REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
January 28, 2016
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: MICHAEL CARBAJAL, Division Manager
Department of Public Utilities - Water Division
SUBJECT
Title
Approval of a License Agreement (LA) between the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the City of Fresno (City) for installation, operation and maintenance of a turnout/diversion facility associated with the Friant-Kern Canal Raw Water Pipeline, to be constructed in the USBR's Friant-Kern Canal.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Approve the License Agreement (LA) between the USBR and the City for installation, operation and maintenance of a turnout/diversion facility associated with the Friant-Kern Canal Raw Water Pipeline Project, to be constructed in the USBR's Friant-Kern Canal.
2. Authorize the Director of Public Utilities, or his designee, to sign all documents on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Public Utilities, Water Division, is finalizing the permitting of the Friant-Kern Raw Water Pipeline Project to deliver raw water from the Friant-Kern Canal to the NESWTF. With bidding completed, Project award in January 2016, and agency permitting nearing completion, execution of the LA will be necessary prior to start of construction.
BACKGROUND
Presently, the City's contract with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) for Central Valley Project (CVP) surface water, travels nearly 55 miles in open canals from Friant Dam (Millerton Lake) to the NESWTF. The proposed Project consists of the construction and operation of a 5.6-mile raw water pipeline. The new pipeline reroutes the CVP water directly to the NESWTF and will eliminate nearly 47 miles from the conveyance distance. The Project will convey water in an enclosed system and greatly reduce the threat to water quality, in otherwise open canals which are exposed to contamination from environm...
Click here for full text