Calaveras Dam Completes Major Work on New Intake Structure

Our contractor recently completed the final concrete pour for the new intake structure, which is a key component of the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project.  This tower is the connection point for the water pipelines that draw water from the reservoir, before it is treated at the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant and then sent on to our 2.6 million customers.

The contractor used 1,400 yards of concrete to build the new intake structure.  That is the equivalent to the weight of more than 12 cable cars!  At 214 feet tall, the structure is almost as tall as the height of the new Calaveras Dam (220-feet-tall). It took our crews more than 29,000 hours to construct the tower.

Crews still need to finish the exterior work on the structure, which will replicate the architectural style of the original tower that was built in 1925. The final external touches are expected to be finished in a few years’ time. 

For more project information, contact us at our 24 hour answer line at (866) 973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org

Original Intake Structure built in 1925

New Intake Structure in progress today

The Calaveras Dam team gathered to celebrate this milestone at the site

What are We Building along Calaveras Road?

Those who frequently travel on Calaveras Road in the Sunol Valley will likely notice increased activity along the west side of Calaveras Road, south of Interstate 680 (I-680). It is, in fact, the latest Water System Improvement Program Project to begin construction in the Sunol Valley - the San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project. Construction officially began in April, and the contractor, Ranger Pipelines Inc., has begun mobilization activities.

What are we building?

• Approximately 1.3 miles of 5 ½ foot diameter pipeline
• New chemical storage, feed, and equipment facilities
• A new cut-off wall around one of the quarry pits located just south of I-680.
• The contractor will also complete upgrades to the water delivery pipeline that serves the Town of Sunol.

What to Expect

• Trucks entering and exiting the project driveway site, along Calaveras Road approximately 1/3 of a mile south of I-680 along Calaveras Road.
• Intermittent delays are possible during construction on Calaveras Road.
• Please proceed with caution when travelling through construction zones.
• Additional construction activity on the west side of Calaveras Road.
• All construction activities will occur on SFPUC-owned property.

Project Location Map

Alignment for San Antonio Backup Pipeline is in red.

Work Hours

• Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• No planned work on weekends or holidays.

Why are we building this?

Two-way traffic is better, at least in the case of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) San Antonio Pipeline. The existing San Antonio Pipeline acts as a water transmission pathway in the Sunol Valley. This pipeline allows us to discharge Hetch Hetchy water to San Antonio Reservoir for storage and send reservoir water to the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant for treatment before distribution to customers. The problem is that there is currently only one pipeline, so water can only move in one direction at a time.

When complete in 2015, the San Antonio Backup Pipeline will enable the SFPUC to discharge Hetch Hetchy water to a nearby quarry pit during emergency events while at the same transporting San Antonio Reservoir Water to the Treatment Plant at the same time. This adds operational flexibility to the system and minimizes the risk of service disruption to 2.6 million customers.

See you around the Sunol Valley!

Construction Work Starts This Week for Bridge Replacement Project inside Sunol Ohlone Regional Wilderness Park

What:
The SFPUC is constructing a new bridge to replace the existing unreliable Geary Road Bridge with a new concrete and steel bridge. The new bridge will protect Alameda Creek at this location by eliminating the need for vehicles to drive through Alameda Creek at the low-water crossing. The area will be restored after construction.

Where:
The project area is located inside the Sunol Ohlone Regional Wilderness Park, just south of Leyden Flats before it connects to McCorkle Trail and Camp Ohlone Road, where it crosses Alameda Creek. (See map below).

When: May 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013

What to Expect:
• The area will be closed to the public during construction, Monday through Friday, for safety reasons.
• Park users should use the Canyon View Trail footbridge to cross Alameda Creek. Please pay attention to posted trail closure signs!
• The area will be open to park users on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Please proceed with caution.

Work hours:
• Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• No work on weekends or holidays

For additional questions or concerns, call our 24 hour toll-free line at (866) 973-1476 or visit www.sfwater.org/sunolvalley.  

Fascinating Fossil Finds at Calaveras Dam

Every day, our scrapers dig soils and earthen materials to make room to build the replacement Calaveras Dam.  We have special staff who monitor high sensitivity areas during construction searching for paleontological and cultural resources, which are protected by federal and state laws.  Construction crews also attend environmental training about the identification and protection of paleontological and cultural resources. Calaveras Dam project teams have discovered fascinating finds within our construction site. 

What are Paleontological Resources?

Paleontological resources include: remains of prehistoric/extinct plants and animals, petrified wood, fossil leaves, fossil remains of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms, fossil tracks and track ways, and plant fossils, typically of Pleistocene Epoch (> 12,000 years ago) or greater age. 

What have we found?

Fossilized plants such as wood, leaves, and a pine cone have been salvaged from the site.  Invertebrates uncovered include: scallops, clams, snails, barnacles and worms.  We have also found shark teeth that are still being analyzed but may be related to a great white shark although much larger (Think “Jaws” and then some).

Our most fascinating finds are linked to prehistoric marine mammal(s).  This includes an intact portion of a backbone of a whale.  These finds are still being analyzed by experts.

Why?

Most of the fossils have been found in the 20 million year old marine sandstone called the Temblor Formation.  The Sunol Valley area was below sea level in the Pacific Ocean about 20 million years ago and has since been uplifted along with the rest of the Coast Ranges. Life along the old coast was similar to today, with abundant clams, mussels, sea worms and other invertebrate organisms living in the sand. But the fossils also document significant differences from today’s relatives and provide important information about the details of evolution and environments of the plants and animals represented by the fossils.  We continue to work to preserve and protect these neat findings every day.

Fossils & Shark Teeth discovered at the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project Site

Tweet Us Your Emergency Preparedness Tips!

April 18 Marks the 107th Anniversary of the Great 1906 Earthquake

The April 18, 1906 earthquake ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time. Beginning at 5:12 a.m., with the epicenter located near San Francisco, the shocks were felt as far north as Oregon and as far south as Los Angeles.

 

As the earthquake anniversary looms, it presents the opportunity to begin a dialogue with your family and community about emergency preparedness in your home or workplace.

This April, we are providing you an incentive to become better prepared as it relates to water. We want you to share a photo of your water-related emergency preparedness tips. Tweet us @WSIPInTheNews or email us at wsip@sfwater.org now until April 30, and let us know what you're doing to be a local water hero by demonstrating (via photo) or sharing your own tips.

Bay Area residents, social media influencers and city agencies who participate will receive a pen and certificate.

 

 

We will retweet your tips and publicly tweet you this certificate. All partnering city departments, Twitter fans and residents will receive this certificate and pen by tweeting us your tip or showing how your city, home or office is a local hero.

New Irvington Tunnel Team Presents at CA-NV AWWA

Three New Irvington Tunnel project team members recently presented at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) spring CA-NV section conference. They delivered a dynamic presentation on the project’s integrated approach to working with 33 residential well users in the area where excavation would be taking place for the new tunnel. The presentation focused on the development and implementation of the Groundwater Management Plan (GMP) as well as the need for the GMP, extensive public outreach that was conducted prior to construction, how it is being implemented during construction, and some of the lessons learned by the team along the way.

NIT Team Members David Tsztoo (Project Manager), Betsy Lauppe Rhodes (Public Outreach), Bruce Abelli-Amen (Groundwater Consultant), and special guest “Mikey” at the conference.

Alameda Creek Bridge Crossing - Then and Now

While poking around our archives, we stumbled upon some fun photos. Enjoy!





The Bridge Crossing Alameda Creek in 1953.





The new bridge crossing Alameda Creek constructed by the New Irvington Tunnel Team,

shown here in 2011.