Water Conveyance

• Pumping plant
• Large diameter pipeline
• Concrete-lined canal
• I-5 Crossing
• Design-Build
• System upgrades
• Long-term Client
• System coordination

During the mid 1990’s Semitropic Water Storage District began construction for its $100M+ Groundwater Banking Program.  The District continues to develop and is currently operating one of the largest and most successful groundwater banking facilities in California. Construction of the $100M+ Stored Water Recovery Unit (SWRU), a component of the Groundwater Banking Program, began in 2006.  This project component is being developed to expanding their “take facilities” to increase return capacity to the California Aqueduct.

Project Information

Wayne Dahl* served as project manager for the Groundwater Banking Program design and construction from 1994 to 1998.  John Dahl*, has served as Construction Manager and been involved in the system upgrades for Semitropic’s Groundwater Banking Program since 1995.   It is important to note that much of the work for canal modifications and upgrades was accomplished over a multi-year period during short winter-time dry-up periods.

Components of the Groundwater Banking Program include:

• Canal Modifications and Upgrades, consisting of widening and lining the District’s main canals namely the Pond Poso Canal and the Buttonwillow Canal, enlarging the Pond Poso Plant and the South Pumping Plant, enlarging and /or replacement of check structures, addition of “pump-back” pumping plants, and enlargement of road crossings.
• P565 Distribution System, consisting of a 1,450-horsepower canal-side pumping plant, a 775-horsepower booster pumping plant, and 14 miles of pipelines, ranging from 66 to 15 inches in diameter.
• P1030 Distribution System, consisting of approximately one mile of concrete-lined canal, a 950-horsepower pumping plant, and 14.5 miles of pipelines, ranging from 57 to 15 inches in diameter.
• P384 Distribution System, consisting of a 2,700-horsepower canal-side pumping plant, a 700-horsepower booster pumping plant, and 22 miles of pipelines, ranging from 78 to 15 inches in diameter.
• Semitropic/Shafter-Wasco Interconnection Pipeline and Pumping Plant Project, consisting of 3.5 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline and an 875-horsepower pumping plant.

 * Work completed primarily while with another firm.