Palmdale receives grant to covert ditch to a closed pipeline

The Palmdale Water District will be able to convert the Palmdale Ditch to a closed pipeline, thanks in part to a $17.5 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

The grant funding comes from DWR’s Urban Community Drought Relief Program. These funds plus a $5 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded in April, will cover the entire cost of the $22,580,000 project.

“We are very grateful to DWR for recognizing the importance of modernizing the Palmdale Ditch that was built in the 1880s,” said PWD Board Director Scott Kellerman. “A closed pipeline will reduce water loss and save on maintenance costs. The Board applauds staff for getting this project fully funded and saving money for our customers.”

According to PWD, the project will take about three years to completely enclose the 8.5-mile ditch that runs from the Littlerock Dam to Lake Palmdale. Currently, about 6.7 miles of it is open and exposed. Much of the length of the ditch has a dirt bottom, which causes water loss through seepage. Water also is lost due to evapotranspiration and overspill.

“It’s wonderful to get these back-to-back funding for the Palmdale Ditch,” said Rogers, who submitted the DWR grant. “In addition to reducing water loss, there are numerous other benefits, including making it safer for the crew to maintain, reducing sediment entering Lake Palmdale from the ditch, and increasing water flow from Littlerock Dam to the lake.”

District staff spend about 400 hours a year maintaining the ditch, including clearing debris, cleaning screens and installing geosynthetic clay liners to the ditch’s dirt bottoms.