Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project construction contract awarded

A $5.5 million construction contract has been awarded to TNT Industrial Contractors, Inc., based in Sacramento, by the Bureau of Reclamation for modifications to the fish ladders and fish screens for two dams on North Fork Battle Creek. The Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project is restoring some 42 miles of habitat on Battle Creek, an additional six miles of habitat on tributaries to Battle Creek and the work on the fish ladders and screens at Eagle Canyon Diversion Dam and North Battle Creek Feeder Diversion Dam.

“The award of this contract represents the continuation of Reclamation’s commitment to restoring the Battle Creek watershed,” said David Murillo Regional Director Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region. “Protecting and improving populations of Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead is vital to ensuring that we can reliably deliver water from Reclamation’s Central Valley Project. As we move forward with the project, the collective efforts from all participating partners demonstrates the importance of reestablishing approximately 48 miles of salmon and steelhead habitat in the Battle Creek watershed.”

The project is one of North America’s largest cold-water anadromous fish restoration efforts; Battle Creek has the geology, hydrology and habitat suitability to support threatened and endangered anadromous Chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead. Throughout the project the continued production of hydroelectric power at the Battle Creek Hydroelectric Project, owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), will be maintained.

When completed, the project will provide a safe passage for anadromous fish to reach cold water and habitat needed for successful spawning and increasing their populations. By removing the dams and constructing fish screens and ladders, the project will also prevent the mixing of North Fork Battle Creek and South Fork Battle Creek waters, through the construction of powerhouse bypass and tailrace connectors; increase instream flows; dedicate water rights for instream purposes at dam removal sites; protect a trout hatchery from diseases carried by anadromous fish, through the construction of a fish barrier weir; and implement adaptive management to ensure fisheries objectives are met. The project area is located within five miles of Shasta and Tehama counties.

The entire project construction anticipates a 2021 completion. Thus far, a dam and canal/pipeline system have been removed; two fish screens and fish ladders have been constructed; an approximate mile-long powerhouse bypass and a tailrace connector have been constructed; and a fish barrier weir has been constructed, resulting in approximately 16 miles of stream habitat restoration. Remaining work includes construction of a fish screen and ladder; construction of a powerhouse tailrace connector; removal of a canal system; and removal of four diversion dams.

The completion of this project will fully satisfy National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) fisheries requirements; FERC compliance requirements; and PG&E operations requirements.

TNT Industrial Contractors specializes in mechanical and heavy industrial projects in the food and beverage processing, waste water treatment, water treatment, aerospace and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) industries.