SCH Number 2024071176

Project Info

Title

Groundwater Recharge Capacity Expansion Project – Ferro Recharge

Description

United Water Conservation District (United) operates and maintains approximately 600 acres of groundwater recharge basins, which are used to percolate water and recharge groundwater supplies with Santa Clara River water diverted at the Freeman Diversion. In previous years when conditions were dry with less precipitation, United did not have a need for additional groundwater recharge capacity as its current basins were sufficient to recharge the allowable amount of water United is permitted to divert from the Santa Clara River. However, with wetter conditions and above average precipitation occurring over the last two years, an opportunity exists to recharge additional surface water within the allowable diversion amounts. The Noble Basin and Ferro Basin, located along Vineyard Avenue, are among the groundwater recharge basins United operates. The Ferro Basin is not currently connected to United’s diversion and recharge infrastructure and, as such, cannot be used for artificial groundwater recharge. United proposes to construct an undercrossing beneath Vineyard Avenue and install pipelines to connect the Ferro Basin to the Noble Basin, which would enable the conveyance of water to the Ferro Basin for artificial groundwater recharge. United estimates connecting the basins would, on average over time, provide capacity for an additional 2,000 to 3,000 acre-feet of groundwater recharge per year. Project construction would occur over approximately six to eight months, and would start as early as July 2025; however, in the event of project delays, United would delay construction to begin as late as June 2027. Construction activities would generally occur from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; trenchless pipeline installation may require constant (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) construction activities. The proposed pipeline would be installed via open cut trench on either side of Vineyard Avenue, and via trenchless methods underneath Vineyard Avenue in accordance with California Department of Transportation requirements. The project would also involve grading and contouring of the embankments along the pipeline alignment and in the Ferro Basin to facilitate recharge.

2 documents in project