This project provides the Silver Spring community with a new library located within the Central Business District (CBD). The new library is approximately 90,000 gross SF in size and is intended to meet the unique requirements of an increasingly urban, ethnically and culturally diverse residential and business community. The building is five floors plus a basement. The footprint of the first floor is split by the right-of-way for the future Purple Line light rail resulting in a main building to the west of the ROW and the “Pavilion” to the right. The project also includes an art gallery and is a LEED Silver building. Geotechnical Engineering: During the design stage Balter performed geotech

Buckeye Lake Dam is a state-owned structure located within Buckeye Lake State Parkland. This Class I high-hazard dam was constructed between 1825 to 1832 as an earthen embankment and measures approximately 4.1 miles long and supports recreational uses such as fishing and boating. In March 2015, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released an alarming report detailing unacceptable deficiencies in the dam, and the damage and potential loss of life that could result from catastrophic failure. Findings were excessive deterioration and long-term seepage through the earthen embankment, multiple excavations into the downstream slope, and the inability of safety inspectors to examine areas of the

The Enhanced Nitrogen Removal Expansion is part of the $3.2 billion ten-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). This $270+ million and 6-year DC Water facility expansion will reduce the amount of nitrogen in effluent to meet the new U.S. EPA and Chesapeake Bay Program goals of 4.7 million pounds per year or less in 2016. The project included the construction of slurry walls and tankage; anoxic reactors, including mixers; construction of large channels to convey process water, including a 250-foot-length, 12–foot-diameter tunnel under the existing nitrification equipment gallery; a new 890 mgd lift station; improvements to the existing nitrification/denitrification tanks and aeration system;

Difficult site access can be a nightmare for conventional truck and rubber-tire ATV mounted drill rigs. However, Balter has recently acquired a low impact, track mounted drill rig that can make even some of the most challenging terrain types accessible. Easy accessibility leads to faster turnaround and cost savings for our clients.

Significant progress is being made with the construction of the Neabsco Creek portion of the Potamac Heritage National Scenic Trail. Timber piles are being installed using a "Top-Down" construction method in order to minimize wetland disturbance. To date, approximately 2,100 feet have been installed. The boardwalk will have a final length of about 3,100 feet when completed. Balter provided Subsurface Investigations, Geotechnical Engineering and Special Inspection services for this project. The work is ongoing with an anticipated opening date of December 2018.

As part of the G-100 Sewer Repair project in Washington D.C., several manholes were lined with cementitious materials to prevent inflow and infiltration which was costing millions of dollars a year in extra water treatment. As part of this repair process, Balter tested the cement lining for it's adhesion strength as well as the pullout resistance of newly placed steps. This, along with laboratory testing of Cured In-Place Pipe (CIPP) and video inspection of storm and wastewater sewer lines, is part of Balter's expanding role in the testing and inspection of city sewer infrastructure projects.

In Coastal Plain Deposits such as those found in Anne Arundel County, iron from siderite can be leeched out by groundwater movements and form isolated concretions, or areas of cemented sands.

Sometimes we have to drill in the snow, rain, or other forms of inclement weather. An unexpected late March snowstorm was no match for our new tracked drill rig. Pictured below is Dennis Strawderman who has been with Balter over 40 years.