Page 24 - 2018 Sustainability Report

RECLAMATION PROJECT AT WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

FORMER KANSAS QUARRY FOCUS ON NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES

RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS HONOR

The communities where we operate and live depend on water; clean, reliable water supplies are vital for today
and tomorrow. Martin Marietta’s production processes rely on water. Importantly, our water management practices
For the better part of 25 years, the 640-acre site just north good company to work with.” recognize the criticality of water to our local communities and address many factors, including the water stress levels of
of Wichita, Kansas, was home to Martin Marietta’s North Now a pristine open space with lush vegetation, the site these communities. Baseline Water Stress is a metric used to measure water risk in a community. Baseline Water Stress is
Marion Quarry. Now, the site is an award winner, receiving receives all varieties of visitors. Hett welcomes veterans defined as the ratio of annual water withdrawals to total available annual renewable supply. A higher percentage indicates
the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s 2018 Governor’s from the local chapter of Wounded Warriors United who that there are more water users competing for the water resource. Areas with high Baseline Water Stress are those with
Mined Land Reclamation Award. enjoy regular hikes and hunts on the property. Monarch a range of 40%-80% and areas with extremely high Baseline Water Stress are those greater than 80%. We analyzed our
James Nicholson, the Martin Marietta senior environmental butterflies and other at-risk insects are also frequent operating locations by zip code, using the World Resources Institute’s Water Risk Atlas tool, known as Aqueduct. A profile
engineer who managed the reclamation effort, said the guests, enjoying the 500 milkweed plants the Hett family of our Building Materials operations is shown below:
honor was appreciated, but that the greater reward was planted on the grounds; the Hetts are working to have
seeing the newly reclaimed land flourish. the site certified as a Monarch Waystation by Monarch
Watch, a University of Kansas-based nonprofit that
“This is one of the best parts of my job,” he said. “This
property is something we’re truly proud of. We mined it works to educate the public about the butterflies and
and then returned it to a state as good – if not better – environmental conservation.
than it was before we arrived.” Nicholson summed the project up perfectly.
“We mined the land and provided the local community 32 1 18
“This property is something we’re with a much-needed natural resource for decades,” he
truly proud of. We mined it and then said. “When that opportunity passed, we took the time locations in areas classified plant is located in an area locations in areas classified
returned it to a state as good – if not and effort to return the property to its natural state. as high water stress classified as extremely high as high water stress
better – than it was before we arrived.” Working together with the property owners, we’ve done water stress
the right thing for this land and that’s something we
The first step in the reclamation process, which began should all feel good about.”
in 2016, involved meeting with property owners and 40 24
state officials to determine the best options for the
land’s future. locations in areas classified as locations in areas classified as
The reclamation efforts were then broken down into two extremely high water stress extremely high water stress
sections. The owners of the property’s southern section Once the site of Martin Marietta’s North
wanted their grounds made suitable for cattle to graze. Marion Quarry, this reclaimed land is now
To the north, the property owner preferred a rougher used for hunting and attracting monarch Geographically, the majority of our locations classified as high are located in Texas; those classified as extremely high are
terrain that could accommodate a wild game habitat butterflies. primarily in Texas and Colorado. Examples of our water management practices in these areas are shown below.
and hunting. With the land owners’ wishes and the Photo courtesy of the Hett family.
requirements of the state known, Nicholson and his TEXAS COLORADO
team moved forward.
Over the past two years, Martin Marietta has invested in water The Rocky Mountain Division is working in cooperation
Nicholson said Martin Marietta’s investments to care for
the property during the mining process paid off during the recovery equipment at Medina Rock & Rail Quarry, Beckmann with the city of Denver to create a much-needed new
fresh water reservoir at our Riverbend Sand & Gravel site
Quarry, Chico Quarry, Black Spur’s Bird Hill Plant and Hunter
reclamation. In just two years, the site was dozed, graded Stone Quarry. At Hunter Stone, we installed a $5 million plate that will supply additional water to the growing population
and seeded with a mixture of native grasses and flowers press that eliminated the need for a settling pond, thereby of Denver. We also have similar projects at each of our 35th
approved by the state. Proper steps were also taken to reducing water loss due to evaporation and infiltration. Avenue, Ditullio, Duckworth and Heaton facilities with the
minimize erosion and to create suitable wetlands across opportunity to repurpose more pits in the future.
parts of the landscape. The water recovery system at Beckmann Quarry, installed

Rocky Hett, owner of the northern property, said he’s in 2010, continues to provide significant benefits and At our Taft Sand & Gravel operation, located in Fort
pleased with the company’s work. reduced the facility’s water withdrawal by an average of 50% Collins, Colorado, a series of five lined reservoirs have
compared to the baseline year. This equates to a pumping been completed as part of our reclamation efforts. These
“I was a drill sergeant while serving with the U.S. Army reduction of over 20,000 acre-feet, resulting in billions of former gravel pits were converted in partnership with Tri-
Reserve and the National Guard, so I was trained to pick gallons of Edwards Aquifer water that is available to South Districts (local utility) as a way to provide water to the local
out the flaws in anything,” the 75-year-old said. “It’s hard Central Texas communities for other beneficial uses. communities. The reservoirs provide more than 500 million
to find anything bad out here. Martin Marietta has been a gallons of water to the local Tri-Cities Utility.

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