The New Irvington Tunnel project team is currently monitoring some local groundwater decline. So far, four properties south of the Sheridan Valley project area have been affected. It appears that these declines are related to tunnel construction and dewatering activities. We have initiated mitigation measures at each property and we are maintaining their water supply.
Our commitment to protecting the groundwater in Sheridan Valley has not changed. If tunnel construction causes a decline in groundwater levels that affect an individual’s property, we will initiate the contingency measures defined in each site-specific Groundwater Management Plan. The project team continues to keep a close eye on groundwater levels and will take appropriate actions to maintain water supply.
If you notice any change in your water system, please contact the SFPUC’s 24-hour Answer Line (866.973.1476). Contacting the answer line will ensure the appropriate team members respond to you in a timely manner.
Should you have any questions or concerns, we will host question and answer coffee sessions next week:
Thursday February 9
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Sunol Jazz Café
11986 Main Street
Sunol, CA
Friday February 10
7:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Sunol Railroad Café
11882 Main Street
Sunol, CA
If you cannot attend either of those sessions, please contact Francis Zamora at 925.232.4059 or fzamora@sfwater.org. We are always available to answer questions and address your concerns.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Draft EIR for Proposed San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project Now Available for Public Review and Comment
The SFPUC reached a key milestone recently with the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project in the Sunol Valley. The document is now available for public review and comment. Later this month, the SFPUC and the San Francisco Planning Department will host two public hearings related to the Draft EIR, one in Sunol and one in San Francisco. Please see additional details below.
Draft EIR Public Hearings:
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at Sunol Glen School (11601 Main Street, Sunol) starting promptly at 6:30 pm.
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at San Francisco City Hall (Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco) beginning at 12 p.m. or later.
(Call 415‐558‐6422 the week of the hearing for a recorded message giving a more specific time).
Public Comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted from January 25 through March 12, 2012.
Written comments should be addressed to: Bill Wycko, Environmental Review Officer, San Francisco Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94103; provided by fax to 415‐558‐6409; or emailed to Steve.Smith@sfgov.org.
To view or download copies of the proposed San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project Draft EIR, click the following links.
Volume 1
Volume 2
Draft EIR Public Hearings:
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at Sunol Glen School (11601 Main Street, Sunol) starting promptly at 6:30 pm.
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at San Francisco City Hall (Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco) beginning at 12 p.m. or later.
(Call 415‐558‐6422 the week of the hearing for a recorded message giving a more specific time).
Public Comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted from January 25 through March 12, 2012.
Written comments should be addressed to: Bill Wycko, Environmental Review Officer, San Francisco Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94103; provided by fax to 415‐558‐6409; or emailed to Steve.Smith@sfgov.org.
To view or download copies of the proposed San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project Draft EIR, click the following links.
Volume 1
Volume 2
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Airplane in Flight
Rebuilding our water system has often been compared to repairing an airplane in flight. With 2.5 million people relying on safe, high quality water- the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System must continue to operate even as it is systemically upgraded to meet seismic standards. The work currently taking place at the New Irvington Tunnel Project is an excellent example of the balancing act that takes place.
The major water transmission pipelines that connect into the New Irvington Tunnel can only be taken out of service individually, and for short periods of time in winter, when demand is typically low. This allows for other waterlines to continue to operate while individual ones are under construction. This also means the construction team only has a limited window of time to complete their work before waterlines must come back into service.
This winter workers have the challenge of replacing three waterlines between October 2011 and May 2012. Each line must be completely drained before workers can demolish and remove the 70 year old concrete and steel pipes. Workers then install new welded steel pipe connections as large as 102” in diameter. The waterlines are then buried until the new tunnel can be connected to them. A fourth waterline will be taken out of service next winter when water demand is again low.
Crews are working hard and are on track to meet the tight schedule this year As we move forward with the New Irvington Tunnel’s critical seismic safety upgrades, we will continue to provide the same high quality water to our customers at the same time.
The major water transmission pipelines that connect into the New Irvington Tunnel can only be taken out of service individually, and for short periods of time in winter, when demand is typically low. This allows for other waterlines to continue to operate while individual ones are under construction. This also means the construction team only has a limited window of time to complete their work before waterlines must come back into service.
This winter workers have the challenge of replacing three waterlines between October 2011 and May 2012. Each line must be completely drained before workers can demolish and remove the 70 year old concrete and steel pipes. Workers then install new welded steel pipe connections as large as 102” in diameter. The waterlines are then buried until the new tunnel can be connected to them. A fourth waterline will be taken out of service next winter when water demand is again low.
Crews are working hard and are on track to meet the tight schedule this year As we move forward with the New Irvington Tunnel’s critical seismic safety upgrades, we will continue to provide the same high quality water to our customers at the same time.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Calaveras Critters: California Tiger Salamanders on the Move
Prior to and during construction, the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project implements measures to avoid and minimize impacts to wildlife located in the Alameda Creek Watershed. The California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is an amphibian native to Northern California growing up to 8 inches long. California tiger salamanders migrate at night from upland habitats to aquatic breeding sites during the first major rainfall events of fall and early winter.
Our Environmental team has taken proactive steps to protect and relocate the California tiger salamander species. Wildlife exclusion fencing is strategically located along the boundaries of the construction work limits to deter wildlife from entering. Also, water moistened buckets are placed in trenches between silt fences to catch the critters, which are later moved. As of today, 72 California tiger salamanders have been trapped and relocated to safer habitats away from project construction. During construction biological monitors are present during initial vegetation clearing and grading to relocate any wildlife.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
Photos courtesy of Bill Stagnaro, Environmental Inspector & Biologist
Our Environmental team has taken proactive steps to protect and relocate the California tiger salamander species. Wildlife exclusion fencing is strategically located along the boundaries of the construction work limits to deter wildlife from entering. Also, water moistened buckets are placed in trenches between silt fences to catch the critters, which are later moved. As of today, 72 California tiger salamanders have been trapped and relocated to safer habitats away from project construction. During construction biological monitors are present during initial vegetation clearing and grading to relocate any wildlife.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
Photos courtesy of Bill Stagnaro, Environmental Inspector & Biologist
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Calaveras Dam Rebuilds Intake Shaft
About four months after construction began, we have witnessed a transformation of the original intake shaft and platform. In September 2011, this area served as the reception area for the official Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project.
The new intake shaft will be built adjacent to the existing intake shaft with a depth of 150 feet. The soil nail wall is currently being constructed to support the soil surrounding the future intake shaft. The architectural design of the new intake tower will replicate the design of the original tower built in 1925. Tunnels will be constructed to connect the existing water lines to the new intake shaft. The gravity fed system will send water from the Calaveras reservoir to the Sunol Valley Treatment Plant, eventually becoming our drinking water.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
The new intake shaft will be built adjacent to the existing intake shaft with a depth of 150 feet. The soil nail wall is currently being constructed to support the soil surrounding the future intake shaft. The architectural design of the new intake tower will replicate the design of the original tower built in 1925. Tunnels will be constructed to connect the existing water lines to the new intake shaft. The gravity fed system will send water from the Calaveras reservoir to the Sunol Valley Treatment Plant, eventually becoming our drinking water.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Not your ordinary Holiday Mixing
Here at Calaveras Dam, we are not mixing your typical holiday cookie dough. For 24 hours a day and 5 days a week, our project teams have been mixing soils for site stabilization. This process is necessary to stabilize the foundation of our disposal area for excavated materials in order to construct the dam.
Deep Soil Mixing is a soil treatment where soil is blended with cement and existing materials. In deep soil mixing, powerful augers are used to mix slurry, thereby stabilizing it for construction purposes. Below are photos of our work, day and night.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
Deep Soil Mixing is a soil treatment where soil is blended with cement and existing materials. In deep soil mixing, powerful augers are used to mix slurry, thereby stabilizing it for construction purposes. Below are photos of our work, day and night.
For more project info, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The SFPUC and the Town of Sunol Celebrate the Holidays
Pizza, cider and rock samples! The SFPUC’s Holiday Open House at the Sunol Event Center was the place to be last Thursday night!
Sunol residents mingled with their neighbors and engaged in lively conversations about the history of the valley with SFPUC staff. Guests played with rock samples from the Calaveras Dam, marveled at construction photos of the New Irvington Tunnel and enthusiastically shared their vision for the proposed Alameda Creek Watershed Center.
Residents also had the opportunity to learn about other ongoing projects in the area including: the San Antonio Backup Pipeline; San Antonio Pump Station; Alameda Siphon #4; Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant; Town of Sunol Fire Suppression System; and the Watershed and Environmental Improvement Program and Bioregional Habitat Restoration Program.
The smell of homemade banana bread and hot apple cider filled the air as guests enjoyed freshly baked artisan pizzas topped with locally grown vegetables from Fred Hemple and Jill Shepard’s Baia Nicchia Organic Farm. Our youngest guests decorated their own ornaments and bookmarks.
Thank you to those who were able to attend our holiday event.
To all of our neighbors in the Sunol Valley and folks we’ve had the pleasure of working with this year, we want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season!
Sunol residents mingled with their neighbors and engaged in lively conversations about the history of the valley with SFPUC staff. Guests played with rock samples from the Calaveras Dam, marveled at construction photos of the New Irvington Tunnel and enthusiastically shared their vision for the proposed Alameda Creek Watershed Center.
Residents also had the opportunity to learn about other ongoing projects in the area including: the San Antonio Backup Pipeline; San Antonio Pump Station; Alameda Siphon #4; Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant; Town of Sunol Fire Suppression System; and the Watershed and Environmental Improvement Program and Bioregional Habitat Restoration Program.
The smell of homemade banana bread and hot apple cider filled the air as guests enjoyed freshly baked artisan pizzas topped with locally grown vegetables from Fred Hemple and Jill Shepard’s Baia Nicchia Organic Farm. Our youngest guests decorated their own ornaments and bookmarks.
Thank you to those who were able to attend our holiday event.
To all of our neighbors in the Sunol Valley and folks we’ve had the pleasure of working with this year, we want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season!
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