COSA Seeks Bids for Pumping Dead Pools

The City of San Angelo closed bidding today on proposals for the lease of pumping equipment and portable pipelines.

The pumps will be used to withdraw water from the dead storage pools in Twin Buttes Reservoir, Tom Green County, Texas. The system should be capable of achieving flows of approximately 25 million gallons per day.

COSA's Facebook page stated on January 3:

San Angelo uses an average of 14mm gallons each day. (In the winter, we use about 10mm gallons/day

The City's RFP specified:

The pumping system may consist of a combination not to exceed three pumping units. Pumping units shall be diesel powered. The pumping units shall be skid mounted such that they can be easily moved. City will be responsible for moving the pumps and piping.

Suction piping shall be provided for each pump. A minimum of 200 feet of suction pipe shall be provided for each unit. The typical depth of water over the suction pipe will be 3–5 feet and any type of baffle plates needed to prevent vortexing shall be provided by Respondent. A screening device shall be provided on the end of each suction pipe with openings not larger than 1 inch.

It remains to be seen how the city plans to use these pumps.  They've used pumps in the North Pool to get water through the dry gates.  I'm not aware of pumps being used at the South Pool in the past, although Councilman Paul Alexander floated that idea in 2011.

Provide a detailed description and pricing for the proposed pumping system. The lease period will be for at least 60 days and will be extended on a month-to-month basis thereafter. The pricing schedule shall include at a minimum the following:

A. Monthly lease fee for each pump size
B. Monthly lease fee per foot for suction piping
C. Monthly lease fee per foot for discharge pipe
D. Purchase option per foot for the suction and discharge pipe
E. Minimum lease term
F. Availability of pumps
G. Mobilization fee to deliver and set the pumping system including pumps and piping.
H. De-mobilization fee to disassemble and pick up the pump system.

Bidders may want to check the city's history with pumps and diesel spills. COSA got in trouble for not reporting such in the past.

My hope is the rains come and the South Concho flows.  I windsurfed two weeks ago at the South Pool and the water was up, close to flowing into the Equalization Channel.  The North Pool is way below the South elevation wise, so pumping may remain necessary.

I do think it's better to refer to San Angelo's drinking water source as something other than a dead pool.

Update 2-7-12:  COSA posted Addendum ! and Addendum 2 for the project.  The deadline changed to February 23.

Twin Buttes Irrigation to Go Year Round

San Angelo City Council may amend their contract with the Bureau of Reclamation on irrigation water from Twin Buttes.  The proposed resolution states:

"providing for allocation of the Project water supply and to reflect the change in the irrigation season from February 1st through October 31st , to year round use."

This may be of interest to water sports enthusiasts.

P.S.  I posted possible conflict of interest issues for Water Chief Will Wilde on my other blog.  .

Twin Buttes Public Meeting

The City of San Angelo held a public meeting on Twin Buttes in early December.  The presentation mentioned windsurfers and included a picture from this blog as slide 20.   

Twin Buttes Public Meeting 12-1-11 Presentation

View more presentations from City of San Angelo Texas

There should be another chance for input for windsurfers and other users.  I'll try to find out the details and let folks know.

Update:  The Standard Times ran a story on the park master plan, which includes Twin Buttes.  "We're not coming up with anything new" at Twin Buttes, White said, "just getting the public input for what they would like to make sure continues out there."