associated with a potential sewage spill on Hinkle Creek, but that’s just wrong.
The key to preventing a sewage spill on any sewer line is proper maintenance and monitoring.  The Hinkle Creek Work Group has confirmed with multiple industry experts that a vactor truck is not needed to vacuum out solid waste to maintain the Hinkle Creek line properly.   If a vactor truck is not needed to drive up to the manhole to vacuum out waste, a road is not needed.     As a matter of fact, the City of Folsom has been able to maintain this line for 40 years without a road or a vactor truck in the nature area.
The Hinkle Creek Work Group’s plan is simple with four points:
  1. Complete the necessary maintenance work on the sewer line and restore park as natural condition as possible. 
  2. Contract with a qualified contractor to flush and camera inspect the lines annually.
  3. Install strategically located wireless flow monitors to provide early warning of potential blockages.  
  4. Blockages are cleared with high pressure flushing and industry standard collection baskets.
Our plan is better than that city’s because is substantially less expensive and it protects the 175 impacted trees, wildlife and natural beauty of Hinkle Creek Natura Area.  But most important, our proposal for smart covers will provide 8-24 hours warning for city staff to PREVENT a sewer spill.
Join us June 13th at 6:00, 50 Natoma St, Folsom to tell the City Council that our natural resources need to be protected, especially when the city plan is fiscally wasteful and not in-line with industry standard practices. 
For more information go to SaveHinkleCreek.com or email SAVEHINKLECREEK@gmail.com with questions. 
 

Here is the link to the May 18, 2017 Sacramento News and Review article about Save Hinkle Creek: https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/sharpening-the-ax-folsoms-plan/content?oid=24253107
Sharpening the ax: Folsom’s plan to chop down trees in nature park sparks ire - News - Local Stories - May 18, 2017
www.newsreview.com
City Council to vote on $2.6 million sewer line proposal community members say is unnecessary.


While we are pleased with the publicity this article provided, in an effort to be fair, we wanted to include a bit more detail on a few points:


- Four of the City Council members have met with the Hinkle Creek Work Group and have listened to the details of our alternative plan. The only City Council member that has not met with us to date is Steve Miklos, who indicated he would meet with us after he had been briefed by staff.


- The Hinkle Creek Work Group has met a number of times of the past year with Folsom City Staff who have been responsive with one exception; they have remained silent on the viability of our four point alternative plan.


- The City has presented a number of cost estimates in the past two years:
o August 2015 – Marcus Yasutake – build the Hinkle Creek Road - $ 1 M
o FY 16-17 Budget – build two sewer access roads (Hinkle Creek was one of them) and refurbish one – cost $2.6M
o March 2017 – Repair sewer line in Hinkle Creek and build phase 1 of the road - $398,000.


Our ability to do a comparison of costs using the city figures has been difficult. The Hinkle Creek Work Group can say, unequivocally, that our four point alternative plan will always cost less and will have the added benefit to the community of preserving the nature area and provide an early warning mechanism for sanitary sewer overflows which will protect water quality. These two important benefits are not found in the City’s plan.


Our recommendation has four elements:
1. Complete the necessary maintenance work on the sewer line with a keen eye to minimizing damage and destruction of trees. After construction, return the area to as natural condition as possible.
2. Contract with a qualified contractor to clean and camera inspect the lines annually (vs. the current standard of every five years) and use the videos to provide early warning of maintenance issues.
3. Install strategically located wireless flow monitors to provide early warning of potential blockages.
4. If there is an up line blockage that needs to be cleared, using industry standard debris baskets vs. a vactor truck to remove the waste. Here is a one minute video on how a debris basket works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E6vtISamkU

Thank you to all who attended the meeting on April 24th. The following link is to a video of the presentation.
​https://www.facebook.com/SaveHinkleCreek/



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Current Status
THE ROAD IS COMING!!!!! STAFF RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE!!!

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Now on Record
On March 28th, the Save Hinkle Creek Work Group went on public record at the Folsom City Council meeting making our request for an alternative to the road in Hinkle Creek formal. We asked the City Council 1) for each City Council member to meet with us and 2) for the Folsom City staff to hold another public forum. We believe that the city’s goal has been misguided from the onset. Their goal has been to access each manhole with a Vactor truck. We contend that the goal should be to assure proper pipeline maintenance which will avoid sewage overflows by other industry methods not requiring the road.
You can watch John’s brief City Council presentation at the link below.
https://youtu.be/YPa_BDu-IOA

​
Folsom City Council March 28, 2017
youtu.be
John makes request to Folsom City Council 1) meet with Council Members 2) Hold a public forum
​This is a link to a text copy of John's presentation.
https://drive.google.com/open…
​​
This or This
THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW!
SaveHinkleCreek.com
City of Folsom Staff Recommends Building the Hinkle Creek Sewer Road Proceeding to Get City Council Approval

Time for Us to Speak Up!!
The City of Folsom City Manager and Staff have decided that a road is necessary to allow vactor
trucks into the Hinkle Creek Nature Area to maintain the sewer line. They have informed us they
are moving forward with the project and will be asking the City Council for project approval
within Mid May to Mid June.We believe the objective of the City of Folsom should be to ensure that the sewer line is repaired
and properly maintained to avoid overflows into Hinkle Creek with minimum negative impact on
the nature area. Our recommendation is:
* Complete maintenance work on the sewer line with a keen eye to minimizing damage and
destruction of trees. After construction, return the area to as natural condition as possible.
* Contract with a qualified company to clean and camera inspect the lines annually (vs. the
current standard of every five years) and use the video images to provide early warning of
maintenance issues.
* Install strategically located wireless flow monitors to provide early warning of potential
overflows.
Chronological Order of Status Updates are below:

August 10, 2016 – Sewer Line Successfully Cleaned and Camera Inspected by Qualified Contractor. 
​
What we learned during the sewer cleaning process.  Overall the 6” pipe is in very good shape, especially considering it had not been flushed in over 5 years and is over 40 years old. The basic shape of the line is a Y.  Day 1 we started around 180 River Ridge with manhole 7526 and camera/flushed/cleaned to manhole 7522.  Day 2 we started in Rock Ravine Court with manhole 7508 and camera/flushed/camera down to Oak Avenue to manhole 7545.  Manhole 7545 was the point where they vacuumed out all of the waste flushed from the lines.    Total time was just over 1 ½ days to complete the pre-flush camera inspection, flush the line, then conduct a post-flush camera video.   As a first time sewer observer, We were shocked at how clean the lines were.  The Coastline Water Resources team did a very good job.  They have plenty of experience servicing the equivalent of Folsom’s entire sewer system annually for the City of San Jose, Los Altos, Belmont, Atherton, Palo Alto, etc. and remarked how much better our lines looked than those in the Bay Area.  They also provide sewer maintenance services for the entire sewer network in Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights.  They mentioned that many of the lines they work on are steeper and more difficult to access than ours.    We were pleasantly surprise that so few neighbors’ yards needed to be crossed to access the manholes.   There were a total of 21 manholes serviced:  only 6 required accesses through a neighbor’s property, 7 could be camera inspected and flushed without accessing the manhole through adjacent manholes (bypass) and 8 could be accessed from the street, an existing easement or Hinkle Creek Park.
​
​

September 2016 Proposed Repairs in Hinkle Creek Sewer Line
September 2016
Repairs Required in Hinkle Creek Sewer Line
Representatives of the Hinkle Creek Work Group met with Evert Palmer, Folsom’s City Manager, and Marcus Yasutake, Director of Environmental and Water Resources, last week to discuss the results of the camera inspection and routine maintenance of the Hinkle Creek sewer line.  The city advised us that they are concerned about three sections of the line feel they need to be replaced for various reasons like pipe corrosion, pipe offsets, and pipe sag.  (See attached diagram.)  Red – first priority, Pink – second priority, Yellow-third priority. 
Our next step is to work with the city to identify a qualified contractor who can make the repairs with minimal impact to the nature area.  We will be meeting with experts to gain their insights on the urgency of the repairs and the various methods to implement the repairs.  If you know of a contractor knowledgeable in commercial sewer systems please make an introduction to us
 We know that it was possible to refurbish the line without trenching for a new pipe but that process would be less effective if the problems are related to the slope of the existing line. We believe that the sections of iron pipe that are corroded could be replaced without massive excavation using current equipment and technology that is very cost effective and quite quickly.      
At the meeting with the city, we were also provided with information from the final arborist report with the tree counts that would be impacted if the road is built.   If a road is built 81 trees, of the total 197 trees affected, will be removed or critically impacted.  The city has a formula for how they grade trees and not all trees are created equal in the city’s eyes.  Some trees are not valued at all like gray pines, buckeye and non-natives.  Of the protected trees, they grade them based on the trees condition from 0-5 with zero being a dead tree and 5 being a perfect specimen.  Of the 197 trees within the 50 foot road impact area, according to the city, 74 are in the 0-2 condition range.  An  additional 107 are in the 3-5 range and 16 were not assessed because they are categorized as too small or are not protected.  We expect others would die within a number of years due to soil and root disturbances which is very typical for oaks in construction areas. 
We were hoping that that the city was going to table their pursuit of the road but that is not what we heard last week so we continue to investigate options and alternatives for maintenance of the sewer line.  The Hinkle Creek Work Group will continue to work with Folsom City Executives to reduce the impact on Hinkle Creek Nature Park and keep you all updated on our progress. 
Keep the signs up. They show our elected representatives and city workers that people care about Hinkle Creek Park.  If you know of people that would like a yard sign, please email your name and address to SaveHinkleCreek@gmail.com and don’t forget to sign the petition on Change.org. 
 

 
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March 17, 2017 City has decided to proceed to build a road in Hinkle Creek
​
Hinkle Creek Sewer Road
March 17, 2017

Attachment 1

​Today we met with Evert Palmer, Folsom’s City Manager, and Marcus Yasutake, Director of Environmental and Water Resources, to discuss the recommendations presented by Quincy Engineering who was contracted by the City to recommend repairs to the Hinkle Creek sewer line.    Marcus began by outlining four alternatives for each of the segments needing attention:  1)  Leave alone and maintain annually, 2) Pipe bursting – and inserting a new line into the existing pipe 3) Replace by trenching 4) Replace by trenching and redirecting.  In all alternatives except #1, the pipe diameter would be increased from 6 inches to 8 inches. 
Recommendations to Repair: 
We will provide a summary of the recommendation for each section line needing repair and provide comments/alternative recommendations later in this document.  Refer to Attachment 1 March 2017 Proposal and Attachment 2 Existing Hinkle Creek Sewer for visual depiction of the recommendations.  Each section of the line needing repair is treated in a slightly different manor as detailed below:
Section 4 (from 128 to 144 Canyon Rim Drive).   The issue with this section the slope is not sufficient allow the sewer to drain properly.  Either it wasn’t properly designed/constructed has settled over time creating low spots in the line where waste builds up.  The recommendation was to redirect and trench a new PVC line.  A road would be built to support construction of the new trench and maintained long term to allow access by a vactor truck to pump out sewage from the manholes.
Section 5 and 8a/b.  Section 5a is the segment we could not get the cleaning equipment through due to iron corrosion.  This is a steep downhill section.  The recommendation is to build a temporary road to construct a new trench from manhole 5 to 7.  This road would be abandoned after construction and replaced with a 720 feet long road highlighted in blue on Attachment 1 allow vactor track truck access to manholes for maintenance.   
Section 9.  This is a critical section of pipe as it runs under Hinkle Creek.  The recommendation is to pipe burst from manhole 7 to 8 and replace with an 8” line.  A road would be constructed to support construction and maintained long term to allow vactor truck access to manholes for maintenance.
Section 10.  This is a section that runs under Oak Hill Road that would be trenched and replaced with an 8” line. 
Tree Impact
A total of 175 trees are impacted (approximately 50 feet from the road) of which 141 are protected trees.  77 of these trees would either be cut down (quantity not yet determined) or have impact to more than 20% of their root zone, which might cause the tree to die.  A more detailed summary is outlined in Attachment 3 Arborist Report Summary and we will receive an amendment to the original arborists report shortly.
Road Construction
Attachment 4 Table 1 Summary of Issues provides a summary of the camera inspections from our line successful cleaning last August.  Under each section the City highlights that, while we were able to flush and camera inspect the line, they want to be able to access each manhole with a vacuum truck to suck out waste.  This is a very key point discussed later in this document.
Cost
The cost estimated by Marcus Yasutake was $435,000 to place and realign the pipe, pipe bursting, road construction, restoration of the road segment between manholes 5-7 and temporary bridge over Hinkle Creek.  It excludes tree mitigation; building a permanent bridge over Hinkle Creek and extending the road (in light blue) form 108 Rock Ravine Court to 128 Canyon Rim Drive and from 144 Canyon Rim Drive, past Rock Canyon Court 176 River Ridge Way which could/would(?) be done at a later date.  See Attachment 5 Costs for more details.
City Comments 
Pick up Size Vactor Truck – See Attachment 6 Light Weight Vactor Truck for an illustration of the type of vactor truck they would purchase to access the manholes.  The truck is a modified version of a heavy duty pick up (~1.5 ton) and would require about a 12 foot wide road.
Trees – they emphasized that the tree count represented the maximum impact and they would do their best to minimize the number of trees cut down during construction.
Roads – they would build the road with a solid fill to support the weight of the truck but cover with dirt so the grass could grow back and minimize the negative impact to the park.  They offered to provide us some locations with similar roads we could go and see firsthand.  
Manhole Flow Sensors – We recommended putting manhole flow sensors on strategically located manholes to provide early warning of potential spills.  They indicated they use these in other sections of sewer line in the City they were not included in the budget for Hinkle Creek. 
Timing – they gave us a heads up that they were planning to move forward with City Council approval in the next few weeks. 
Hinkle Creek Working Group Comments
The key element that decides the need for a permanent road is the requirement to access the manholes with a vactor truck.  During the meeting we discussed that we were able to flush the entire line end to end and vacuum out waste using a vactor truck from manhole 8 on Oak Avenue.  They were concerned if there was an up line blockage the line could be flushed down to manhole 8 where the waste could be vacuumed out.  Their concern was if the blockage could not be cleared by flushing it could back up and create a spill.   The requirement to vacuum waste from manholes is the key fact that determines the necessity to build a permanent road. 
ACTION – If you know of any experts in this area please put them in touch with us.  We need as much professional feedback as possible.
Obviously, after construction there will be a lot of manholes that will still not have access via a vacuum truck since the road only extends to about half of the sewer line.  We did not press this point as it could make a case to build all roads. 
Next Steps
With your help we will connect with as many experts as possible.  If we conclude that accessing the manholes with a vactor truck is not required we will be reaching out all to support a campaign with City Council Members to reject staff’s recommendation for a road.  
​

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Attachment 2

Arborist Report
​Hinkle Creek- Canyon Rim location with only priority sewer repairs
 
 
LSA- they also used previous report prepared by Abicus Consulting Arborists Inventoried trees within SO feet of the development area (proposed access road) Used common rating system of 0 (dead} through 5 (excellent)
*** Only includes the updated project scope for segments 4,5,8,9,and 10  ***
 
 
 
Total number oftrees inventoried= 175
Of these 175, 141 are protected tree species
 
Total Trees Inventoried 175
Protected Trees per FMC 141
Impacts to Critical Root Zone 121
Impacts to Root 77
 
A. Critical root zone impacts  > 20% typically require mitigation

Sewer Repair Impacts- Impacts to trees due to sewer repairs
Total number of trees that  would need to be removed due to the repairs= 60
Total number of trees that  would be removed rated 3 or above= 25
Of the 25,25 are listed as protected trees and require mitigation
Total number of trees that  would be removed rated at 2 or less= 35
Total number of unprotected species that would  be removed = 7
 
 
Additional Impacts to include  720 feet of permanent access road
Total number of trees that would need to be removed fortruncated permanent access road= 17
Total number of trees that would be removed rated 3 or above= 9
Of the 9,9 are listed as protected trees and require mitigation
Total number of trees that would be removed rated at 2 or less= 8

Total number of unprotected species that would be removed = 7
 
 
Summary

 
Total number of protected trees to be removed or criticallyl
Totalnumber of protected trees to be removed that require    
This means that 29 of the trees do not require mitigaiton because the existing tree rating (2 or less) per FMC.



A summary of the preliminary project costs for the best apparent alternatives is provided in Table 5. Due to the preliminary nature of the design at this time a contingency of 20% has been added to the costs.
 
Segment    Total
4-3 -Replace & Realign    $86,025
5-3-Replace & Realign    $44,190
8-2-Replace in Place    $36,880
9-1B- Pipe Bursting    $23,000
10-2-Replace in Place    $31,540
Temporary Access Road lnstallation 1    $40,000
Temporary Access Road Restoration 2    $50,000
Temporary Bridge Across Hinkle Creek    $20,00
Sub   total    $331,635
    
20% Contingency    $66,327
Total Project Cost (Rounded) 2    $398,000   
   


1The additional cost to upgrade the Temporary Access Road to a Permanent Access Road
would be approximately $47,500 ($31,500 for construction and $16,000 for tree mitigation).  A permanent bridge across the creek is not included in this cost.
2A localcontractor  estimates that removal and restoration of the temporary access road is approximately $50,000 due to the steep terrain
3 Total project cost does not include all construction costs such as mobilization,
demobilization,pipeline testing,and erosion control,nor does it include environmental permitting,engineering design costs,construction management,and engineering services during construction.
 
8.       CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A summary of our recommendations for the best apparent alternatives to consider for this
Project is as follows:
 
•    Replace and realign the existing 6-inch diameter sewer pipeline in Segments 4 and 5 with an 8-inch PVC pipe between existing MH 1and MH 5,including two new manholes (MH 2P and MH 3P),reducing the sewer length by 100 feet (as shown in Figure 2).
•    Replace in place the existing 6-inch sewer pipeline in Segment 8 with an 8-inch PVC pipe in the same alignment. The new pipeline will be tied into new manhole (MH 3P) at the downstream end of Segment 5 and the existing manhole (MH 7) at the upstream end of Segment 9.
•    Repair in place the existing 150 If of 6-inch diameter CIP in Segment 9 with new 8-inch diameter HOPE pipe using pipe bursting methods.The existing manholes will remain.
•    Replace in place the existing 6-inch diameter sewer pipeline in Segment 10 with a new
8-inch PVC pipe between the two existing manholes.Sags will be eliminated,preventing backups into Segment 9.

 
Table 1. Summary of CCTV Inspection
 
 
Segment
Length
(If)
Pipe Dia.
and Type
 
Slope(%)
 
Identified Problems and Observations

4
575
6-inch VCP
0.5

​• 350 If within private property including 5 laterals
• MH 2 and MH 3 located within  private property
• No Vactor truck access to manholes (MH 1, 2,& 3)
• Sags throughout the alignment
• Grease deposits after flushing and cleaning
• City's 1st priority for repair due to SSO's and access

Sa
105
6-inch CIP
34.8
• MH 3 within private property
• No Vactor truck access to manholes {MH 3 & 4)
• CCTV was not able to be performed in this area
• Encrustation reduces effective pipe diameter
• City's 2nd priority for repair due to SSO's

Sb
175
6-inch VCP
0.5
• No Vactor truck access to manholes {MH 4 & 5)
• Sags throughout the alignment
• City's 2nd priority for repair due to SSO's

8a
85
6-inch CIP
36
• No Vactor truck access to manholes {MH 5 & 6)
• Offsets
• City's 3rd priority for repair

8b
120
6-inch VCP,
6-inch HOPE
8.3
• No Vactor truck access to manholes {MH 6 & 7)
• Offsets
• City's 3rd priority for repair

9
150
6-inch CIP
0.5
• Creek Crossing
• No Vactor truck access to upstream manhole (MH 7)

10
65
6-inch VCP
0.5
• Sags

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March 22 2017 Our Response to Evert Palmer After Meeting with a Sewer Expert.

March 22, 2017

Evert

We wanted to follow up with our recommendations for the Hinkle Creek Nature Area sewer line project you and Marcus shared with us last Friday. 
When we closed the meeting, we discussed that the key item that needs to be investigated is the requirement to access each of the manholes with a vactor truck.  When we monitored the cleaning/camera work by Coastline Water Resources they flushed the lines for the high points at either end of the ‘T’, to the center and down the steep section s of pipe to manhole 8 which provides vactor access from Oak Avenue and vacuumed out the waste.  Camera inspection verified that the line was cleaned using this process.  You ask the question what happens if the high pressure hose is not able to push the waste all the way to manhole 8 which could require vactor truck to remove the waste from the adjacent downhill manhole.  So yesterday we met with the owner of the organization that recently won the bid to clean and re-line 26,000 feet of sewer not accessible from a road for Sacramento Area Sewer valued at $1.2M.  This organization cleaned and camera inspected over 3 million feet of line last year.  So we asked him the question of removing waste without a vactor truck to vacuum out the waste.  To our surprise, he responded that in the 3 million feet of line they cleaned last year less than 1% was vacuumed out using vactor trucks.  His organization uses their vactor trucks to supply water for the high pressure hoses inserted into the man holes to pressure clean, but he said the best way to remove waste is simply to put a basket in the downhill manhole that allows liquid to pass and captures waste (see illustration below).  The basket is then extracted from the bottom of the manhole and the waste is removed.  This method has been used for years and does not require a road or expensive equipment to implement. 
Back in 2000, we know that the City of Folsom was surprised to learn that their sewer system was not being properly maintained, resulting is a large and embarrassing fine imposed by the State Water Quality Board.  Seventeen years later, Folsom is the sewer maintenance model for other cities to follow.  Maybe it is time to thoughtfully re-evaluate some of our standards, like requiring vactor truck access for all manholes, to determine if there are methods that are as effective, but live up to the City’s motto of being “Distinctive by Nature”.  We are completely supportive of ensuring our sewers are properly maintained and specific to Hinkle Creek, preventing waste from running into the creek and down into the American River.  After 17 years of hard work by the City of Folsom we are down to the more difficult, costly and most environmentally impactful sections of sewer that need to be maintained.  We would encourage you and your team to step back and thoughtfully evaluate alternatives that might not exactly match the current standards, but achieves the critical objective of ensuring the sewer line does into overflow into Hinkle Creek.   We encourage you to employ methods such as flushing and camera inspection the Hinkle Creek line annually and completing the necessary sewer line improvements.  But allowing potential overflows to be handled with equally effective sewer maintenance standards (collection baskets) that eliminate the vactor truck road through the Hinkle Creek Nature area.  Given the remote location of these manholes we would also suggest that wireless flow monitors be installed in strategic locations to provided early warnings of any potential backups.  If a sewer overflows in the middle of a street it is easy to detect.   When the manhole is buried in a Nature Area overflows and odors are much easier to overlook. 
In summary we believe that the following will provide protection against sewer over flows and preservation of the Hinkle Creek Nature Area:
  • Complete maintenance work on the sewer line with a keen eye to minimizing damage and destruction of trees.  After construction, return the area to as natural condition as possible. 
  • Contract with a qualified company to clean and camera inspect the lines annually (vs. the current standard of every five years) and using the video images to provide early warning of maintenance issues.
  • Install strategically located wireless flow monitors to provide early warning of potential overflows.  
  • If there is an up line blockage that needs to be cleared, using collection baskets vs. a vactor truck to remove the waste.
We believe this plan is very prudent as it provides complete protection against sewer overflows and also protects our beautiful nature area. 
We are pleased to meet to discuss at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Hinkle Creek Working Group



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q=Debris+and+Grit+basket+for+a+manhole&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&X-jSAhUDwmMtSyfMDt2u
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​March 23, 2017 Response from Marcus Yasutake "We will present this information before City Council within the next 30-60 days."


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