DWR moving forward with modernization of State Water Project facilities

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently announced they are moving forward with modernization of State Water Project (SWP) facilities across the state to reduce seismic and hydrologic risks. Several projects across California have begun.

These projects represent a significant investment by the State to address seismic and hydrologic risks to California’s water infrastructure. DWR has said they will continue to identify and make improvements to SWP facilities going into 2020 that will ensure public safety and a reliable water supply. Here are some of the projects:

• Pyramid Dam Modernization Program. Located in Los Angeles County, DWR began the project last September with assessments on the condition of the facility and possible improvements to the emergency and gated spillways. The gated spillway is used once per year on average and the emergency spillway has never been used to date. Field investigations will be completed in early 2020 and evaluations are planned for completion in 2022.
• Castaic Dam Modernization Program. Also located in Los Angeles County,  integrity assessments began in October of the integrity of a 60-foot-wide rectangular concrete chute that is used to pass natural flows from Castaic Lake into Castaic Lagoon. DWR will conduct additional assessments of the dam, spillway, intake towers, and other associated structures to ensure that the dam continues to operate safely and reliably. The modernization efforts of the dam facility are expected to take about 10 years.
• At Perris Dam in Riverside County, DWR began retrofit work in October on the outlet tower bridge, which is a part of the Perris Dam complex. The bridge work, which is the second of three Perris Dam seismic retrofit projects, includes modifications to the bridge support and seat.The tower bridge retrofit is expected to be completed by fall of 2020.
• At Sisk Dam in Merced County, DWR and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation completed the final environmental impact statement/report and initiated geotechnical explorations for seismic retrofit of Sisk Dam in 2019.