Emergency tunnel gets green light at Lake Mead

Projections for the lake's water levels indicate one of the two existing intakes could soon become inoperable. The emergency tunnelling work would extend the life of Intake 1, the older and shallower of the two. The SNWA deemed the work an 'emergency' to fast track the project, which requires Intake 1 to be temporarily capped and drained. SNWA stated the best time to complete the work is in the winter months when water demand is lower, requiring an immediate start or delay to next year.

Worth USD 12M, the work will be a change order to an existing contract with Renda Pacific, which excavated 2,820ft worth of tunnels to eventually connect the forthcoming third intake, with Intake 2. New construction includes a 110ft vertical shaft from the bottom of the pump station at Intake 1 to the connector tunnels for Intakes 2 and 3.

Tunnelling for the construction of Intake 3 is still underway, having realigned the starter tunnel after flood events slowed progress. The project was originally scheduled to complete in 2014. The SNWA is not certain this will be accomplished.

Intake 1 could be inoperable should the water levels at Lake Mead drop another 40ft, or below 1,065ft when water quality would be affected, according to SNWA. The US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) reported the lake could drop another 30ft by 2015.