Firm Profile: ECS Mid-Atlantic

Origins and Mission: Founded in 1988, Engineering Consulting Services (ECS) was established with a singular goal: to raise the standards of professional consulting engineering. By hiring top-tier industry professionals who understand the inherent complexities of modern infrastructure, the firm has grown into a national leader in geotechnical, environmental, and facilities engineering.
Mid-Atlantic Presence: ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC operates as a core division of the ECS Group, specifically serving the high-demand corridors of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The York, PA office provides the Warwick School District with localized expertise in the unique geological challenges of Lancaster County.
Market Leadership: Consistently ranked among the top design firms by Engineering News-Record (ENR), ECS leverages a workforce of over 3,000 employees and a network of 100+ offices. This scale allows the firm to provide "one-stop-shop" consulting services that bridge the gap between design theory and construction reality.
Employee Ownership: As an employee-owned (ESOP) firm, ECS fosters a culture of accountability and entrepreneurial spirit. Every technician and engineer on the Warwick Stadium project is an owner, incentivized to maintain the highest levels of quality and client responsiveness.
Technical Specialization: The firm's core strengths lie in subsurface exploration, Carbonate/Karst evaluations, and construction materials testing (CMT). They specialize in identifying "what lies beneath" to mitigate structural risks before they become costly construction failures.
Innovation and Sustainability: ECS utilizes advanced proprietary analysis systems and industry-leading in-situ testing capabilities. Their focus on value engineering allows clients to optimize foundation designs, often resulting in significant material cost savings without compromising safety.
Safety Culture: Commitment to job site safety is paramount. ECS utilizes a "Service Beyond the Uniform" initiative, actively recruiting veterans whose leadership and mission-first mindset align with the firm's core values of focus and collaboration.
Accreditation: ECS laboratories maintain rigorous certifications, including AASHTO and US Army Corps of Engineers accreditations. This ensures that every soil sample taken from the Warwick High School campus is processed according to strict federal and state standards.
Geotechnical Consultation: Their approach extends beyond data collection. ECS engineers act as strategic advisors, providing interpretations of soil mechanics that directly influence structural bearing capacities and pavement thickness designs.
Community Impact: By supporting local infrastructure projects like the Warwick Stadium expansion, ECS contributes to the long-term vitality of the communities where their employee-owners live and work.

Scope of Services

Task I: Geologic Evaluation (Carbonate/Karst): ECS will execute a comprehensive Carbonate Assessment in strict accordance with the Warwick Township and Lititz Borough Stormwater Management Ordinances. This phase begins with a desk-side review of published geologic maps and the Kochanov "Inventory of Karst Features" for Lancaster County. A Professional Geologist will conduct site reconnaissance to identify lineaments and fracture traces that may indicate underlying cavernous structures.
Task II: Subsurface Evaluation: This physical exploration phase involves the mobilization of a backhoe to the Warwick High School campus to excavate up to ten (10) test pits. These excavations will reach a maximum depth of 11 feet or until "bucket refusal" on bedrock occurs. The primary objective is to visually log soil strata and identify limiting zones, such as the seasonal high water table or bedrock pinnacles.
Task III: Infiltration Testing: Within the excavated test pits, ECS will perform twenty (20) individual infiltration tests (two per pit). These tests utilize the "Double-Ring Infiltrometer" method, which is the gold standard for measuring the rate at which water moves through the soil. This data is critical for the design of post-construction stormwater management (PCSM) facilities.
Utility Clearance and Safety: Prior to any excavation, ECS will coordinate with "PA One-Call" for public utility markings. Furthermore, they will engage a private utility locator to scan the campus for non-public lines (e.g., school-owned irrigation or data lines), ensuring a safe working environment and preventing campus-wide service interruptions.
Engineering Field Supervision: An Engineering Field Specialist will be present full-time during all field activities. Their role is to provide real-time documentation of excavation depths, soil color, moisture content, and the presence of any "mottling" (soil discoloration indicating saturated conditions).
Laboratory Characterization: Representative soil samples will be transported to the ECS York laboratory. The testing program includes visual classification per ASTM D2488 and quantitative analysis via Natural Moisture content, Atterberg Limits (measuring plasticity), and Gradation Analysis (sieve testing).
Geotechnical Reporting: The final deliverable is a sealed Engineering Report. This document will synthesize all field and lab data into actionable recommendations for site preparation, including rock removal techniques and soil-bearing capacities for new stadium structures and synthetic turf foundations.
Consultation and Coordination: The scope includes ongoing technical support for the Warwick School District and their lead architect, ELA Group. ECS engineers will attend project meetings to discuss the implications of the karst assessment on final site grading and foundation design.

Technical Term: Carbonate Assessment

A Carbonate Assessment is a specialized study required in regions underlain by limestone or dolomite. These rocks are soluble in water, which can lead to "Karst" topography—a landscape characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems that can swallow foundations if not properly identified.

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Infiltration Success Rate: Evaluation is based on the stabilized infiltration rate (measured in inches per hour). Sites must achieve a minimum rate defined by PADEP BMP guidelines to be feasible for infiltration-based stormwater management.

Limiting Zone Clearance: A minimum 2-foot vertical separation must exist between the bottom of proposed stormwater basins and any identified bedrock or groundwater "limiting zones."

Karst Feature Density: The frequency and location of lineaments (fracture traces) are evaluated to determine the "Sinkhole Risk Index" for the proposed stadium footprint.

Project Financials

Lump Sum Total $6,400.00

Task I: Carbonate $1,250.00

Task III: Infiltration $1,900.00

Glossary of Terms

PADEP

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The state agency responsible for overseeing soil and water regulations.

Bucket Refusal

The depth at which a standard excavator bucket can no longer penetrate the subsurface, typically indicating the top of bedrock.

Warwick Stadium