Transforming a 1960s pump plant into a modern water supply asset

American River Intake Pump Station

Placer County Water Authority’s (PCWA) original 1960s-era intake pump station on the North Fork of the American River had been removed by the federal government for construction of Auburn Dam. The project was subsequently halted due to an earthquake and loss of project feasibility. As a result of this, PCWA was able to obtain congressional authorization and appropriation to replace their pump station at the abandoned construction site. They needed an engineering solution that would accommodate a pump station in this highly disturbed area of the American River. PCWA brought us in to lead the planning, design, and construction support.

Our team delivered full-service engineering services, beginning with feasibility studies and environmental documentation to meet both National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act requirements. We worked closely with federal, state, and local agencies—as well as environmental groups—to shape a project that balanced technical needs, habitat protection, and limited funding. We also provided value engineering, hydraulic modeling, and geotechnical investigations.

We designed the 225-cubic-feet-per-second (6.4-cubic-metres-per-second) pump station to house seven 60-inch (152-centimetre) diameter pump shafts set within a semi-circular wet well, along with a discharge pipeline that conveys water downstream treatment facilities. The facility features a 96-inch (244-centimetre) reinforced concrete pipe, a horseshoe-shaped tunnel excavated in rock, and a concrete cavern housing seven pump bays. Pumps, valves, and electrical systems are housed in a two-story structure designed for long-term reliability.

Today, the American River Intake Pump Station provides a reliable and environmentally conscious water supply to communities in the region.