PLACERVILLE, CALIF. (InEDC) Matthew Nobert, Jul 28, 2023 / 02:29 PM PDT
(KTXL) — A longstanding water conduit operated by the El Dorado Irrigation District met its match this year when it collapsed under the weight of 12 feet of snow during this year’s historic snowfall.
The El Dorado Irrigation District provides water to over 125,000 residents in El Dorado County.
The EID’s Board of Directors were presented with a $1.3 million project cost to replace 400 feet of the Echo Conduit that was crushed or collapsed from its supports near Echo Lake.
This conduit was first constructed in the late 1800s as an earthen ditch until it was upgraded in 1920s to 2,290 feet of 36-inch wide welded and riveted steel pipe.
In total, about 400 feet of the conduit was seriously compromised from the deep snowpack as 400 feet collapsed or deformed, of which 200 feet of conduit elevated on wooden tussles was pushed off of its footings.
Crews with the irrigation district were finally able to get to site on June 15 due to the remaining snowpack and on June 30 took the potential contractor, Syblon Reid, on a tour of the damaged conduit.
Syblon Reid has proposed a construction cost of $1,117,000 and an estimated construction cost of 23 days.
The contractor has helped EID previously in addressing storm damage from 2017 and reconstructing flumes destroyed by the Caldor Fire.
The project will include:
• Demolishing the 400 feet of damaged conduit and support structures
• Replace all of the wood trestles with steel members
• Replace wood on-grade supports with concrete
One of the reasons the EID is moving along with this project as an emergency replacement project is due to the proximity of the structurally compromised conduit to U.S. Highway 50
