Marine Construction on Loch Lomond Inlet/Outlet Replacement Project at Newell Creek Dam, Ben Lomond, CA-Video

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The presentation describes the 2022 refurbishment of the City of Santa Cruz’s aging water infrastructure at Newell Creek Dam. Working with Obayashi, Drill Tech, and AECOM, the team installed three water intakes at different reservoir elevations while maintaining required creek flow and protecting drinking water.<br /><br />Work included building site access and a service trestle, installing a 1,500-foot turbidity curtain, assembling barges, and dredging about 25,000 cubic yards of hard rock. The team precast and positioned large underwater concrete foundation structures, then used custom remote-controlled drilling equipment and divers to install rock dowels, tiebacks, and drilled shafts. They also installed intake pipes, debris walls, valves, and vent lines, requiring precise alignment and extensive underwater coordination.<br /><br />Despite challenging conditions—including a major wildfire and the pandemic—the project was completed on budget with no claims. The presenters credit strong collaboration and teamwork for its success.

Keywords

Newell Creek Dam

water infrastructure refurbishment

underwater construction

water intake installation

turbidity curtain

drilling and dredging