WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency Board of Directors on Dec. 18 voted unanimously to expand its water supply services into an area impacted by seawater intrusion.
The initial phase of F-Pipeline Expansion Project will construct additional pipelines to provide supplemental water service to approximately 700 acres of coastal farmland on the seaward side of San Andreas Road.
Work will be completed in late 2020.
The purpose of the project is to further reduce groundwater pumping in order to halt seawater intrusion and groundwater overdraft while keeping agriculture viable in the Pajaro Valley, PVWMA said in a press release.
Research published by Stanford University has shown that the use of the PVWMA’s supplemental water supplies as an alternative to groundwater pumping has reduced salinity in coastal groundwater.
The project will be partially funded through an Integrated Regional Water Management Drought emergency grant from Proposition 84, the $5.4 billion measure approved by voters in 2006 for projects promoting safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, river and coastal protection.
Those bonds are issued through the California Department of Water Resources.
Approximately $3.4 million in grant funds are available for the design and construction of the project, from a combined balance of the $3 million transfer and the balance remaining from the original PV Water grant allocation.
“With $3 million in grant funds provided by the Department of Water Resources, this project is a win for the Pajaro Valley,” said Board Chair Amy Newell. “PV Water’s staff worked relentlessly to acquire and use the available grant funds for the benefit of the Valley. The project continues moving PV Water toward its goals of preserving agriculture while achieving sustainable groundwater resources.”
Roughly 1.7 miles of plastic pipe, 35 feet of steel pipe and six turnouts are slated for construction in the current phase of the project, which will provide 1,400 acre-per-square-feet of supplemental water to approximately 700 acres of farmland.
When fully completed, the F-Pipeline will feature roughly 2.9 miles of high-density plastic pipe, about 35 feet of steel pipe, 15 agricultural turnouts and piping appurtenances such as air valves, blow-offs and isolation valves. It will serve 1,300 acres of farmland.
Specialty Construction, Inc., of San Luis Obispo, will be paid $3,214,295 for the construction. The agency will also spend $664,600 for support services from PSOMAS ($455,350), Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. ($124,252), SWCA ($68,198) and CCMI ($18,600).
