The following is a news release from the City of Palmdale:
Amargosa Creek in the Antelope Valley, February 1969 – courtesy Water Resources Center Archives (WRCA) Historic Flood Photographs
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve a cooperative agreement between the City of Palmdale, Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (AVEK), Palmdale Water District, and Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 40 to design, construct, operate, and maintain the Upper Amargosa Creek Flood Control, Recharge, and Habitat Restoration Project.
Palmdale’s City Council approved the cooperative agreement at its December 4th meeting. Palmdale Water District approved the agreement on Nov. 27, and AVEK approved the agreement on Nov. 12.
The project will provide the Antelope Valley with flood control along the Amargosa Creek between 20th Street West and 25th Street West and along Elizabeth Lake Road. The recharge facility will utilize water supplies available from the California State Water Project (aqueduct) and percolate this water into the Antelope Valley aquifer so the water may be extracted for beneficial use. In addition, the Upper Amargosa Creek Recharge Project will provide a community habitat restoration Park, inviting local citizens to exercise, relax, and learn about their natural surroundings.
“This is a great example of what can be done when municipalities and agencies work together for the common good of our residents,” said Palmdale’s Utilities Services Manager Gordon Phair. “So much is accomplished when we face challenges, find common goals and work together to provide solutions.”
The Department of Water Resources has chosen this project for $6.5 million in grant funding from the Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 1E) Program. This cooperative agreement provides the matching funds for the aforementioned Prop. 1E grant required to complete this project. Currently the City of Palmdale has funded $2.8 million to this project and with this cooperative agreement, this project has the funds to proceed with design and construction. The project is estimated to cost $13.5 million for design, permitting, and construction.
This cooperative agreement between Los Angeles County Waterworks District #40, Palmdale Water District, and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency is in the amount of $5,000,000. The agreement identifies the groundwater banking, the operation and maintenance obligations, and the responsibilities for each agency. Each agency will be provided a banking capacity right in proportion to its funding share and the capacity of the project. Operation and maintenance costs will also be divided up between the agencies per their funding share. The operation and maintenance of the habitat restoration and flood control will remain the City’s responsibility.
Design of the project will begin in January 2014 and be complete by spring 2015. Construction is anticipated to start in summer 2015 and be complete by spring 2016.
For more information, please contact Public Works at 661-267-5300.
