This document summarizes a study evaluating two alternatives to transport water supplies from the Colorado River to the San Diego region: a tunnel alignment and a pipeline corridor alignment. The tunnel alignment is estimated to cost $1.98 billion with annual operating costs of $71 million, while the pipeline corridor alignment is estimated at $2.30 billion with $132 million in annual operating costs. Both alternatives would transport the full 280,200 acre-feet per year of supplies secured in the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement. The study recommends including one of the alternatives in the regional water authority's master plan to diversify water sources and conveyance options.

1. Dave Chamberlain, P.E.

2.  October 2003, Colorado River
Quantification Settlement Agreement
(QSA) executed
• 45- to 75-year water conservation and
transfer agreement w/ IID
• 110-year canal lining agreement (All
American and Coachella Canals)
• 280,200 AFY of Colorado River Supplies
• Currently wheeled through MWD System
• MWD Exchange Agreement for up to 45 yrs
 Previous studies identified two preferred
alignments
• Jointly studied w/ Mexico
• Not pursued after 2003 Master Plan
 April 2012 Board direction
• Amend Master Plan to include a “Supply
from the East” Alternative
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3. Reexamine preferred alignments from previous
evaluations
• New facility owned and operated by Water Authority
Size project for QSA
deliveries only
Evaluation approach
• Facility requirements
• Energy management
• Operational impacts
• Compare risks
• Project cost refinement
• Implementation schedule
Portal
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4. Land Use
• New development along proposed alignments
• Change in land ownership or access rights
• Changes to permit process
Implementation of New Facilities
• San Vicente Dam Raise, Pump Station, and Pipeline not considered
previously. More treatment plants may now be served
Sunrise Powerlink
• Provides closer proximity to power and opportunity to reduce costs
Updated Construction Costs
• Use current indices to estimate cost of construction
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5. Characteristic Tunnel Corridor Pipeline Corridor
Canal, Miles 12 0
Pipeline, Miles 30 81
Tunnel, Miles 41 11
Total Length, Miles 83 92
Pump Stations (800 ft. lift) 2 5
Power Generating Facilities 0 3
Annual
Conveyance
(acre-feet/year)
Design
Flow Rate
(cfs)
Pipeline
Diameter
(inches)
Fully Lined
Tunnel Diameter
(inches)
280,200 490 961 120
1. Pipelines are sized to avoid on-peak energy pricing.
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6. 6

7. 7

8.  Normal operations allow QSA supply to be
delivered to SVR or directly to untreated
aqueduct pipelines
 QSA deliveries are monthly as one twelfth
(1/12) of total annual supply
• Approximately 24,000 acre feet/month in
2021
• Analyze wet weather untreated demand
 Address potential impact on winter month
operations
• Consider portion of the QSA supply in winter
months delivered through the MWD system
• Identify required operational changes
• Drawdown San Vicente and place water in
storage
 Salinity Management
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9. Tunnel
Alignment
Pipeline
Alignment
MWD
Wheeling
Total Capital Cost $1.98 billion $2.30 billion
Annual operating cost $71 million $132 million
Unit cost – capital
recovery2
$450/AF $530/AF
Unit cost – annual
operating2 $250/AF $470/AF1
TOTAL Unit Cost
(2013 Dollars)2 $700/AF $1,000/AF $453/AF
1 – Includes credit for hydroelectric power generation
2 – Amounts are rounded
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10.  Did not assess feasibility or cost of permitting
or environmental mitigation
• Cost assumptions and schedule impacts
included in estimates
 Time to complete remaining phases
• 3 to 4 years for preliminary design, agency
coordination, and environmental compliance
• 2 to 3 years for detailed design
• 5 to 10 years for construction
 Estimate of 10 to 17 years from current project
status to bring project online
 Final conclusions and recommendation to be
included in Master Plan issued later this year
• Benefits include avoiding Pipeline 6/expanded
capacity from MWD
• Improved conveyance reliability?
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