Groundwater Authority approves Blue Mountain contract and two design/environmental change orders for imported water pipeline

The Groundwater Authority board approved a contract with Blue Mountain Development for project management of the imported water pipeline and two change orders to Provost & Pritchard to cover environmental revegetation and additional design work.

Board members voted to hire Blue Mountain Development to support the pipeline project as it transitions to construction under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The board also approved a $15,000 change order for Provost & Pritchard to prepare a revegetation and restoration plan and a $159,004 change order for additional trenchless crossings and expanded corrosion design work.

The approvals come as the project moves from design toward Corps-led construction and after federal land-management requirements from the Bureau of Land Management added scope to environmental and design work. Staff said the Blue Mountain contract is intended to provide technical and project-management expertise for coordinating Corps requirements, utility coordination and design transition work so the authority can stay on schedule.

Omar Dandashe, who introduced himself to the board as a licensed civil engineer and project manager for Blue Mountain Development, said the firm has experience with NEPA/CEQA and Army Corps projects and expects to help…