DEPARTMENT OF PUBLICWORKS

Committed to Quality - Dedicated to Service

October 1, 1999

TO: Ron Olson, City Manager

FROM: Preston M. Combs, Public Works Director

SUBJECT: HYDRAULIC CANAL

I asked one of our engineering consultants to review theoptions and costs that I had presented August 17. The pumping issues as questioned by Mr.Nenni to recirculate the entire canal are not a question I was comfortable answering.Steve Seitz’s (of Finkbeiner, Pettis and Strout) bottom line is to pursuesolution along the pond maintenance lines as we alluded to in the last presentation. Sam Ashworth and other Historical Society members areinterested in helping find a low cost, quick fix for the canal’s aesthetic problems. We hopeto have a joint recommendation for City Commission soon.

HYDRAULIC CANALOPTIONS

Finkbeiner, Pettisand Strout Summary

Alternate 1 – Recirculate 1400’ of Canal $372,000

Plus $12 – 14,000/year electric

Alternate 2 – Recirculate entire Canal $1,372,000

Plus $53 – 55,000/year electric

Alternate 3 – Groundwater Wells for Flow $900,000

Plus $30 – 35,000/year electric

Alternate 4 – Surface Water for Flow $600,000

Plus $12 – 15,000/year electric

Alternate 5 – Pond Maintenance $80,000

Plus $2 – 5,000/year electric

“In our option Alternate 5 – Natural Means of Pond Maintenanceis the best of the solutions presented for cleaning up the appearance of the Hydraulic Canal. All of the alternatives presented that involve pumping are much tooexpensive for the amount of benefit they provide. Configuring the canal as a pond andmaintaining it through natural and chemical methods is much less costly to build andoperate and much less disruptive of the environment to establish. We recommend that the Citycontinue to work with the environmental specialists to determine what specificallythey recommend.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Committed to Quality – Dedicated toService

September 16, 1999

TO: Ronald Olson, City Manager

FROM: Preston Combs, Director ofPublic Works

SUBJECT: HYDRAULIC CANAL UPDATE

   Staff has been reviewing the downtown recirculating option proposed atthe August 17, 1999 Work Session. The feasibility andcost scenario of this option and three other options – recirculate entirecanal, groundwater pumping to supply canal flow, and surface pumping to providecanal flow – are being reviewed by Finkbeiner, Pettis & Strout, Inc. This informationwill be available at a future meeting.

   Staff has also been working with the Historical Society to develop afive-step approach to deal with existing aesthetic problems. The use of waterplants, algae eating fish, shade trees, aerators, and biological treatments areall being explored individually and in combination to control the algae andduckweed that have taken over the canal.

PMC/vh

File

 H:\pworks\ADMIN\1999\PMC\canalupdate.doc

September 16, 1999

Vet