BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:Title
Receive Information on the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project Status. (PREVIOUSLY LISTED AS ITEM 2.6)
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RECOMMENDATION:Recommendation
Receive information on the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project.
Body
SUMMARY:
Background
The Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project (ADSRP), Project No. 91864005, will correct dam seismic deficiencies and otherwise meet all current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) dam safety design standards. The full reservoir capacity will be restored upon completion of the Project.
Throughout 2019 to early 2020, project staff and consultants had been progressing with preparation of 90% design plans and specifications and supporting environmental and permitting documents. On February 20, 2020, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) received a letter order from FERC to immediately implement ADSRP-related interim risk reduction measures.
Valley Water is undertaking the Anderson Dam Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order Compliance Project (FOCP) as a result of the February 20, 2020, directive from FERC to implement interim risk reduction measures at Anderson Dam. The construction improvements necessary to complete the FOCP broad categories of proposed risk reduction measures have been grouped into five construction sub-projects. In addition, there are several other non-construction measures which are being undertaken as part of the FOCP.
Relevant Prior Board Actions Relating to FOCP Capital Projects
Anderson Dam Tunnel Project
The Anderson Dam Tunnel Project (ADTP), Project No. 91864006, is one of five Capital Construction Projects comprising the FOCP. The ADTP is currently being constructed and includes building a diversion system to augment the existing outlet, consisting of a new diversion tunnel, an outlet structure, a micro-tunnel lake tap, and modifications to Coyote Creek just downstream of the base of the dam. The ADTP also includes reservoir bank and rim stability improvements, and existing intake structure modification.
On April 27, 2021, Valley Water’s Board of Directors awarded the construction contract for the ADTP to the top ranked best value proposer, Flatiron West, Inc., in the sum of $161,140,321 and approved a contingency amount of $40,000,000 (25% of the contract price).
Cross Valley Pipeline Extension Project
The second FOCP capital project is the Cross Valley Pipeline Extension Project (CVPEP), Project No 91864010. The CVPEP entails constructing a new pipeline to convey imported water from the Cross Valley Pipeline to Coyote Creek to supplement flows during construction of the ADSRP downstream of Ogier Ponds. The Project scope includes constructing an outfall which will include an energy dissipator, and creek bank improvements.
On November 9, 2021, Valley Water’s Board of Directors awarded the construction contract for the CVPEP to the responsible bidder, submitting the lowest responsive bid, Garney Pacific, Inc., in the sum of $12,867,059 and approved a contingency amount of $1,930,059 (15% of the contract price).
Coyote Creek Stream Augmentation Fish Protection Measure Chillers Plant Project
The third FOCP capital project is the Coyote Creek Stream Augmentation Fish Protection Measure Chillers Plant Project (Chillers), Project No. 91864008. The Chillers project entails installing a Modular Chiller Plant (MCP) at the southwest corner of the existing Coyote Pumping Plant, which consists of three (3) 1,500-ton capacity water-cooler packaged chillers, with one (1) of the three (3) being used as a redundant chiller unit. A new 24-inch pipe will be installed to connect to an existing 36-inch nozzle on the Cross Valley Pipeline, to allow the chillers to receive imported water. The imported water would be chilled by the chiller system to the required temperature before release into the creek to maintain the suitable aquatic habitat.
On July 12, 2022, Valley Water’s Board of Directors adopted the plans and specifications and authorized advertisement for bids for the Chillers project. On September 27, 2022, Valley Water’s Board of Directors will make a determination regarding possible award of the construction contract to the responsible bidder submitting the lowest, responsive bid for the Project.
Coyote Creek Flood Management Measures Project
The fourth FOCP capital project is the Coyote Creek Flood Management Measures Project (CCFMMP), Project No. 91864007. The purpose of the CCFMMP is to reduce the risk of flooding to homes, schools, businesses, and transportation networks from flood flows associated with a 20-year recurrence interval flood, approximately equivalent to the February 2017 flood event and because of water releases from Valley Water’s Anderson Dam that may occur after construction of Valley Water’s Anderson Dam Tunnel Project (ADTP).
On May 25, 2021, Valley Water’s Board of Director’s approved an agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for design services for the CCFMMP and that work is nearing completion. Staff anticipates bringing the CCFMMP to the Board for bid advertisement authorization in the winter of 2022.
Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project
The fifth, and final FOCP capital project, is the Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project (CPDRP), Project No. 91864009. The purpose of the CPDRP is to replace the existing steel flashboard dam with an inflatable bladder dam to accommodate increased flow release from the upgraded Anderson Dam outlet facilities and to replace the existing fish ladder stationary panels with adjustable panels to improve fish passage during low water level events. The existing steel flashboard dam and fish ladder are located at the Coyote Percolation Pond, an in-stream pond used for groundwater recharge in Coyote Creek located just north of Metcalf Road in South San Jose, 11 miles downstream of Anderson Dam.
On March 18, 2022, a purchase order was issued to HTE Engineering for design, commissioning, and manufacturing of the inflatable bladder dam for the CPDRP.
Staff anticipates bringing the CPDRP to the Board for bid advertisement authorization in January 2023.
ADSRP Design Documents Status
Preparation of the ADSRP 90% design documents is underway, with the plans and specifications scheduled to be submitted for Valley Water review in October 2022, and for FERC, DSOD, and Board of Consultants (BOC) review in February 2023. Completion of the 90% design is expected in the summer of 2023.
Environmental Review and Permitting
Valley Water’s Board of Director’s approved the FOCP on June 23, 2020, after determining the Project qualified for a statutory exemption from CEQA for specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency (Pub. Res. Code Section 21080(b)(4) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15269(c)).
Valley Water has received natural resource agency permits necessary for the FOCP including the following: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a Section 404 Permit on August 27, 2021, State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) issued a Section 401 Water Quality Certification on November 9, 2020, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issued a Section 1600 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement (LSAA) on July 13, 2021. FOCP activities are also proceeding under technical recommendations from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) obtained through emergency consultation procedures. Individual projects certify compliance with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (VHP) before construction is initiated.
To expedite construction, natural resource agency permits included phased approval of FOCP components as refined designs allow more thorough and complete evaluation for consistency with applicable regulatory requirements. Project elements must receive authorization of site-specific water quality control plans, which has been completed for ADTP and CVPEP.
Design modifications such as updates to the CVPEP pipeline dewatering plan, updates to the ADTP tree removal plan to provide for more contractor flexibility, ADTP weir design changes to reflect recent NMFS consultations, and refined Coyote Creek channel designs based on the requirement to add habitat enhancements into FOCP (known as the Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan), will require additional permit amendments and updates to water quality control plans. One amendment has been processed to date, and three more are anticipated in the near future.
Environmental Approvals and EIR Process Next Steps
In addition to the permit amendments mentioned above, Valley Water staff is in the process of obtaining the remaining environmental approvals for the Chillers Project, CPDRP, and CCFMMP. Valley Water convenes monthly Technical Work Group (TWG) meetings (over 35 meetings to date), bimonthly interagency meetings, and additional small, focused group meetings, as needed, to satisfy natural resource agency consultation requirements and facilitate ongoing permitting activities. The TWG meetings are also used to garner agency support for the ADSRP conservation measure package that will be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Biological Evaluations, and FERC license exemption surrender application.
The ADSRP Draft EIR will be released for public review in the spring of 2023, and permit applications will be submitted in the summer of 2023. FERC will continue to be the federal lead agency throughout ADSRP and has encouraged Valley Water staff to address as many environmental issues as possible prior to submitting our applications, in order to expedite their National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process. As such, agency and stakeholder engagement continue to be a high priority for Valley Water staff to mitigate future delays in the NEPA process.
A presentation detailing the progress on the FOCP elements currently in construction, and upcoming challenges for the remaining FOCP elements and ADSRP will be forthcoming in a Supplemental Board Agenda Memo on September 23, 2022.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
There are no Environmental Justice impacts associated with this item. However, the Environmental Justice Impacts of the Project will be assessed and addressed in future Project board actions related to the Project execution.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with this item.
CEQA:
The recommended action does not constitute a project under CEQA because it does not have a potential for resulting in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
*Supplemental Agenda Memo
*Supplemental Attachment 1: PowerPoint
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:Manager
Chris Hakes, 408-630-3796