Gallagher Lake Siphon Repair
“We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries”
Anticipated Project Completion: April 2022
Latest Update: November 2021 – Project Underway
November 2021 Progress Updated
- This week, sub-contractor Cumming Construction Ltd, remained the only crew on site, and they continued with the lift station construction. The previous week, the crew formed and poured the concrete pump surrounds in each of the four pump bays. This week, they fastened a stainless steel mesh against all the pump bay walls. This “mesh” is an anti-vortex component to control the turbulence in the flowing water when the pumps are operating. With the anti-vortex mesh installed, the crew meticulously re-positioned the steel pump casings and securely bolted them in place. Weather conditions have been near ideal for this time of year and the construction crew has responded with solid productivity.
- H&M Excavating Ltd. now expects to be on site starting November 29. They will begin with a small crew and intend to start removals and construction on the outlet structure.
- The entire site is clean, organized and all potential hazardous areas are protected with fencing or barriers.
October 2021 Progress Update
- The contractor has completed the majority of construction tasks not associated with the final connections to the existing canal. No work can procede on the existing canal until it closes for the season on November 1, 2021. H&M have not been on the site for several weeks and have indicated that it could be several more weeks before they may return. TRUE Consulting will not issue any further weekly reports until construction activity resumes.
- The site is clean, organized and all potential hazardous areas are protected with fencing or barriers.
September 2021 Progress Update
- This week, the contractor was working with a minimal crew and focused solely on completing the pressure tests on the two HDPE pipes recently installed on the OIB lands and a final pressure test on the entire 1500mm PVC siphon mainline. The contractor pressurized the 150mm & 100mm HDPE line to 150 pounds per square inch (psi), capped it and left it for a defined time. TRUE consulting witnessed both tests and confirmed no leakage. Next, the contractor filled the approximately 1300m of installed 1500mm PVC mainline with water. A cap was placed on the temporary end and the line was pressurized to 15 psi at the cap close to the lift station. The pipe was left pressurized for more than a day. TRUE consulting witnessed the entire process and confirmed the mainline was water tight.
- The site is clean, organized and all potential hazardous areas are protected with fencing or barriers.
August 2021 Progress Update
- This week, the contractor was focused on installing the 1500mm PVC mainline and a parallel 150mm HDPE siphon drain pipe. The active work site is now entirely on OIB lands and well off the highway. By weeks end, a total of 134m of mainline and drain pipe had been placed. Next week, the 1500mm mainline will temporarily capped just short of the original open canal and prepared for a pressure test. The mainline, along with the outlet structure, will be completed after the canal closes this fall.
- One member of the environmental oversite team was onsite to monitor the snake fence and to explore the site for any snakes that may have breached the perimeter fence. No snakes were encountered.
- One member of the archaeology team was on site to monitor the excavations, working closely with the lead H&M excavator operator during all excavations.
- The active site is clean and organized and all personal are working in a safe manner. Road construction signs along Highway 97 have all been removed, with highway speeds returned to 80 kph.
July 2021 Progress Update
- This week, the contractor was working with a reduced crew and focused solely on installing the second siphon access hatch and then completed a portion of the main siphon drainage assembly. This second, and final steel access hatch “T” was installed at the lowest point along the siphon alignment. It was designed and located to access, monitor and clean any sediment that might build up at this low point and to ensure that the main siphon drain hole is free of any obstructions. The crew then started installing a section of the siphon drainage assembly. A steel “saddle” was clamped around the 1500mm PVC pipe that allowed for a connection between the main siphon and the drain pipe. A 6m section of drain pipe was then installed along with two gate valves.
- At the inlet structure, the steel entry fencing and gates have been installed. The design called for one double gate for the main vehicle entry with an adjacent 4 foot wide gate. The entire six foot fencing was topped with three layers of barbed wire.
- A member of the archaeology team was on site to monitor the excavations, working closely with the lead H&M excavator operator during all excavations.
- The active site is clean and organized and all crews are working in a safe manner. Road construction signs and safety pilons are set up along Highway 97. Highway 97 speed has been reduced to 50 kph through the site. No traffic flaggers were on site this week.
June 2021 Progress Update
- The Contractor worked on several fronts. Early in the week, H&M resumed placing the 1500mm PVC pipe on the OIB lands just south of the Gallagher Frontage Road. They removed the temporary end cap used for last week’s pressure test, and by weeks end a total of 55m of pipe was placed including one pipe bend. With a paving day scheduled for Thursday, the contractor worked to prepare the road shoulder along Highway 97 and the roadbed under the Gallagher Frontage Road intersection. All the road preparations were tested by a geotechnical engineer and the final paving results considered highly satisfactory. After paving, the contractor began forming and grooming the drainage ditch between the frontage road and the highway. Once the drainage ditch reconstruction is complete, this should signal the end of all construction along the roads.
- The active site is clean and organized and all crews are working in a safe manner. Road construction signs and safety pilons are set up through the active excavation along Highway 97 and Gallagher Lake Frontage Road. Minor traffic interruptions along the frontage road were managed by traffic flaggers and Highway 97 speed has been reduced to 50 kph through the site.
- The archaeology team were on site to monitor the excavation. They worked closely with the lead H&M excavator operator during all excavations.
May 2021 Progress Update
- H&M has temporarily stopped the siphon pipe excavation down Highway 97 just north of the Gallagher Lake Frontage Road intersection and is waiting for FortisBC to re-route existing gas lines that cross the excavation. The area is left secured and fenced. FortisBC has experienced construction delays on this portion and has advised H&M that all construction will now be completed on May 31. H&M is planning to re-start this portion of the excavation on June 1.
- This weeks work was installing the 1500mm PVC pipe just east of Highway 97, working easterly towards the partially completed lift station. By weeks end over 123m of pipe was installed with work along this section set to continue all next week.
- Archaeology testing is substantially complete along the proposed siphon alignment. The archaeology team was on site to monitor the FortisBC gas line installation along the Gallagher Lake Frontage Road.
April 2021 Progress Update
- Excavation has begun between Highway 97 and the Gallagher Lake Frontage Road. With the use of a steel trench shoring ‘cage’ to reduce the size of the cut, the 1500mm diameter PVC pipe is being installed between the two roads.
- The 2021 irrigation system is now underway: water level is now operating at seasonal norms, and all permanent and temporary structures are functioning as designed.
- Steel pipe casings were installed across the north end of Highway 97, four sections of PVC pipe have now been installed through this casing.
- Archaeology testing is still underway near the culturally sensitive area.
March 2021 Progress Update
- Steel decking was added to the inlet structure.
- Lift station is being prepared to hold water for the coming irrigation season.
- Vaseux Creek restoration is nearing completion, many of the trees and shrubs that were originally removed during creek excavation were placed on the creek side slope.
- Backfilling over and around the inlet pipe connection to the pump station has been completed.
- Archaeology testing is underway near the culturally sensitive area.
February 2021 Progress Update
- Vaseux Creek stream bed restoration was completed.
- Final sections of the 8 foot concrete have been installed.
- Joints inside the 8 foot concrete pipe have been grouted.
- Work around 8 foot concrete pipe at connection point to the Lift Station has commenced.
- Thick, protective concrete slabs have been placed over the 8 foot concrete pipe under active portion of Vaseux Creek.
- Final 11 sections of spillway box culvert have been placed.
January 2021 Progress Update
- Walls and Columns of Lift Station continue to be formed and poured.
- Sections of 8ft concrete pipe continue to be installed.
December 2020 Progress Update
- Third concrete pour successfully completed.
- Fish Fencing installed up and down stream of the Vaseux Creek Crossing.
- Shoring work to temporarily divert Vaseux Creek was completed during the second week of December.
November 2020 Progress Update
- Sections of pipe were delivered to site.
- Under ideal weather conditions the first Siphon Lift Station concrete pour was successfully completed Mid-November.
Second concrete pour was completed the following week.
Project Background
- In January 2016, a large rockfall occurred at Gallagher Lake, crushing the reinforced concrete siphon below which conveys irrigation water to agricultural properties in the RDOS Area C. An internal repair was completed, during which time a 1.2 meter diameter pipe was grouted in place. This repair has allowed for continued use of the canal, operating at a 32% reduction in supply capacity.
- Repair and re-routing options were reviewed by the Town and Osoyoos Indian Band. The life cycle costs for construction, operation and maintenance led to the final design presented herein.
Design Overview
- A large diameter pipe will connect to the concrete open channel canal north of Vaseux Creek.
- Irrigation water will travel under Vaseux Creek following the same route as the existing canal crossing.
- Irrigation water will flow into a pump station near the outlet of the existing canal crossing.
- Irrigation water will travel from the pump station through a 1.5 meter diameter pipe down the road Right of Way north of the Country Pines Mobile Home Park.
- It will travel south on Highway 97 between the highway and Gallagher Lake Frontage Road.
- The pipe will then cross Highway 97, travel across Osoyoos Indian Band reserve land and reconnect to the existing open channel canal.
Financial
- Anticipated Project Cost – $11,475,024
- Funding Sources – $5,000,000 from the Province of BC, and $6,480,000 from the Town of Oliver
More details on the project may be found here
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