NID Board Authorizes Technical Studies For Proposed Centennial Reservoir

GRASS VALLEY – Directors of the Nevada Irrigation District on Wednesday (Apr. 13) approved a $1.3 million contract with AECOM for a third phase of geotechnical studies of the proposed Centennial Reservoir site.

The board’s action followed a presentation by AECOM vice president and project manager Michael Forrest who summarized the firm’s first two phases of study.

Centennial Reservoir has been in planning for two years. It would hold up to 110,000 acre-feet of water on the Bear River, below Rollins Reservoir and above Combie Reservoir, which are both owned and operated by NID.

Forrest said initial studies have narrowed seven potential dam sites to two, including the so-called Tibbetts site, first identified in 1926 by then-NID Chief Engineer Fred Tibbetts. In addition, five potential types of dams have been studied with two – a roller compacted concrete dam and a concrete face rockfill dam – seen as most favorable.

Under the new contract, AECOM will conduct further geotechnical investigation, provide conceptual design and engineering reports, construction cost estimation and schedules, environmental support and project management.

AECOM, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a multi-billion-dollar global consulting firm with significant experience in water design and engineering. Forrest, who works out of the firm’s Oakland office, said that over the years the company has been involved in hundreds of water storage projects in California.

NID aims to begin construction of the reservoir in 2021 – the district’s Centennial year (1921-2021) – with completion in 2023. Information about the water project may be found at www.centennialreservoir.org.

In other business, the NID board:

• heard a water supply update from General Manager Rem Scherzinger, who said NID reservoirs are full but that in California “the drought is still on.” He said serious water shortages are anticipated this year in central and southern parts of the state and that state water planners are looking north for supplies. On Apr. 20, the State Water Board is scheduled to consider levels of water conservation needed in various regions.
• held a retirement ceremony to recognize the retirements of two longtime employees, Torben Holmgaard Nielsen, who retired Mar. 25 from an 18-year career with the NID Maintenance Dept., and Kathy Anderson, a buyer with the NID Purchasing Dept., who retired Apr. 10 from a 26-year career with the district.

The next regular meeting of the NID Board of Directors will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 27, at the NID Business Center, 1036 West Main Street, in Grass Valley. NID board meetings are open to the public.