NAVAJO-GALLUP WATER SUPPLY PROJECT 

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE MEETING NO. 61 

THURSDAY, October 26, 2023 9:00 AM 

In-Person and via MS-Teams 

SUMMARY 

1) Review and approve agenda (Reclamation) – approved 

2) Review August 3, 2023 PCC Meeting Summary (Reclamation) – no comments 

3) Review of PCC Action Item List (Reclamation) 

a. Tribute garden/recognition area: Considering something in several different 

places may be of value 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – see slides for updates 

4) Block 4A/4B (Reclamation) 

5) Pumping Plants No. 2 and 3 (Reclamation) 

6) Block 4C-8 (Reclamation) 

7) Pumping Plants No. 4 and 7 (Reclamation) 

8) Navajo Code Talkers Sublateral (Reaches 12.1/12.2) (Reclamation) 

a. USBR: Send geotech report for Blackhat Tank to NNEPA (Lyle Begay) 

USBR: Create visual representation of water quality at the reservoir and make that available. 

Send to PCC group. Consider a sign with additional information about water quality near the 

FCW Reservoir. 

USBR: provide as-builts to NNEPA for completed features 

9) Reach 27.7B (Gallup) 

SAN JUAN LATERAL- ISSUES / DESIGN UPDATE 

10) S. 1898/ H.R. 3977 - Navajo-Gallup Amendments 

a. Speaker of the House has been elected 

b. Mark up expected soon in the Senate 

c. Senator Lujan’s office is getting a lot of questions about this being irrigation 

water and not municipal water - Tohatchi and Sanostee chapters primarily 

d. USBR: Newsletter article discussing the purpose of the water (municipal 

water...can be used for irrigation/livestock but may be more expensive) 

e. NM delegation has been great to work with on this. The Navajo Nation has been 

working with the Bureau of Reclamation, State of New Mexico and State of 

Arizona, City of Gallup to include consensus language. 

11) San Juan Lateral Intake (aka Reach 1) – Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. Design updates: 

i. 60% is nearly complete 

ii. Constructability review will be beginning early November 

iii. 90% expected in May 2024 

iv. Work at the FCW Dam will be separated into another contract 

b. SJR Intake Pumping Plant and SJGS Reservoir Modifications 

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i. Weir Elevation Recommendation (Sterling) – see slides 

ii. USBR: Review dam breach scenarios and impacts at the intake 

c. ROW 

i. Appraisals received for the two private property acquisitions remaining on 

Reach 1 

ii. Offer letters to be sent shortly 

12) Block 2-3 – Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. 90% Design expected in March 2024 

b. Constructability Review - (Week of August 31st) HDDs and realignment to 

County Road – award late next year. Working through private parcel acquisition 

north of the river which is the critical path. 

i. Reach 2 realignment options (Ryan) 

- HDD – Presentation on HDD realignment downstream of PP1 

- Road Alignment – Presentation on realignment options to move 

the alignment to the County Road and remove one HDD. 

c. ROW 

i. Private: Appraisal required for remaining private property ROWs between 

Rd 6800 and the SJRiver as well as PNM property 

ii. Tribal: application anticipated in coming months 

13) SJL Pumping Plants – Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. Pumping Plant #1 

i. VE Proposal Review (Ryan) – see slides for updates 

ii. PIN 032 review for pump number 

b. ROW 

14) Reach 27/Pumping Plant #8 – Status/Schedule (City of Gallup) 

a. 27.7B – completion expected in spring 2024 

b. 27.12 – starting construction in 2024 

c. PP8 – still in design, starting construction in 2025 

d. City SCADA system – looking at sole-source justification. Need to upgrade due 

to age and to meet FISMA requirements 

i. San Juan Lateral SCADA is likely to be Wonderware 

15) Tohlakai Pumping Plant 

a. Interim Groundwater Delivery from Twin Lakes Well (Navajo Nation/USBR/City 

of Gallup) 

i. Backflow preventor is ready for installation 

ii. USBR: information to be sent to City of Gallup, NMED 

16) Reach 14 (Indian Health Service) 

a. Reaches 14.1 and 14.2 – Status/Schedule 

i. USBR reviewing contract documents and archeological report 

ii. Expecting NTP for construction 

iii. Storage tank installation expected first 

iv. Potential upsizing 

- Follow-up discussion to be held regarding the potential upsizing of 

the pipe from 16” to 18” 

- SMA to follow up with group after hydraulic analysis 

- Navajo Nation: to write letter supporting the upsizing of R14.1/2 

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v. Next chapter meeting will be Dec 20th at 10am 

b. Reaches 14.6a, 14.7a, 14.8a – Status/Schedule 

i. Options for moving ahead (Bart/Ryan) 

- IHS requested USBR 

- ROW was expected to be largest challenge 

a. Signed consents cannot be transferred from IHS to USBR 

b. BIA can complete ROW acquisition and re-assign to USBR 

- Options to move ahead: 

a. IHS completes ROW and assigns to USBR to complete 

design and construction. CONS: private parcels would not 

be included in transfer and could be an issue for USBR. 

b. USBR only does design, provides support during 

construction, and IHS would contract for construction and 

oversee construction. CONS: IHS may not have resources 

to completed construction and meet deadlines. 

c. Navajo Nation complete work under FAA. Similar to 

BBN9. NN finish ROW acquisition and design and 

construct the reaches. CONS: resources may not be 

available through the Nation to complete design and 

construction and meet deadline. 

- USBR: set up meeting with IHS and Navajo Nation to discussion 

options and decide on path forward 

17) BBN9 – Status/Schedule (Navajo Nation/SMA) 

a. Reach 10.1.1 

i. Has signed construction contract with NECA 

ii. Going through 164 process to execute 

iii. Construction expected to begin in Spring 2024 

b. 10.2.1 

i. Design complete 

ii. Construction will begin after 10.1.1 

c. Main BBN9 

i. Design at 90% 

ii. On-hold pending decision regarding upsizing of Reach 14.1/2 upsizing 

d. ROW 

i. Policy changes being changed and there is a path forward after two 

grazing permitees were unwilling to sign 

e. PIN 40 – Mods to Crownpoint Lateral Revisions 

i. PIN has been reviewed but is on-hold with R14.1/2 upsizing 

18) San Juan Lateral Community Connections 

a. Turnout Vaults (Reclamation) 

i. Chlorination points will be moving closer to distribution points 

ii. These will include flow meter and backflow prevention 

iii. USBR: consider sampling tap at turnouts 

b. Community Transmission and Treatment (Navajo Nation/SMA) 

i. SMA working on connection plans 

- Naschitti has ARPA funds that need to be obligated in less than a 

year 

a. 60% design has been sent to Navajo Nation, NTUA, and 

USBR 

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- Other chapters have been paused while work continues on 

Naschitti 

CUTTER LATERAL 

19) Construction and OM&R Update (Reclamation/NTUA/Navajo Nation) 

a. Operation Update (NTUA/Navajo Nation) 

i. There has been some operator turn over 

ii. New level IV operator 

iii. Jul: 400k g/day 

iv. Aug: 353k g/day 

v. Sep: 331k g/day 

vi. USBR inspected facilities and NTUA working on correcting minor 

deficiencies 

vii. Changing coagulants to help with downstream distribution systems 

b. Reaches 24 – 26 Construction Closeout and JAN Water Delivery (Navajo 

Nation/NTUA/SMA) 

i. JAN conveyance contract being finalized 

ii. Small deliveries being made to finish the construction of the JAN 

connection 

c. Reach 21 Booster Plant (Reclamation) 

i. VE Proposal Review (Ryan) – Decision to construct the deferred tank now 

to improve operational flexibilities at the treatment plant and reduce 

start/stop times. 

d. Area-Wide Optimization Program (NTUA) 

i. NTUA continues to participant in AWOP while focusing on turbidity and 

other readings 

WATER TREATMENT 

20) Regulatory Issues (Reclamation) 

a. SJL Disinfection By-Product Study Update 

i. Ongoing 

ii. Sampling has been completed in all chapters along the main transmission 

line 

iii. Water analysis underway and a report in anticipated early-2024 

b. Corrosion Control Study 

21) San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant (Reclamation) 

a. Water Quality BOD 

i. Has been provided to WTP offerors 

b. Procurement Update 

i. Offerors are working on 30% proposal that will be due in February 2024 

ii. June 2024 award expected 

iii. Construction expected in 2025 

PROJECT WIDE 

22) Upcoming PINs / Modified PINs (Reclamation) 

a. PIN 022.4 – Add Startup Flows for SJLWTP 

b. PIN 027.1 – Cutter Turnout Flows 

i. Circulated for comments/review 

c. PIN 034 – SJ Lateral Storage 

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i. Ryan working on updates 

d. PIN 038.1 – In-Tank Chlorination Systems, Water Quality Sampling, Pre-use 

Monitoring, and Tank Penetrations 

e. PIN 039.1 – SJLWTP Site Selection – will be sent for signature 

f. PIN 040 – comments will be sent back to the Nation from USBR but updates may 

not be needed 

g. PIN 049 – Pumping Plant #1 Location 

i. Is there a need for this PIN? 

h. PIN 050 – San Juan River Pumping Plant 

i. Will be drafted following VE proposal report 

i. PIN 051 – San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Process Decision 

23) Cultural Resources Compliance – Project-Wide (Reclamation) 

a. Survey : not currently working on any. 

b. Next CRCs: 10.2.1 is being finished now 

c. Tribal Construction Monitoring – active on Non-Navajo Nation lands on 12.1 and 

12.2 and City of Gallup projects currently. 

24) Environmental Compliance – Project-Wide (Reclamation) 

a. Clean Water Act Permits: 

i. Currently working on submitting 27.12 and 10.2.1 is next 

b. Revegetation: 

i. Project Wide Revegetation Plan – Still needs to be signed. WCAO 

submitted to BIA (Rudy Keedah) and Navajo Nation (Jason John) on 

September 16, 2021 for signature. Rudy is working to get that signed. 

ii. Revegetation Contracts – Reach 9-11 contract was awarded 

iii. Next will be Reaches 4c-8. 

c. NEPA: 

i. Currently not working on any, next up will be 24.1 Lybrook EA in 

coordination with SMA and Reach 14.6a, 7a, 8a – in coordination with 

IHS. 

ii. Beginning to look at NEPA requirements for changes on Reach 1 at the 

SJRiver pumping plant. 

25) Power Transmission (NTUA) 

a. San Juan Lateral Status (NTUA) 

i. Power to Pumping Plants #4 and #7 

- Contractor has been delayed and needs to move ahead with 

electrical work 

- NTUA working to provide required equipment 

ii. Power to Block 9-11 Rectifiers 

iii. Power to Block 4C-8 Rectifiers 

iv. 115kV Powerline Construction 

- Lead-times for electrical equipment has increased significantly 

- Concern regarding power availability at NGWSP facilities as the 

115kV installation has been delayed 

b. Power Supply Agreements Interim agreements in place. Need amendments to 

TCWA to add rectifiers and final power agreement. Scope changes also needed to 

include power to PP1 and other modifications in design. 

c. Renewable Energy Feasibility Study w/NREL (Navajo Nation/WCAO) 

i. Interagency Agreement with NREL 

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ii. Preparing procurement package documentation, awaiting FY24 NREL 

labor rate information 

iii. Award early 2025 with a 1-year study completion timeframe 

26) SCADA/Cybersecurity (Reclamation) 

a. Cutter Lateral (FISMA compliance) 

i. Agreement with NTUA to be modified to put FISMA compliance in place 

b. San Juan Lateral (Reach 14 Radio Communications) 

i. Radio study is required to determine elevation and frequency range for 

antenna at Gamerco 

ii. Tohlakai SCADA control system may need upgrades 

iii. IHS and NTUA to discuss needs on Reach 14 data 

27) Budget (Reclamation) 

a. FY2024 Construction Budget: $TBD by DOI 

i. Mandatory - $TBD by DOI 

ii. Discretionary - $0 

b. City of Gallup Credit Request Status 

c. 1st Quarter FY2024 Bills 

28) Information Sharing / Public Outreach (Reclamation) 

a. Quarterly Newsletter 

b. Construction Outreach 

c. CLE Tribal Water Law Conference 

29) Other Related Navajo-San Juan NM Settlement Issues (BIA/Navajo Nation) (MOVED 

FROM #4) 

a. Conjunctive Groundwater Use Plan – see slides 

b. San Juan River Navajo Irrigation Projects – see slides 

30) Action items and assignments (Reclamation) 

31) Schedule next PCC meeting – Jan 25, 2024 – in-person with virtual option 

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