Stantec, in collaboration with the Bureau of Reclamation and Friant Water Authority, has revealed the completion of the initial phase of the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction Project.
The canal, located in San Joaquin Valley, California, US, is said to support the irrigation of more than one million acres of farmland and supplies water to 250,000 residents.
Ownership of the canal lies with the Bureau of Reclamation while Friant Water Authority is responsible for its operations and maintenance.
The first phase, valued at $326m, commenced at the end of 2021 to reconstruct a ten-mile stretch of the canal.
Friant Water Authority COO and external affairs chief Johnny Amaral said: “Stantec has been an ideal partner to engineer this critical water supply project.
“Stantec developed innovative technical solutions in an extremely short timeframe to meet our schedule, and we are thrilled with the progress we’ve made to complete the first phase of construction. The professionals at Stantec know how to get things done.”
Originating at the Friant Dam on Millerton Lake and extending approximately 152 miles southward, the canal has experienced a 60% reduction in its original capacity.
It has since undergone a restoration process to combat this capacity loss, caused by land subsidence.
Stantec, a company specialising in sustainable design and engineering, was appointed as the engineer of record for the 33-mile project in 2017.
As part of the contract, Stantec has designed the engineering aspects of the project, as well as provided support during the construction of this first phase.
Stantec Northern California conveyance sector lead Matt Carpenter said: “This is a huge milestone, and we are pleased to be working with the Friant Water Authority and the Bureau of Reclamation on this pivotal project.
“This effort is the first step in restoring conveyance capacity to the 33-mile Middle Reach and increasing water supply reliability in the San Joaquin Valley.”
Last month, Stantec was chosen for the second phase of the City of San Diego’s Pure Water programme.
