Restoring canal capacity and improving drought resilience through modern engineering solutions

At a Glance

  • 20

    Miles of New Canal

  • 1M

    Acres of Farmland

  • 4,000

    cfs Capacity

Location
Lindsay, California
Offices
Client
  • Friant Water Authority
Partners
  • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
  • Dahl Consultants (Design)
  • Provost & Pritchard (Survey)
  • OPC (Utility Coordination)
Awards
ACEC California, Engineering Excellence Award, 2025
ASCE San Francisco Section, Outstanding Water Project Award, 2025
ACEC, National Recognition Award, 2025

Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity and Subsidence Correction

The Friant-Kern Canal stretches 152 miles (245 kilometres) through California’s San Joaquin Valley, carrying water from the Sierra Nevada to farms and communities that depend on it. However, years of drought and land subsidence caused by groundwater pumping have taken a toll. The canal’s capacity had dropped by nearly 60 percent. To improve water delivery, the Friant Water Authority reached out to our team to design and manage a major restoration effort.

Partnered with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, we studied the canal’s condition, built hydraulic models, and explored more than seven alternatives involving options such as widening the canal and adding pumping stations. The selected plan included 20 miles (32 kilometres) of new parallel canals, upgrades to siphons and pump stations, and raising 11 miles (18 kilometres) of the existing canal lining. We also found ways to reuse existing canal banks, cutting material needs by more than 20 percent. Additionally, we secured environmental approvals, permits, funding, and bid-ready documents in 36 months—an unprecedented timeline for a project of this scale.

Phase one construction delivered 10 miles (16 kilometres) of new canal and critical structures—boosting capacity by 56 percent. Value engineering and advanced HEC-RAS modeling saved over $21 million by optimizing embankment slopes and shortening the new canal—while improving hydraulic performance.

While the design for phase two is complete, construction is dependent on future water delivery needs and funding. It covers the remaining section of the parallel canal and raising of the existing canal lining.

Today, the Friant-Kern Canal is stronger and more resilient, supporting agriculture, and ready to keep the water flowing to communities across the valley for generations to come.

At a Glance

  • 20

    Miles of New Canal

  • 1M

    Acres of Farmland

  • 4,000

    cfs Capacity

Location
Lindsay, California
Offices
Client
  • Friant Water Authority
Partners
  • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
  • Dahl Consultants (Design)
  • Provost & Pritchard (Survey)
  • OPC (Utility Coordination)
Awards
ACEC California, Engineering Excellence Award, 2025
ASCE San Francisco Section, Outstanding Water Project Award, 2025
ACEC, National Recognition Award, 2025

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