Merit Engineering provided geotechnical engineering services for a proposed logging and conversion plan for a 70 acre forest land on the southern end of Lake Whatcom. The site is on a steep sloped hillside with complicated geology characterized by phyllite bedrock. Several landslides have occurred on the inner gorge area of the Blue Canyon Creek. DNR and Whatcom County required a full scale study on the geologic condition with particular interest to slope stability of the hillside and the inner gorge area of the creek, and the effect of logging on slope conditions, safe setback requirement from the bank of the creek. Merit conducted a comprehensive literature review of published papers, geology reports and geologic studies in the area. Merit then conducted a site investigation, mapped all the slope failures and the geometries of potential failure slopes. Merit analyzed the strength properties of the soils and rocks including friction angles and cohesions by back-calculating from the mapped slope failures. Using the strength properties of the rocks and soils, Merit was able to predict the safe slope angle and provided safe setbacks for logging practice and safe design for logging road construction and drainage. The plan prepared according to Merit's recommendations was approved by both DNR and Whatcom County.

Merit Engineering also conducted a geological engineering study of a subdivision of the alluvial fan. The site geology and geomorphology were investigated by visual reconnaissance and subsurface test pits and dynamic cone penetration tests. Recommendations for safe guarding the proposed development were, therefore, derived.