A few weeks into the New Year, our Sunol Valley Project
teams are already very busy with the important work to seismically upgrade facilities
which deliver drinking water to 2.6 million Bay Area customers as part of the
Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) and other ongoing projects. Here’s a quick
snapshot of the anticipated activities of the year to come. Please visit us
often on our blog to stay up to date and learn more!
New Irvington
Tunnel
In October 2013, we completed excavation of the new tunnel. Recently, the
project team began installing the inner lining for the tunnel. These are 50-foot-long,
8½ foot in diameter steel pipes that are inserted into the tunnel on a special
train. Once in place, these pipe segments are welded together from the
inside. On average, seven pipe sections are
installed daily. Project completion is
anticipated for 2015.
50 ft. pipe being prepared for installation at New Irvington Tunnel
Calaveras Dam
Replacement Project
The largest project in the Sunol Valley continues with
ongoing major excavation as well as drill and blast activities to stockpile materials
in preparation for the construction of the replacement dam. We are still clearing out loose soil and rock
materials in the area to make room for the new dam. In the coming weeks, the
project will begin construction of the new 1,550-foot-longspillway, all the
while dealing with the continuing challenges of the site’s complex geology. Grouting
work on the left abutment of the new dam will also begin soon. As construction progresses, the environmental
team continues to find and catalogue interesting fossils at the site. Projected
completion is anticipated in 2017.
Aerial view of upper Left Abutment for Replacement Dam
(left side of valley when looking downstream)
San Antonio Backup
Pipeline
Construction of the San Antonio Backup Pipeline, which will add operational flexibility to our Sunol Valley Water transmission system, has been moving forward towards completion in March of 2015. The majority of the new pipeline has been installed and is in the ground. The new slurry wall was also completed last year. This year the project team will focus on construction of the small above-ground structures and discharge pumps at the quarry storage pond at the north end of the site.
Workers excavating and shaping the hillside in preparation
for the outfall structure that will be going into Pond F3-east
Town of Sunol Fire Suppression System Project
2014 will see the start of construction of this important public safety project in the Town of Sunol. The SFPUC will upgrade the water distribution system for the Town of Sunol since the current system is inadequate. The SFPUC will add additional fire hydrants in commercial and residential areas of the Town of Sunol, replace pipelines on County roads to improve the flows from the fire hydrants, and also replace two to four of the Town's existing water storage tanks on the hill. Construction for this project is anticipated to start spring/summer of this year.
Alameda Creek
Watershed Center and Sunol Yard Upgrade
Plans are underway to design and construct the Alameda Creek
Watershed Center located near the Sunol Water Temple, as part of its efforts to
improve the existing facilities in the Sunol Yard. The proposed Watershed
Center would provide a place for people to gather and learn about the Alameda Creek Watershed, its natural resources and its
role as part of the SFPUC water supply system as well as connect with the
history of the Sunol Valley. This
project is in its early planning and design stages with construction
anticipated to begin in 2015.
Bioregional Habitat Restoration
Construction activities for the Bioregional Habitat Restoration (BHR)
program will start winding down this year. We will, however, continue to
monitor the success of these projects through 2024. The projects that are
nearly completed within the Sunol Valley -- Goldfish Pond Restoration at
the southern end of Calaveras Road, San Antonio Creek Restoration, Sheep Camp
Creek and Goat Rock – have restored or enhanced a combined total greater than
1,500 acres of sycamore and oak riparian woodland, oak woodland and savannah,
and serpentine and annual grasslands.
This project includes
restoring 5,000 feet of the existing Sheep Camp Creek.
Completed Projects
As we start 2014, we can also continue to celebrate the
completion of the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant Expansion and Treated
Water Reservoir project in September 2013. This water treatment plant now
enables us to filter and provide 160 million gallons of water per day to our
Bay Area customers for up to two months should our Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
supplies become unavailable due to an earthquake or other emergency.
We look forward to working with you this year and all the
good things to come to Sunol Valley!
