Title
Prairie Sun Subdivision I
Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
April 2010
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. George Murgel and Dr. Molly Gribb
Abstract
This senior design project is for the Prairie Sun subdivision, a proposed rural residential development located in Elmore County, Idaho, just northeast of Mountain Home and about a half mile north of I-84. The property is bounded on the north by Squaw Creek, on the south by Mud Creek and has a total area of 181 acres.
The Prairie Sun subdivision will be designed to accommodate approximately 50 three-acre home lots, to allow for horse ownership, as well as access for residents to adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Off-street bicycle/horse/walking paths around the perimeter of the subdivision and on-street bicycle lanes within the subdivision will also be developed. The design will also include the road system, community wells and water storage, a wastewater treatment and disposal system, and storm water management.
One challenge with building in this area is how the subdivision wastewater will affect the groundwater below the site. Through the use of hydrogeological methods, the ground water gradient will be mapped, aquifer characteristics calculated, and present levels of nitrate in the groundwater determined to establish the level of wastewater treatment needed.
This area is high desert and has a history full of ranches and cowboys. Staying with this theme, a modern log home will fulfill the structural component of the design. Using the Uniform Building Code as a guide, the design will be evaluated for appropriate wind, seismic, and snow loads.