FRESNO, CA — Stantec, a sustainable design and engineering company, along with the Bureau of Reclamation and Friant Water Authority, announces completion of the first phase of construction for a 10-mile section of the Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction Project. The canal, which delivers water to more than 1 million acres of highly productive farmland and 250,000 residents, is being restored after years of canal capacity loss due to land subsidence — a sinking of the earth from groundwater removal. The eastern San Joaquin Valley is part of California’s Central Valley, which produces about a quarter of the U.S. food supply.
Stantec was selected as the engineer of record for the 33-mile, multiphase project in 2017. The $326 million phase-one portion of the project to replace 10 miles of canal began construction in late 2021. The Bureau of Reclamation owns the canal, while the Friant Water Authority operates and maintains it.
“This is a huge milestone, and we are pleased to be working with the Friant Water Authority and the Bureau of Reclamation on this pivotal project,” said Matt Carpenter, Northern California Conveyance Sector Lead at Stantec. “This effort is the first step in restoring conveyance capacity to the 33-mile Middle Reach and increasing water supply reliability in the San Joaquin Valley.”
The Friant-Kern Canal begins at the Friant Dam of Millerton Lake, a reservoir on the San Joaquin River north of Fresno, and flows about 152 miles southward along the eastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, ending near Bakersfield. The canal has lost 60 percent of its design capacity due to land subsidence caused by years of groundwater overdraft conditions that occurred during California’s droughts.
Stantec performed engineering design for the project and also provided engineering support during this first phase of construction.
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“Stantec has been an ideal partner to engineer this critical water supply project,” said Johnny Amaral, Friant Water Authority’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief of External Affairs. “Stantec developed innovative technical solutions in an extremely short timeframe to meet our schedule, and we are thrilled with the progress we’ve made to complete the first phase of construction. The professionals at Stantec know how to get things done.”
Stantec has extensive experience in conveyance projects and water resources infrastructure. The team looks forward to the challenges to support Friant Water Authority and the Bureau of Reclamation on future phases of this project.
