Engineering committee approves canal embankment design contract, moves large dredging supplemental to full commission, and authorizes drainage easements

The Engineering Committee on Aug. 27 approved a contract for design work to repair embankment damage on the Augusta Canal and handled multiple drainage and dredging matters tied to ongoing storm recovery and infrastructure maintenance.

The committee approved entering a professional engineering services contract with Schnabel Engineering for a design, bidding and construction-administration scope to repair embankment damages on the Augusta Canal from the raw water pumping station to the head gates. The contract amount is $394,000; the firm is an approved dam-safety engineer under the city's engineering services RFQ and will work concurrently with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) review to coordinate regulatory approvals.

The committee also considered a supplemental construction contract increase for Waterfront Properties LLC d/b/a Gator (the city's dredging contractor) to continue sediment dredging and to add the Turkneck Springs sediment-basing task. The agenda listed a supplemental funding request of $1,150,000 for the Turkneck Springs task. After questions from commissioners about bid history, mobilization, unit pricing and the overall task-order total, the committee voted to forward the dredging supplemental to the full commission without recommendation to allow staff to provide additional procurement and pricing detail.

Finally, the committee approved three related condemnation actions to acquire small permanent drainage easements and temporary construction easements needed for the East Augusta Drainage and Improvement Phase 4 project (properties on Laney Walker Boulevard and Artemis Street). Engineering staff and land-acquisition counsel explained the easements are required to complete fixed-elevation gravity drainage work in built neighborhoods; staff said they perform outreach and title work prior to condemnation and will communicate with affected neighbors before construction.

Committee members asked staff to emphasize community notification and coordination with neighborhood groups as construction schedules approach; engineering staff said they will follow the city's outreach procedures and coordinate with right-of-way and public outreach staff.

The dredging supplemental will return to the full commission with additional procurement detail and a confirmed total before final approval.