Effectiveness of Street Sweeping in Incline Village, NV Final December 2011 In collaboration with Authors: Scott Brown, NTCD, 775-901-0775,
[email protected] Rick Susfalk, DRI Domi Fellers, NTCD Brian Fitzgerald, DRI Funders: USDA Forest Service, Erosion Control Grant NDSL, Lake Tahoe License Plate Grant Washoe County, in-kind labor and equipment Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, December 2011 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A 752 m length of Village Blvd. in Incline Village, NV was divided into two “study areas” and monitored for two years to characterize the benefit of frequent street sweeping using a high efficiency dustless, waterless street sweeper. Although many studies of street sweepers have been generated, this study is different because it specifically investigated the effectiveness of a dustless sweeper to remove sub-16 micro-meter (µm) sediment during winter conditions on an active road where traction control material was frequently applied. To understand the mass balance of sediment in the study areas, samples were collected from the road using a vacuum cleaner, from the material collected by the street sweeper, from material accumulated in drop inlets, and from stormwater discharging from the study areas. This report contributes to understanding the characteristics of sediment on Village Blvd. in Incline Village, NV and the capabilities and limitations of street sweeping. This report also has implications for the rest of the Tahoe Basin because the basic behavior of road sediment and street sweepers are believed to be similar. However, results could vary because the use of different traction control material, different technology street sweepers, and different operational procedures may not produce the same results.