Repairs Started in California Aqueduct

Workers have begun repairing leaks along the east branch of the California Aqueduct near Palmdale, a project given urgent status by the state Department of Water Resources.

The leaks are relatively minor, but can worsen if not fixed, said Ron Lee, supervising engineer for the Department of Water Resources and program manager of the repair project. The department scheduled repairs at this time because it is a low water demand period.

At three open canal locations, contractors are working 24 hours a day to replace broken panels, seal cracks and expansion joints, and apply new watertight lining, Lee said. At two of the sites, portions of the aqueduct will be drained to facilitate work.

The $2-million project, which should be complete in three weeks, will affect the Palmdale Water District, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency and Metropolitan Water District, Lee said.

The agencies will obtain water from other sources during repairs.

The effect on the user should be invisible. “The public won’t see it or feel it,” department spokesman Pete Weisser said.

But alternative water sources for the Palmdale and Antelope Valley-East Kern agencies are limited and could “dry up” if the repair job stretches too long, Lee said. That’s why the department is working to complete the project as quickly as possible, he added.

The repairs are funded by the State Water Project water contractors, 29 public agencies with long-term contracts to purchase water from the State Water Project, which is operated and maintained by the Department of Water Resources.