305.619.2800OHS, Inc. offers a variety of environmental solutions for clients needing to familiarize themselves with onsite resources or fulfill regulatory agency requirements for their project.
OHS staff is trained as biologists with expertise in marine resources and wetlands mapping. State of the art equipment is used to accurately map the existing resources at a project site or document impacts that require mitigation. All staff is trained in the latest mapping techniques, utilizing differential GPS, hydrographic navigation software, and underwater digital cameras to map underwater or wetland resources. Mitigation projects can be tailored to cost effectively meet your specific requirements.
Marine resource and seagrass mapping surveys are necessary when determining locations for building marine structures in order to minimize environmental impacts. OHS has a fast turn-around and delivery for these types of projects with the help of our experienced staff.
OHS has a great deal of proven experience in turbidity monitoring services. We have the available staff to provide for long-term dredging projects with an excellent working relationship with the regulatory agencies. With our own work boats, navigation equipment, and turbidity measuring devices, OHS is ready for any project.
The absence of presence of wetlands at a potential project site can sometimes dictate the type and difficulty of permits that need to obtained prior to construction. OHS staff can use GPS mapping techniques to rapidly provide a project site basemap illustrating the species and extent of wetlands found on the site.
Installing artificial reefs is one of the most common forms of marine-related project mitigations. OHS can design these structures, locate a suitable offshore location for their placement, and assist the client in the procuring the required regulatory permits for the project.
Accidental ship groundings or damage caused by construction equipment can cause a major environmental impact to an existing reef system. Any attempt to assign a mitigation dollar amount when damage occurs must be based on an accurate spatial map showing the affected area. OHS employs the latest technology in the underwater video mapping to accurately map and document the affected area. Since time is of the essence when faced with repairing or up righting damaged corals, this technique allows us to understand the scope of the damage before the biologist diver even enters the water. OHS staff has proven relationships with NOVA’s NCRI and University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School experts at the forefront of coral recovery and mitigation techniques.
OHS has state-of-the-art underwater video equipment to document existing environmental resources. A portable towed underwater camera is used along with an integrated DGPS system to accurately map existing resources or an area of reported damage. Hypack’s hydrographic navigation software is used to accurately determine the camera’s underwater position and to store a high quality tract line for each camera pass. The final product is a high a quality DVD showing the footage with camera location coordinates visible on the screen*
*OHS utilizes the latest in video overlay technology to put the GPS coordinates in LAT/LONG or grid format directly on the screen. Optional information includes Client Name, Date & Time, and Camera Heading.Before large-scale marine or waterfront project construction begins, regulatory agencies generally require an environmental impact assessment to be conducted in order to understand how much and what type of resources are present and how they will be affect by construction. OHS’d biologist are seasoned veterans in providing extensive and accurate EIA reports for your project site.
Often times during marine construction and dredging projects, minor seagrass populations are sacrificed and in return require mitigation. OHS has innovative restoration techniques for prop scar filling and seagrass transplanting.
If you plan on replacing a marine structure which provides habitat to important coral life or if you propose to build on a coral-abundant location, OHS can effectively remove the coral and transplant it, or temporarily store it until the project is completed and the corals are reattached, we use a special coral-friendly boding agent to secure the coral to the proper structure. Our Techniques have been proven superior and put to the test by Florida’s intense hurricane seasons. Updated coral status reports for the regulatory agencies are also a provided service.