-------
-------
AERIAL AND AUTOMOTIVE RECONNAISSANCE
OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES
IN A RURAL COUNTY
This report (SW-32ts) Was written
by THOMAS J, SORG
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
1972
-------
Single copies of this publication
are available from solid waste man-
agement publications distribution,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
5555 Ridge Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio
A5268.
-------
AERIAL AND AUTOMOTIVE RECONNAISSANCE
OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES
IN A RURAL COUNTY
As part of a comprehensive
study designed to evaluate the solid
waste management needs of Bullitt
County in Kentucky, Federal solid
waste management personnel conducted
air and ground surveys to identify
and assess the disposal sites in
the area.
Each survey was carried out in
summer and covered 2^0 square mi les
in the county, which had an esti-
mated population of 21,750 in 1967;
about 25 percent of its inhabitants
resided in the incorporated cities of
Shepherdsvi1le, Mt. Washington, and
Lebanon Junction. The county is
covered with hills, many of which
rise 200 to 500 feet above the
-------
The survey included all of Bullitt County
(above)3 with the exception of the three
incorporated cities and ttio undeveloped
areas.
MO-foot elevation of Shepherds-
vine, the county seat. The topog-
raphy and the sparse population have
contributed to the branch-like
development of the road system.
Three observers gathered infor-
mation from a light, high-wing air-
-------
craft flown by a commercial pilot.
The plane flew at 1,500 to 2,000
feet during a four-hour flight at
an indicated air speed of 90 to 100
mph; visibility was more than 15
miles. The five-day ground survey
was conducted by one man who drove
over public roads. Both teams used
county maps (scale, 1 inch=l mile)
to mark the locations of all the
sites detected. Within the county
are a A9-square-mile section of Fort
Knox Military Reservation and a 14-
square-mile forest preserve of the
Bernheim Foundation. These two areas
and the three incorporated cities
were excluded from the surveys. The
cities were omitted after the aerial
team found it practically impossible
to pinpoint the locations of junked
cars and backyard dumps because of
the large number involved, the pop-
ulation density, the speed of the
-------
aircraft, and the lack of detail on
the road maps.
Results and Costs
Five large disposal sites, all
open dumps like the one below, were
easily detected from the air and
photographed with a standard 35~mm
camera. The general type of opera-
tion was ascertained with little
Disposal sites can be identified
from the air.
difficulty, but no details regarding
the nature of the wastes could be
obtained.
The aerial survey found 82 sites
containing one or more junked cars;
the ground observer located 256.
-------
The aerial survey of 240 square
miles required a 4-hour flight
by three observers and cost $2l2.
There were only 32 duplicate sight-
ings. The ground surveyor had no
trouble counting cars, but aircraft
speed reduced the accuracy of the
airborne team if more than 20 to
30 vehicles were present. Aerial
reconnaissance located 116 small
dumping areas; the automobile survey
found 110.
The four-hour flight involved
a total of 12 man-hours at a cost of
$10 per hour for the observers and
$23 per hour for the plane and pilot.
The automobile survey was conducted
by one man during a five-day work
-------
The survey was conducted by
both ground and air.
Although the two search
methods resulted in two
different sets of figures,
the percentage of duplicate
sightings was small.
SMALL
DISPOSAL AREAS
? Aerial survey
° Cor su'vey
a Both methods
JUNKED CAR SITES
? Aerial survey
° Car survey
a Both methods
LEBANON JUNCTION
-------
245
BERNHEIM
FOUNDATION
Of the 338 junked car sites
~j~ observed by the tuo surveysf
only 32 were duplicate
sightings.
-------
week (kQ man-hours). The road miles
driven and surveyed per day were es-
timated at 100 and 50, respectively.
Cost figures were $10 per hour for
manpower and $10 per day and 10< per
mile for the car.
RESULTS AND COSTS OF THE TWO SURVEYS
Major
d i sposa
si tes
Junked
car
sites
Small
dump! ng
areas
Man-
hours
Cost($)
Ae r i a 1
survey
5
1
82
116
12
212
Roadside Duplicate
survey sightings
0* 0
256 32
110 19
ko
500
"Locations provided before
survey.
Assessment and Recommendations
After analyzing the operational
factors involved and the data
collected, the participating person-
nel agreed that:
-------
1. Since relatively few dupli-
cate sightings were recorded, both
air and ground surveillance should
be undertaken if comprehensive
information is needed. Aerial
reconnaissance, which is cheaper
because it is quicker, will suffice
if the only requirement is to get
a general "feel" of the solid waste
disposal situation in the area.
2. The aerial search could
have been completed in about an
hour if there had not been a require-
ment to pinpoint on a map all the
sites detected. The time spent
by the ground observer would not,
however, have been shortened
appreciably.
3. Terrain and season in-
fluenced both information collection
methods. The aircraft personnel
had no trouble finding small dumping
areas and junked car sites that were
-------
out in the open—even though in
hollows—or large junked car sites.
On the other hand, they missed many
small "targets" hidden under trees.
Many small dumping areas were
hidden from the view of the aerial
survey team.
Ground surveillance revealed 256
junked oar sites.
10
-------
The ground observer found these but
failed to detect some large junked
graveyards because their owners had
complied with a State law and had
shielded them from view. Line-of-
sight restrictions imposed by
terrain and foliage also denied
him other information.
A. An automobile search is
time-consuming, but the surveyor
can personally inspect most sites
and talk with any operators present.
5. Two members of the air-
borne team lacked flying experience,
and this might have affected the
results. Because of the meandering
road system, the pi lot had to
change direction frequently, and
this made it difficult for these
two surveyors to pinpoint their
position. If, therefore, there is
a requirement that the locations
of all small dump-sites and
11
-------
individual junked cars be plotted,
the use of an experienced flying
team would be advisable.
The general conclusion was
that officials in rural counties
should seriously consider carrying
out aerial surveys — preferably in
conjunction with road trips—as
they move to initiate or strengthen
their solid waste management
programs.
12
-------
-------
-------
-------
------- |