The $17 million project, a collaborative effort between the City of Palmdale, Palmdale Water District, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency and the Los Angeles County Water Districts, pipes State Water Project water from the California Aqueduct to a series of recharge ponds where the water percolates through the ground into the aquifer beneath.
The location is a natural recharge basin for the area that allows water to seep into the ground at a rate of 1.5 feet a day to increase the groundwater table.
In addition to improving the regional water resource supply, it will promote further preservation of the Amargosa Creek corridor and provide the community with a nature park to enjoy.
Pathways weave through the newly created nature park and around the recharge basins among specific plant species adapted to the desert environment. At strategic locations along the path, education kiosks and interpretive plaques provide information on the desert environment, urban runoff, watershed processes, and the recharge facilities.
Additionally, future shade covers and picnic tables located throughout the park will invite community members to sit down, relax, and enjoy their natural surroundings.
In the future, recycled water from the Palmdale wastewater treatment plant will also be piped to the recharged basins to further help feed the aquifer.
Guest speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer, Mayor Pro Tem Richard Loa, Councilmember Austin Bishop, State Senator Scott Wilk, Assemblyman Tom Lackey, Adam Ariki of Los Angeles County Waterworks, Vic Nguyen of the California Department of Water Resources, Palmdale Water District Director Vincent Dino, and AVEK General Manager Dwayne Chisam.
“Above and beyond the magnitude and importance of this project, it is very impressive to see how so many different agencies worked together on what was often a complicated and tricky process,” Hofbauer said. “Kudos to the staff and leadership of these agencies, as well as the contractors who came together to make this important project a reality.”
“We are honored to be a partner in this important community project,” said PWD President Vincent Dino. “The purpose of this recharge is two-pronged – to serve as a resource for Antelope Valley’s water banking needs and to provide residents with a prime recreational area. This is a prime example of how agencies are working together to secure water for the future.”
For PWD, the recharge project will increase groundwater supply to the District’s existing wells, allowing greater operational flexibility in its water delivery system. The recharge capacity is expected to be in the range of 1,600 to 2,300 acre-feet of water per year. PWD’s share of the $17 million cost is $1.25 million.
Construction of the project, which started in late 2018, was divided into two phases. The first phase involved the construction of a 48-inch conveyance pipeline to divert water from the State Water Project’s aqueduct to the recharge site. During the second phase, the construction of the recharge basins, Amargosa Creek realignment, habitat restoration, and creation of a nature park for public use took place.
According to the city’s plans, the recharge basins were constructed on about 20 acres to the east and west of 25th Street West.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale and Palmdale Water District.]
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Jenny Craig says
That photo shows a very well-fed crew.
Is that a ribbon cutting or a taffy pull?
Cynic says
Wouldn’t it be great if a similar pipe could be built between the aqueduct and Elizabeth Lake and Lake Hughes? Those two lakes are drying out. It would be nice to have a place to go fishing or kayaking instead of staring at a dry lake bed.
Alexis says
Do you remember when Lake Los Angeles had a lake? We used to go to Mr. B’s for a nice dinner, and look out the window at the nice lake.
Leon Swain says
The City of Palmdale did an amazing job of partnering with AVEK, Palmdale Water District and Los Angeles County to make this $17 million dollar project happen over a 13-year period. I congratulate all four agencies for completing this project.
In 2006, eleven public agencies joined to form a Regional Water Management Group to work together to create an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. Members of the group included the City of Palmdale, Los Angeles County Waterworks District 40, Los Angeles County Sanitation District Nos. 14 and 20, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency, Palmdale Water District, Littlerock Creek Irrigation District, A.V. State Water Contractors Association (made up of AVEK, PWD & Littlerock Creek Irrigation District), Quartz Hill Water District, Rosamond Community Services District and the City of Lancaster. Beginning in May 2006, 17 stakeholder meetings were held while developing the draft plan in order to receive public input on the plan. The Integrated Regional Water Management Plan was unanimously approved by all eleven partnering agencies with the Upper Amargosa Creek Recharge project ranking the highest of all projects in the original plan for project benefits and meeting the goals of the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.
As the Director of Public Works in Palmdale at the time, I recommended this project be included in the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan because this area of the Amargosa Creek is not only one of the very best recharge areas in the Antelope Valley, it also just happens to be located next to a significant water resource (the California Aqueduct) and is also located above a noted cone of depression in the Antelope Valley groundwater table. In 2007 and 2008, I made presentations to the Palmdale Planning Commission, Palmdale Water District and the Antelope Valley – East Kern Water Agency emphasizing the significance of this project to assist with the long-term sustainability of water resources in the Antelope Valley.
Many people from various public agencies worked cooperatively over a long period of time to make this project a reality and the City of Palmdale was just recently awarded a 2019 American Public Works Association Project of the Year Award for these efforts. Congratulations to the City of Palmdale and all the partnering agencies involved who made the completion of this key water resource project possible. It will enhance water sustainability in the Antelope Valley for many years to come.
Alexis says
Leon Swain: Thank you.
All about the Money says
Great idea to sink millions of gallons of water virtually right into the San Andreas Fault zone where it has been locked and loaded and waiting break. Might as well just start fracking in that area to give it an additional boost.
Anti Zink says
Jason is vision challenged if it’s not his idea. Great way to work together as a region. We all win!
Jason Zink says
Never said it was not a good ideal in fact I said to do this 25 years ago along with Littlerock Wash and other spot where aqueduct crosses AV Washes. It’s just there was a better smarter ways to do things. I also proposed building several Apollo Parks lake parks all over AV to recharge the ground table with Aqueduct and recycled water. Someday leaders will cachonda common sense projects that Beautiful our Valley and create a lifestyle community up here.
Jason Zink says
$17 Million to turn on a water valve that was sitting there before project started and creates one of the ugliest looking parks in AV. One could of created the same thing for a fraction of the price. And had a tree lined landscape multipurpose trail stretching from 25th Street West to 10th Street West Shopping centers. Put in two bridges over Amargosa Wash @ 20th & 15th Street West to serve community and open up area. And put in a really beautiful real park. Big fail and lack of Vision and common sense by our leadership. I hope AV learns from this expensive eyesore and starts thinking smart!
Engineer says
Did you read the article? It said, Construction of the project, which started in late 2018, was divided into two phases. The first phase involved the construction of a 48-inch conveyance pipeline to divert water from the State Water Project’s aqueduct to the recharge site. During the second phase, the construction of the recharge basins, Amargosa Creek realignment, habitat restoration, and creation of a nature park for public use took place.
How do you think the water got to the valves? With happy talk? Straws?
You are just trying to be funny, right?
Jason Zink says
Last time I checked water goes down hill and soaks in the ground naturally. This is an example of a project letting an engineer go hog wild wasting tax payer money and not using common sense. And not looking at the Big Picture of improving the neighborhood and that part of the city by not connecting trails from schools to shopping centers to housing tracts like well planned out Santa Clarita and other cities have done. Welcome to piecemeal Valley!