Purchase of the Property 

On March 27, 2023 City Council authorized the purchase of six parcels from the Mendocino Coast Park and Recreation District located adjacent to Hwy 20 and Summers Lane. The property consists of 582 acres that are primarily zoned Timber Production/Forest Land. 

Project Description - Phase 1 - Design & Environmental 

The City of Fort Bragg (City) is seeking proposals from qualified consultants interested in contracting with the City to design 3 (three) 45-acre-foot reservoirs within a fenced compound (Project) and to prepare construction drawings and contract documents supporting their construction. The City is also seeking qualified consultants to  perform environmental work in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations in support of the construction of the reservoirs. 

The reservoirs will occupy approximately 30 acres of land within a forested area purchased by the City which is comprised of 6 parcels and totals 582 acres.  These parcels are located adjacent to the City’s Summers Lane Reservoir, which is an existing 45-acre-foot reservoir. (Figure 1).  The proposed reservoir compound shall also include a caretaker unit and a storage building.  The proposed caretaker unit will be constructed in the disturbed area in the northwest portion of the property, and a fenced parking lot and pit toilets will be constructed in the highly disturbed area off of Highway 20.

This project is critical to ensure a reliable supply of water to residents during periods of drought.  The reservoirs will be filled during winter with water pumped up from the Noyo River or via gravity flow from the Waterfall Gulch source when flows are high.  Water will be drawn from the reservoirs during summer when flows in the channels are low, reducing the impact on aquatic species.  The water will flow primarily by gravity to the City’s Water Treatment Plant. 

The new reservoirs shall be similar to the existing Summers Lane Reservoir, which has a depth of up to 18 ft, fill heights of up to 16 ft, with 2:1 external and 3:1 internal side slopes. Construction of new piping to and from the reservoirs and conveyance piping to existing infrastructure will be needed. The project’s proposed dam heights and storage capacities shall be such that the project does not fall within the jurisdiction of the California Division of Safety of Dams.

Photo of Summers Lane Reservoir

The site includes the endemic and rare sensitive natural habitat of the Mendocino Cypress Woodland, as mapped by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as the more traditional redwood forest associations.  Preliminary biologic studies to optimize reservoir siting and minimize impacts to special status species have recently been completed.  The RFP for the Environmental Impact Report will be issued in parallel with this design RFP and the winning consultants for both contracts will be expected to work closely together to achieve the project objectives. The overall project is anticipated to include mitigation measures for impacts due to project construction, and the City intends to use the remainder of the property to create a community forest.

Phase 2- Construction

This project is anticipated to go out to bid for construction services in the next few years.