NATOMAS LEVEE PROJECT

Natomas Levee Project—U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Goal:  Complete levee improvements started by SAFCA/State to provide Natomas Basin at least 200-year flood protection

Project Status:  Project is fully authorized by Congress (2014 Water Resources and Reform Development Act).  Appropriations are made on an annual basis

Cost Sharing Partners:  SAFCA (local) and Central Valley Flood Protection Board (State)

Operation and Maintenance Responsibility:  Reclamation District No. 1000

Construction Status:  See Construction Phasing Map

October 2021 Status:

Reach A

  i.      The Corps received bids for Reach A on August 16. The Contract was awarded on September 23 to Ahtna-Great Lakes (joint venture) for the base contract. Construction is still scheduled to commence in 2022 for three years.

  ii.     Work at Plants 1A and 1B will be bid as options pending resolution of design and an issue the Corps has with the SAFCA/RD 1000 agreement for work at Plant 1. The District is working with SAFCA and Corps Counsel to resolve the issue.

  iii.   The Corps will issue the Take Letter for tree removal in October; anticipate tree removal work starting in November.  SAFCA/State continue coordinating with the Corps on Caltrans issues as well as SMUD, and PGE relocations. The Corps will conduct public outreach this fall.

Reach B

  i.      Construction continues on Reach B including relocation of the Riverside Canal, replacement of other Natomas Water Company facilities and levee construction south of Powerline Road. Borrow for Reach B will come from work on the Lower American River sites and Pocket Area levee work.  Corps is working on contracts to have the material delivered to the Reach B site in spring 2022.  Mailboxes along Garden Highway are being relocated to the waterside (residence side) of the levee.

  ii.     Garden Highway will remain closed between San Juan Rd and Powerline Rd through November 1, 2021 to accommodate the outfall construction at Plant 3.

  iii.   Construction at the I-5 window crossing the Sacramento River south of Bayou Road consists of widening the levee by expanding the levee into a paved parking lot area on the waterside. The work also includes the construction of a seepage berm on the landside of the project footprint. The current intersection and ramp for North Bayou Way would be rebuilt to meet the new grade of the levee. The contract continues to be suspended as the Corps and the contractor resolve the lack of performance by the contractor. District staff  is monitoring the work to insure the levee is ready for flood season.

Reach C

  i.      The Reach C project is complete, and the District is providing the operation and maintenance.

Reach D

  i.      The reconstruction of Pumping Plant 4, discharge pipes and outfall structure has entered month 4. While progress on the structure is positive, the plant will not be operational this flood season as the contractor waits for electrical equipment and resolves power issues with PG&E.

  ii.     The Corps is working on the package to turn the previously completed levee improvements in Reach D over to the non-federal sponsors (and RD 1000) though the District has effectively taken over the O&M of the levee.

Reach E

  i.      Review of the 95% plans is complete and comments from the State, SAFCA and RD 1000 were submitted to the Corps.   Currently, the proposed borrow site is the Kaufman property adjacent to the project. Critical issue continues to be securing right of way and coordination with PG&E to move their utility lines outside the proposed construction. The current scheduled contract award date is July 2022 (construction 2023 and 2024).

  ii.     SAFCA and State DWR have initiated right of way acquisition based on the ROW Take letter from the Corps issued in July. Appraisals will be complete in September and offers for the acquisition in October.

Reach F

  i.      The Corps continues to work on the 65% design based on the revised Design Water Surface elevation and geotechnical information. The District,

  ii.     State and SAFCA continue working with the Corps on key issues affecting design; particularly the proposed takes on properties with existing structures, and the work near Pumping Plant No. 6.

  iii.   To assist with the 65% design, the Corps has initiated several design workshops with the State/SAFCA/RD 1000 to identify and resolve key issues. This past month we focused on borrow.  Currently there is no identified borrow site for the work in Reach F and G which could impact the schedule.  The Corps estimates it may take up to two years to get approval for a newly identified borrow site including Geotech, cultural and environmental clearance.  Contract Award still scheduled for 2022 and construction in 2023 and 2024 if a borrow site can be identified.

Reach G

  i.      See notes above for Reach F as Reaches F and G are combined into a single design and construction contract.

Reach H

  i.      Construction activities continue to complete construction on E. Levee Road, landside patrol road, retaining walls and remaining cut-off wall construction. SAFCA continues acquisition of rights needed to complete patrol road and fence relocations. This project will continue into 2023 if the landside lower patrol road revisions are not approved by the Corps. E Levee Road is expected to re-opened mid-September.

Reach I

  i.      Construction of the cutoff wall has been completed and project finalization and turnover to SAFCA and the District is in progress.

  ii.    Design for the Reach I Contract 2 to construct a patrol / maintenance road and perform levee slope flattening being done by HDR Engineers. 100% plans were submitted in September 2021. SAFCA and RD 1000 were able to get modifications to address some access road constrictions affecting future O&M. The Corps continues coordination with SAFCA and the State on necessary ROW acquisition. Contract for tree removal to be awarded September 2021 with work done between November and February of 2021 and 2022.  The levee construction is delayed to 2023.

Other Projects

  i.      Plant 5 replacement—Design for Plant 5 replacement has been delayed to January 2022 due to lack of funding. Corps is coordinating with SAFCA on the designer selection

Highway 99 – The design contract for the closure of the Highway 99 crossing gap at the Natomas Cross Canal has been awarded to HDR Engineers. The design team did a site visit in September.   The proposed fix is a slurry wall either across the freeway lanes from the top of the levee or along the waterside under the bridge with a clay cap placed on the waterside slope.   The Corps and State will coordinate with Caltrans on the preferred alternative.

For additional updates on the Natomas Levee Project go here and sign up for the Army Corps mailing list.