The North State is receiving more than $65 million from the federal government to repair and upgrade aging water infrastructure systems.
The money will go toward 11 projects, from Shasta Dam south to the Coleman National Fish Hatchery to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety, improve hydropower generation, provide water treatment, and benefit fish.
The U.S. Department of Interior announced the funding earlier this month.
All told, $849 million from President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda was delegated to water projects in 11 states.
In the North State, the project that received the most money was the Coleman National Fish Hatchery modernization. The project got $20 million to complete the planning study and design work.
The hatchery southeast of Anderson was established in 1942 to mitigate the loss of historic spawning areas for salmon after Shasta Dam and Keswick Dam were built.
Before the dams were built, Chinook salmon and steelhead trout would swim to the upper Sacramento, Pit and McCloud rivers to spawn.
Brett Galyean, the project leader at Coleman National Fish Hatchery, said the modernization of the hatchery is needed to “help the hatchery meet its future fish production goals.”
Spencer Gutenberger of Coleman National Fish Hatchery prepares to load young salmon into a tank truck so they can be driven to the San Francisco Bay and released on Tuesday, May 4, 2021.
The other projects that were funded in the North State include:
Shasta Powerplant service transformer at Shasta Dam ($11.2 million): Will fund project to provide a second source of station service power from the Western Area Power Administration switchyard to the powerplant to improve reliability. This money will finish the planning study and be used also for design and implementation.
Shasta Dam 850-foot and 950-foot outlet works rehabilitation ($9.55 million): Project will modernize and rehabilitate all outlet work valves on the 850-foot elevation and 950-foot elevation in Shasta Dam. The money will be used to complete the planning study, design work as applicable.
Shasta Powerplant generator step up transformers replacement ($7.25 million): Project will replace all generator step up transformers at the powerplant. This money will be used to complete a planning study and design work as applicable.
Keswick Dam spillway regulating gate rehabilitation ($4.4 million): The money will complete a planning study and design work as applicable to rehabilitate four 50-foot by 50-foot fixed-wheel spillway regulating gates.
Keswick powerplant generator step up transformers replacement ($3.2 million): Money will be used to finish planning study and design work where applicable to replace the main generator step-up transformers for all three units.
Shasta pumping plant modernization ($2.5 million): Money will be used to complete planning study and design work to replace, among other things, existing motor controls and soft starters where it is required, install a backup generator, and design an HVAC system.
Spring Creek Powerplant turbine runners replacement ($2.5 million): Money will replace the turbine runners on Unit 1 and Unit 2 as well as modernize existing auxiliary systems. The powerplant is located near Keswick Lake.
Spring Creek Conduit intake temperature curtain replacement ($2.25 million): Money will be used to finish the planning study and any applicable design work.
Shasta Powerplant and Keswick Powerplant elevator modernization ($1.4 million): Money will be used for planning and design work to modernize both power plant elevators to include controls and safety features.
Whiskeytown Reservoir Oak Bottom temperature curtain replacement ($880,000): Money will be used for planning and design work to remove and replace the failing temperature curtain at Oak Bottom in the lake.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta Dam, Coleman hatchery, other water projects get $65M