After another wet winter, record rainfall has turned California green and replenished the state’s reservoirs, which had been perilously low during the worst days of the drought.
Lake Oroville, the state’s second-biggest reservoir, often serves as a rainfall barometer. As of Tuesday, Oroville was at 100% capacity, according to data from the state Department of Water Resources.
Lake Shasta could reach its full capacity this spring, following a high amount of rainfall in California. The largest reservoir in California has been steadily rising since the beginning of March. It has gone up sharply since the start of the year, which saw its levels at 1,012 feet, compared to its current level on April 5 of 1,058 feet
One of the largest water valves key to Helix Water District operations was recently replaced. The massive five-ton, five-foot diameter valve is one of the largest in the district’s operation.
This valve isolates a section of pipe allowing water from Lake Jennings to flow into the R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant. This replacement addresses two needs: First, it replaces an aging valve, and second, it allows Helix Water District to make cost-effective improvements on a 62-year-old supply line feeding the water treatment plant.
Helix Water District crews prepare the five-ton replacement valve for installation. Photo: Helix Water District
The valve replacement is among the major improvements underway that will help move, treat, and deliver new water from the East County Advanced Water Purification Program. The program will come online for East County in 2026.
The East County AWP program creates a new, local, and drought-proof water supply using state-of-the-art technology. It will purify recycled water, producing up to 30% of East County’s drinking water.
All work on installing the replacement valve in its new location took place in one day. Photo: Helix Water District
The large valve isolates a section of the Lake Jennings pipeline, which moves water out of Lake Jennings and to the inlet of the Levy treatment plant. Since the new East County AWP water will flow through this pipeline 24 hours a day every day for the next 30 years, it is vital for the Helix Water District to inspect and make any necessary repairs to ensure the pipeline is in excellent condition before the new water source comes online. The old valve had exceeded its useful life.
Replacing the large valve also allowed the Helix WD to relocate the new valve, improving access for inspections and maintenance. The previous valve was located over 400 feet from where the water enters our treatment plant and upstream of our other supply pipeline, leaving this section of the pipeline filled with water.
The new water valve has an expected operation life of 50 years. Photo: Helix Water District
Before relocating the new valve, Helix maintenance teams could only access this section of pipe during a treatment plant shutdown. While working on the old valve, the district needed to purchase more expensive imported water to serve its customers while the plant was shut down and unable to produce its regular supply.
With the new valve in place, fewer shutdowns will occur and prevent the need for purchasing supplemental imported water while performing maintenance and repairs. Relocating this valve and keeping the plant running was the best option for long-term operations and cost savings.
Maintenance professionals secure the new valve into place. Photo: Helix Water District
Construction started early in the morning by cutting out an existing pipe section near the treatment plant’s headworks. The new valve was lowered into position, aligned, welded together, and up and running within 14 hours. The valve is so large it takes more than 400 rotations to close it. The new value is expected to have a useful life of 50 years.
Current work to accommodate the East County AWP project is still in progress. It involves creating new access ways, removing the old valve, constructing a new vault, and preparing the Lake Jennings pipeline for inspection.
Proactive projects like the valve replacement reduce risk, give staff flexibility and redundancy, and prepare the Helix Water District for more efficient operations. Photo: Helix Water District
Once completed, the district will have longer-lasting infrastructure that can meet the demands of our region and future water supplies. Proactive projects like the valve replacement reduce risk, give staff flexibility and redundancy, and prepare the Helix Water District for more efficient operations.
To learn more about East County AWP, please visit https://eastcountyawp.com/
Hastings, Minnesota, is staring down a $69 million price tag for three new treatment plants to remove PFAS chemicals from its water supply, ahead of new US federal regulations limiting the amount of so-called forever chemicals in public drinking water — which could come as early as this month.
After a dry start to winter, California’s rainy season is finally well under way. December downpours sent water racing through streets in coastal Ventura County and the city of Santa Barbara.
Millions of people rely on water from the Colorado River, but there’s just not enough to quench everyone’s thirst. In other words, there’s a big gap between the amount of water in the river, and the amount that people are using.
The International Commission on Large Dams presented the San Diego County Water Authority this week with a prestigious international engineering award for its innovative construction technology used to raise the historic San Vicente Dam. The project helps ensure regional water security for generations to come.
Commission leaders made the presentation to the Water Authority at its annual conference in Guangzhou, China. It cited a special type of construction called roller compacted concrete, or RCC. Applying this method to the San Vincente Dam project simplified construction, saving both time and money. The completed dam structure is capable of withstanding a 7.5 magnitude earthquake.
Dr. Malcolm Dunstan of MAD & Associates accepts the San Vicente Dam Raise award from International Commission on Large Dams officials. Photo: International Commission on Large Dams
“This award is a reminder that the San Diego region has a long history of strategic investments to
protect our most important natural resource,” said Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz. “The
San Vicente Dam Raise was a landmark project and one that inspires us as we seek solutions to
current and future challenges.”
The Water Authority sent a video message to the conference. View it below.
Completed in 2014, the dam raise project increased the height of San Vicente Dam by 117 feet, the equivalent of adding a 12-story building atop the original structure. It more than doubled the capacity of the San Vicente Reservoir by adding 152,000-acre feet of water storage capacity, enough to serve more than 450,000 households for a year.
San Vicente Dam has been owned and operated by the City of San Diego since it was built in 1943. Capacity in the enlarged reservoir is shared by the city and the Water Authority, which also share the cost of operating the reservoir.
“Raising the San Vicente Dam was a massive feat of engineering and it’s recognized as the world’s tallest dam extension using roller compacted concrete,” said Water Authority Engineering Director Neena Kuzmich. “More importantly, it was the final major element of the Water Authority’s $1.5 billion Emergency Storage Project, a system of reservoirs, pipelines and pumping stations designed to secure a six-month supply of drinking water for the San Diego region in case a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a prolonged drought interrupts imported water deliveries.”
The San Vicente Dam Raise, completed in 2014, added more than 157,000 acre-feet of regional water storage capacity – the largest increase in San Diego County history. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Work to prepare the original dam and foundation for the expansion began in 2009. Using RCC for the expansion was a key design element. Unlike conventional wet concrete, which is poured, RCC uses less cement and water to create a cookie dough or clay-like texture. Equally as strong as wet concrete, RCC is placed in layers one on top of the other and compacted. The placement process resembles road construction.
This state-of-the art application method significantly shortens construction time while meeting
all technical requirements. Expansion was completed in 2014. The San Vicente Reservoir is located just outside of Lakeside and now stands 337 feet tall.
A judge’s order signed Tuesday ensures there will be at least some water flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield in perpetuity. Unless, of course, it’s overturned.
Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp signed an order that requires 40% of the Kern River’s flow to remain in the river to keep fish populations healthy.
This order is the implementation of an injunction granted by Pulskamp October 30 mandating that some amount of water must flow through the river for fish populations.
California is drought-free for the first time in more than three years because of a remarkably wet, snowy winter and a rare tropical storm over the summer. The last remaining traces of drought disappeared in October, as autumn rainstorms grazed the northwestern corner of the state.
Groundwater is one of America’s most precious resources. The water that fills wells, stored naturally in underground aquifers, allowed vast cities to emerge and turned the nation into an agricultural powerhouse.
But the country’s stewardship of groundwater relies on a patchwork of state and local rules so lax and outdated that in many places, oversight is all but nonexistent, a New York Times investigation has found.
