MID Board Report Archive

Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board Meeting of Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Contact: MID Public Affairs Department, Kate Hora, 209 526-7454
The next MID Board meetings will be May 22, June 12 and 19, July 10 and 24 (note June 19 is not the usual cycle).

Water report

The Hetch Hetchy water system is taking as much water into storage as possible at this time, according to Assistant General Manager Walter Ward, Water Operations. Snowpack in the Central Sierra is only 34 percent of normal for this date. As of May 1, the Dept. of Water Resources forecasts about 600,000 acre-feet of runoff in the Tuolumne River watershed during the April-July period, barely half of normal.

Current elevation in Don Pedro Reservoir is 794 feet compared to 815 last year, when flood control releases were in progress. Earlier this year the MID Board adopted a 2007 water allocation of 36 inches but asked staff for a mid-year update on water conditions. Staff today recommended that the 36 inch allocation be retained owing to the poor hydro conditions.

Financing for Phase Two Expansion of Water Treatment Plant approved

On behalf of MID and the MID Financing Authority, the Board unanimously approved the issuance of bonds and related actions necessary to finance the Phase Two expansion of the Modesto Regional Water Treatment Plant. Total cost of expanding plant capacity to 60 million gallons per day is expected to be about $92.5 million. Project completion is anticipated in late 2009.

Because City of Modesto water revenues secure the bonds. Both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s have rated the bonds A+ based on the City’s credit rating. The expanded treatment plant will benefit our community by providing a dependable, high quality surface water supply.

Building repairs at water facilities

Shortly before construction of the Terminal Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant was completed, staff began to notice roof leaks and exterior wall damage. The builder repaired these problems. Over time additional problems were repaired as they occurred. What staff did not know was that patchwork repairs weren’t getting to the root of the problem. In January 2007 MID hired forensic architectural/engineering firm Allana, Buick & Bers (AB&B) to conduct a comprehensive analysis.

AB&B’s tests of roofing, waterproofing systems, gutters and exterior and interior walls found extensive damage. Based on these spot checks, AB&B has identified three repair alternatives and developed a preliminary engineer’s cost opinion ($5-$6.6 million) for the alternative it recommends. An estimate of repair costs, which could be higher or lower, will not be available until after an alternative is chosen, the repair project is designed, and construction firms submit bids. The goal will be to find the most cost-effective permanent solution, including repair costs and ongoing maintenance.

In other actions today

The Board by unanimous vote approved resolutions

• Adopting the 2005 Update to the City of Modesto-MID Joint Urban Water Management Plan
• An agreement with Hubbell Power Systems, inc. for energized 230 kV training for MID electric staff, and
• An agreement with the City of Modesto related to relocating electric utility poles.