The Imperial Irrigation District planned to replace its aging electrical lines and utility systems that served the pumping stations, sluice gates, and other facilities at its Imperial Dam and Laguna Dam sites on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona.
Laguna Dam, completed in 1907, was the first dam constructed on the Colorado River. The Imperial Irrigation District was formed in 1911 and by 1916 had acquired all the California Development assets. In 1935, construction of the new Imperial Dam was started to provide additional power and irrigation to the Imperial Valley. The facilities were state of the art in their era having been well-maintained and have continued to serve the community for over 80 years. However, the dams and related facilities were in need of equipment replacement and modernization in order to provide safe and reliable systems to serve future generations.
The project aimed to remove and replace an existing electrical substation and remove and replace the overhead electrical lines serving the sluice gates, pump station, control house, workshop, and other facilities. The equipment and the controls for the operation of the facilities were upgraded and modernized. The project also included installing a new overhead electrical line to the older Laguna Dam.
PacRim Engineering and its consultants provided the aerial topographic survey for approximately 400 acres of the site. PacRim prepared the necessary grading plans required for the substation and miscellaneous transformer locations.