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MWD Contracts LEE + RO to Conduct Preliminary Design Services

Oct 17, 2022 10:04:00 AM

1. IMG_8665 copyReplacement of Two Radial Gates Along the San Diego Canal

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) is upgrading the San Diego Canal (Canal) facilities to enhance water supply reliability to the southern portion of its service areas, including raw water feeds to Lake Skinner and the San Diego County Water Authority.

As part of the conveyance facilities upgrades, MWD desires the replacement of two radial gates along the Canal.

  • San Diego Canal to Lake Skinner Radial Gate V0-6
  • Casa Loma Canal to San Diego Canal Turnout Radial Gate V0-8

These gates were installed during the original construction of the Canal in the 1970s and have been subsequently refurbished in the past. The radial gates appear to have reached their remaining useful life and are no longer considered reliable to maintain water conveyance to the Skinner Water Treatment Plant and/or the feeds to the San Diego area members.

LEE + RO’s scope of work consists of the following:

  • Delivering an enhanced Preliminary Design Report (PDR) for the replacement of the two radial gates. The existing gates will be replaced with new radial gate systems and temporary or permanent roadway and civil facilities needed to complete the work without unplanned impacts to the operations. The new gate systems will consist of stainless-steel gates, new actuators, trunnions, seal plates, instrumentation, and electrical panels.
  • Conducting site visits to gather field information to create “As-Is” drawings to reflect the existing conditions and evaluating the civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical/I&C needs for the project.
  • Developing the necessary civil/structural design calculations and preparing the preliminary design drawings for each radial gate.
    • The preliminary drawings will include demolition drawings, construction sequencing, and temporary facilities needed to accommodate the work while maintaining full operational functionality. Security system upgrades will be incorporated at Gate V0-8. The report will include all drawings, calculations, design criteria, preliminary cost estimate, and schedule.
  • Developing a 3D model that captures the project scope and shows preliminary radial gate layout, sections, conduit routing, mechanical utility routing, electrical panel locations, stairs, and equipment locations.
After submitting the PDR, LEE + RO will conduct a Value Engineering and PDR review meeting with MWD staff to verify the evaluation basis and develop a consensus for the needs, requirements, and assumptions for the final design.
Dhiru Patel, PE

Written by Dhiru Patel, PE

In 2018, LEE + RO named its long-time president, Dhiru Patel, as its new CEO. Dhiru oversees the project teams and serves in many cases as the principal-in-charge and project director. His extensive experience and leadership skills, along with his expertise in water system and facility planning, are key in his vital role in shaping the company’s direction, governance and values throughout the organization.