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Press Releases

URS purchase unlimited usage ESdat Licence

URS will use ESdat to manage laboratory and field data related to groundwater, contaminated site, and other environmental projects.

URS (Australia/New Zealand) and EarthScience Information Systems (EScIS) are pleased to announce the purchase of an unlimited usage ESdat Licence by URS for its Australian and New Zealand Offices.

URS will use ESdat to manage laboratory and field data related to groundwater, contaminated site, and other environmental projects.

[Editor] Read on for the rest of the press release from EScIS and ESdat [/Editor]

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60-ft plus deep sinkhole in Frostproof takes a carport, threatens a house
Geologic Hazards

Dozens of Sinkholes in Plant City, Florida after Farmers Pump Extra Water Trying to Protect Crops from Bitter Cold

60-ft plus deep sinkhole in Frostproof takes a carport, threatens a houseIn early January of this year, Florida experienced some unusually cold temperatures that forced Plant City area strawberry farmers to pump extra groundwater to try to protect their crops. Over the course of about 11 days, the groundwater table in areas of Plant City was lowered by as much as 60-ft.

Almost immediately as many as 80 sinkholes began opening up around that region. Including ones that jeopardized a 500,000-gallon water tower, several that shut down an elementary school and numerous ones that shut down roads and highways and affected individual property owners. Around 20 local homeowners were left homeless after sinkholes left their house uninhabitable. For comparison, based on data from Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Sinkhole Database for the period of 1998 to 2008 (the last year for which data is available), 77 sinkholes were reported to have opened up in Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties combined.

Local officials are seeking help from the State and FEMA to cover the estimated $3 million in damages.  That figure is double what Plant City received from FEMA for the particularly bad 2004 hurricane season. And that dollar amount does not include what individual homeowners and property owners will be seeking from their insurance carriers. (Photos by Tampa Bay Online)

Read on for maps of Plant City sinkhole locations and more information.

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American Society of Testing Materials Logo - ASTM
Standards and Codes

ASTM Standards December Update

American Society of Testing Materials Logo - ASTMThis month there are a number of changes to standards relating to masonry units, bricks, dimension stone, etc. There are also some changes to a few standards related to asphalt paving, and groundwater testing. ASTM D6453 – Standard Guide for Format of Computerized Exchange of Soil and Rock Test Data was withdrawn. Read on for the full list.

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hydraulic fracuturing for natural gas extraction
Miscellaneous

Fracking Chemicals in Your Water

The good folks at Geology.com have pointed out a very interesting and alarming article on hazardous chemicals that may be used in the Hydrofrac process of natural gas extraction and their impact on groundwater. The […]