Glensanda Quarry stream diversion design and approval

Challenge

Yeoman Quarries required additional treatment and storage facilities for quarry residues at this ‘super quarry’ located on the West Coast of Scotland. Site land constraints dictated that a number of upland streams would need to be diverted to allow the development of settlement lagoons and peat mire habitat areas.

SLR was commissioned to prepare designs and obtain approvals for the diversion, realignment and restoration for the streams that needed to be diverted.

Solution

The scope commenced with a fluvial geomorphology audit of the existing rivers and streams to characterise the stream hierarchy and aid in developing appropriate diversion designs. This was followed by civil engineering design of the channel diversions and realignments, and development of restoration proposals. The design, where possible, replicated the existing features of the streams at site.

The project team comprised SLR river restoration specialists, geomorphologists, civil engineers, hydrologists, geotechnical specialists, ecologists and CAD.

The project required a multi-disciplinary approach and all aspects were undertaken in-house by SLR. The in-house one-team approach provided advantages for Aggregate Industries from both a cost and time basis.

Impact

SLR worked closely with Scottish Environment Protection Agency specialists in developing the diversions, including joint geomorphological inspections and close collaboration on the design and details of the restoration proposals.