Sicard Flat Pipeline Upgrade Project

Sicard Flat Pipeline Upgrade Project

The District is proposing to convert 9.3 miles of open conveyance ditch, which is comprised of many failing and porous sections, to 9.6 miles of high-density polyethylene pipeline. Replacing the leaky Sicard Flat Ditch with a closed pipeline system will conserve approximately 2,880 acre-feet of irrigation water each year, equivalent to six percent of the usable storage capacity of Collins Lake, the reservoir from which BVID draws the supply for this system. These water savings are significant for the Browns Valley Irrigation District (BVID) because its water supplies are susceptible to drought due to the relatively small size of the reservoir and the fact that it is entirely dependent on rainfall. The Project will also enable BVID to avoid a major risk associated with the current ditch alignment. The Sicard Flat Ditch passes through a very narrow, unreinforced tunnel that is extremely susceptible to collapse. A collapse of this tunnel would be catastrophic, cutting off service to over 100 customers and potentially requiring millions of dollars and many years to repair. The Project proposes to abandon the tunnel with a new alignment that will eliminate this risk altogether. The Project will therefore improve water system efficiency and water supply reliability for BVID and its customers, and will enable the District to avoid the risks and costs associated with a potential collapse of the Sicard Tunnel. The Project's duration is estimated to be three to five years.

Yuba

Northern California, Unincorporated

Yuba