NAVAJO-GALLUP WATER SUPPLY PROJECT 

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE MEETING NO. 62 

THURSDAY, February 1, 2024, 9:00 AM 

In-Person and via MS-Teams 

SUMMARY 

1) Review and approve agenda (Reclamation) 

2) Review October 26, 2023 PCC Meeting Summary (Reclamation) 

3) Review ofFCC Action Item List (Reclamation) 

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

a. Conjunctive Groundwater Use Plan 

b. San Juan River Navajo Irrigation Projects 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE - See Slides 

5) Block 4C-8 (Reclamation) 

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

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

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

9) Block 4A/4B (Reclamation) 

10) Reach 27.7B (Gallup) 

a. HDD for gas lines requires a $2 million change order to avoid open cut 

b. Transwestem Pipeline and Marathon are requiring HDD to cross an existing gas line 

c. Construction is on schedule, about 70% complete 

SAN JUAN LATERAL- ISSUES/ DESIGN UPDATE 

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

a. Awaiting a house hearing 

12) San Juan Lateral Intake (aka Reach 1)- Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. VP Accountability Summary (Sterling) 

1. VP Study completed week of 12/11/23 

1. Proposed work be completed under four contracts: 

a. Temporary pumps at River Pumping Plant (new) 

i. 30% Statement of Objectives complete 

ii. Award summer 2024 with installation in fall 2024 

b. Reach I Pipeline Repairs and Modifications 

i. Work will begin after reservoir is filled, using temp pumps 

ii. Review C planned for May 2024 

iii. Award end of2024 

iv. Construction start early-2025 

c. Frank Chee Willetto Dam & Reservoir 

1. Tentative schedule: 

1. VE Study Summer 2025 

2. Review C Spring 2026 

3. Award early-2027 

d. River Pumping Plant and Intake Contract ( existing) 

i. Design schedule being finalized 

ii. Estimate costs will be included in the next update of the Working Cost Estimate 

(anticipated complete by Apr 2024) 

m. Requirement to deliver water to PNM was included in agreements when SJGS facilities 

were acquired 

13) Block 2-3 - Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. Realignments (Moncef) 

1. Rd 6800 

ii. HDD up Nenahnezad Hill 

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b. Splitting Blk 2-3 into two separate contracts: 

i. HDD - 90% design April 2024 

ii. Pipeline - 90% design May 2024 

c. ROW - plats for all private properties (except PNM Dunlap Farms), ESA Phase I completion is 

expected Feb 2024 for request of appraisal 

14) SJL Pumping Plants - Status/Schedule (Reclamation) 

a. Pumping Plant # 1 

i. VE Proposal Review (Ryan) 

ii. PIN 032 to be modified for pump number 

iii. Design Update - 60% design comments due by 01/30/24 

90% design ETA 07/12/24 

1v. ROW application expected May 2024, ESA Phase I completion expected Feb 2024 

15) Reach 27/Pumping Plant #8- Status/Schedule (City of Gallup) 

a. PP8 

1. 

11. 

iii. 

iv. 

b. 27.12 

i. 

C. 27.11 

i. 

Have a PIN that allows the City to build the pumping plant 

Water blending is being considered 

Topo survey is being completed 

Some equipment from Tohlakai that is no longer being used will be utilized at PP8 

60% in June 2024 

In closeout process 

16) Tohlakai Pumping Plant 

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

1. Modification in process to install backflow preventor on 12A 

11. Should be complete by May 2024 

m. Coordination will be required to deliver water to the City 

iv. USBR to send cutsheets prior to installation 

17) Reach 14 (Indian Health Service) 

a. Reaches 14.1 and 14.2- Status/Schedule 

1. R14.1 

1. IHS meeting with USBR to discussion updating the NEPA 

2. Access to the storage tank currently on-hold so construction has not started 

3. May encounter construction-start issues when considering endangered species in 

the area 

11. Potential upsizing ofR14.2 (IHS/SMA) 

1. Upsizing would serve Rio Sante Fe Basin which is outside the authorized 

service area of the NGWSP and is being paid for by the Navajo Nation 

2. Mtg early-January 

3. IHS to respond to Jason John request regarding the potential upsizing 

4. Necessary to cross one private parcel, mtg scheduled late-Feb to discuss possible 

ROW, this is required for upsizing 

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

i. Options for moving ahead (Sterling) 

1. NNDWR to consider and respond regarding decision to move forward 

2. May be benefits of having Reclamation design and construct as this is the end of 

the system and consideration of water quality 

18) BBN9- Status/Schedule (Navajo Nation/SMA) 

a. Rl0.2.1 - Just received TAA approvals 

b. BBN9 design and R14.2 upsizing were intertwined as one of these needed to be upsized 

c. Once R14.2 routing is confirmed, then design work on BBN9 can resume 

19) San Juan Lateral Community Connections 

a. Turnout Vaults (Reclamation) 

i. USBR has been working with SMA regarding equipment that will be included in vaults 

ii. Check valves being installed at turnouts, downstream pipe being considered 

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m. PIN 22.3 to be updated to PIN 22.4 

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

CUTTER LATERAL 

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

a. Operations - General 

1. October water production average: 336 kgal/day 

ii. November water production average: 324 kgal/day 

iii. December water production average: 344 kgal/day 

1v. Transmission line leak repair completed just before Christmas 

v. A leak was reported by a nearby homeowner. 

vi. On investigation found two leaks immediately adjacent to each other 

vii. WTP was paused and distribution system groundwater wells were returned to service 

viii. Repairs made overnight 

ix. Transmission line returned to service 

x. No service interruptions 

b. Water Regulatory/Quality 

1. Aluminum Chlorohydrate Coagulant (ACH) proposal 

1. Jacobs revising proposal based on comments from BOR & NTUA 

ii. NMED request for sampling locations and water quality sampling/testing data in Cutter 

distribution system (NTUA) 

1. Awaiting 2023 Q4 DBP results 

2. Coordinating refresher training for sample collection and adding parallel free 

and total chlorine residual testing. 

c. Area Wide Optimization Program (A WOP) - (NTUA) 

i. Quarterly update held 17-January to review water quality results. 

ii. Turbidity reading are affected by sample timing. Adjustments were made with improved 

readings, now indicating below A WOP goals. 

d. Water Treatment & Conveyance Contract (Jicarilla/NTUA) 

i. NTUA has made edits to the contract at the request of Jicarilla, and they are under their 

review for finalization. 

e. Jicarilla Connection Update (Jicarilla) 

i. Completing the end of the connection 

ii. Currently delivering water to the Teepee Junction Area 

iii. Will be delivering to residences soon 

iv. Chlorination building will be complete this summer 

f. Reach 21 Booster Plant (Reclamation) 

i. Design Update - 60% design expected April 2024. 

WATER TREATMENT 

21) Regulatory Coordination (Reclamation) 

a. Disinfection Byproducts (Steve Dundorf) 

i. San Juan Water System 

1. Performing residence time modeling 

2. Developing a second DBP formation curve with known bromide concentration 

b. Blending & Corrosion Control (Steve Dundorf) 

i. San Juan & Cutter Water Systems 

1. Pursuing pilot testing at CL WTP to benefit both water systems 

2. Continued work with water quality results analysis, coupon testing, and 

modeling water 

3. Modeling will include all locations where there may be DBP issues 

USBR to send information to Yolanda Barney as requested 

New Gallup well is also being considered in blending study at PP8 

22) San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant (Reclamation) 

a. Water Quality BOD 

b. Procurement Update 

1. Reclamation has pushed back selection of bidders a month- From Feb 15 to Mar 15. 

Award will be in June, at which time the selected design-build firm will work to complete 

design submittal packages and procurement of critical equipment, 

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PROJECT WIDE 

23) Upcoming PINs / Modified PINs (Reclamation) 

a. PIN 022.4 -Add Startup Flows for SJL WTP 

b. PIN 027.1 - Cutter Turnout Flows - finalized and being prepared for signature 

c. PIN 034 - SJ Lateral Storage 

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

Tank Penetrations 

e. PIN 039.1 - SJL WTP Site Selection - ready for signature 

f. PIN 049 - Pumping Plant # I Location - Is this PIN needed? If so, could it be a modification to the 

intake PIN 047 

g. PIN 050 - San Juan River Pumping Plant 

h. PIN 051 - San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Process Decision 

24) Cultural Resources Compliance - Project-Wide (Reclamation) 

a. CRC's: 10.2.1 was completed November 2023; 24.1 Lybrook draft CRC is currently under 

review; 10.1, and 10.2 CRCs are currently being drafted. 

b. New Tribal Construction Monitoring contractor (Stampede) was hired and is starting monitoring 

now. 

25) Environmental Compliance - Project-Wide (Reclamation) 

a. CWA Section 404/401 permitting was completed for Reach 27.12 December 2023 

b. WCAO has determined Stream Duration Assessment Method (SDAM) forms will need to be 

prepared for future locations that do not involve Waters of the United States (WOTUS), as defined 

under the amended 2023 rule. 

c. SDAMs will be submitted to USACE, and they will send email confirmation that a 404 permit is 

not required. 

d. Contractor is currently putting together SDAMs for BBN9 reaches: 10.1, 10.2, 10.2.1, 10.3 and 

10.3 .1, as these reaches only involve ephemeral wash crossings that would not meet the definition 

of WOTUS under the amended rule. 

e. Meeting with New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and EPA Region 6 was held on 

January 23, 2024 to discuss Clean Water Act Section 402 permitting needs in Reach 1. 

f. multiple NPDES permits are potentially needed, some of which may involve a lengthy permitting 

process ( estimated to take 6 months to I-year once design is complete and permit is submitted to 

EPA). 

g. Next revegetation contract that we are going to work on is 4c-8. 

26) Power Transmission (NTUA) 

a. San Juan Lateral Status (NTUA) 

1. Power to Pumping Plants #4 and #7 - Feb 1 and 16, 2024 

ii. Power to Block 9-11 Rectifiers 

iii. Power to Block 4C-8 Rectifiers 

1v. 115kV Powerline Construction 

1. NTUA is ordering long-lead items well in advance 

2. USBR and NTUA meeting monthly 

b. Power Supply Agreements 

1. Working with NTUA and WAPA on amendment to the agreement to build the 

transmission system, amending to include additional costs 

u. Will return to power supply agreement following transmission system agreement 

modification 

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

i. Report finalized 

27) SCADA/Cybersecurity (Reclamation) 

a. Cutter Lateral (FISMA compliance) 

b. San Juan Lateral (Reach 14 Radio Communications) 

28) Budget (Reclamation) 

a. FY2024 Construction Budget: 

i. Mandatory - $164,000,000 

ii. Discretionary - $0 

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b. City of Gallup Credit Request Status 

c. 1st Quarter FY2024 Bills 

29) Information Sharing / Public Outreach (Reclamation) 

a. Quarterly Newsletter 

b. Construction Outreach 

30) Action items and assignments (Reclamation) 

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

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