About 25 property owners and interested community members attended an informational workshop last week on the first phase of construction of a small diameter raw water pipeline in the Amador Canal. With the new Amador Transmission Pipeline completed and carrying most of Amador County’s water, the next step in the approved project is to run a small diameter pipeline in the existing canal to continue providing service to existing raw water customers. “The small diameter pipeline will improve raw water quality over what folks are now getting from the canal and significantly reduce debris and maintenance headaches for customers.

It’s another step in conserving Amador County’s water for all of its citizens,” said Gene Mancebo, Manager of Engineering & Planning for the Water Agency. Mancebo said it would probably take about three years before the small diameter pipeline is completed along the entire length of the canal. After the new pipe is installed in the canal, customers are hooked up, and the system is tested and operational, the Agency will stop pumping water flows into the canal for this section.

Most of the discussion at the workshop centered on property owner concerns over possible effects on wildlife after the canal has dried up. The Agency has set aside $150,000 for funds for watershed conservation as part of a previous settlement. Another consideration for property owners along the canal is whether they would like the Water Agency to leave the empty canal as-is, or to restore (by filling in) the canal with dirt. Restoration would eliminate the potential for mosquito habitat or potential injury to livestock and make access and maintenance easier. An environmental review on offering either option is required, and the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors is tentatively scheduled to review the addendum at a meeting later this spring. Customer workshops for future phases of the small diameter pipeline will be scheduled soon.