State Officials OK Plan to Repair Garvey Reservoir Cracks

State officials have given preliminary approval to a plan by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for repairing cracks in Garvey Reservoir in Monterey Park.

The cracks led to the flooding of about a dozen homes in the city last year.

Vernon H. Persson, chief of the Division of Safety of Dams for the state Department of Water Resources, said last week that the plan to reinforce the reservoir, dig more wells and install a drainage system to detect serious leaks is acceptable, provided certain conditions are met to ensure the safety of the 35-year-old structure.

The next step is for the water district, which owns and operates the 41-acre reservoir, to come up with a final repair plan that meets the state dam division guidelines.

The reservoir was shut down and drained nearly dry in November after residents on Fulton Avenue complained about flooded yards and cracked ceilings.

Divers discovered two cracks and holes in the reservoir bottom, and geologists were sent in to examine the structure.

Last month, the water district concluded that the cracks were caused by gradual ground movement and probably were exacerbated by the October, 1987, Whittier earthquake and subsequent temblors centered in Pasadena, Montebello and Upland.

The reservoir serves 7 million residents in 25 communities including Montebello, El Monte and South El Monte. It does not serve Monterey Park.

The $20-million to $25-million repair plan calls for “armor-plating” portions of the reservoir with reinforced concrete, lining the reservoir with impervious asphalt and filling the cracks with grout.

It also includes gravel drains, pipes and an alarm system to monitor water seepage.

In addition, the water district plans to dig 42 wells close to the lip of the reservoir to monitor ground-water levels between the reservoir and Fulton Avenue.

Persson said he has asked the water district to install permanent water pumps along the perimeter of the property to remove excess water in an emergency.

He also is asking the state attorney general’s office to determine what kind of environmental studies are needed before work begins.

For months, Monterey Park officials have insisted that the water district write a full environmental impact report, and the City Council is considering legal action to keep the reservoir closed until a report is done.

“We’re going to go all the way with this,” Councilwoman Marie T. Purvis said. “To fill the dam would be an injustice to the people of Monterey Park. If that dam goes, it’s going to be the whole east side of town.”