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Council approves change orders for Pond 1 and Pond 3 lining and repairs
Summary
The council unanimously approved three change orders — two for Pond 3 and one for Pond 1 — to complete concrete lining work after unforeseen soil and drain issues were discovered. Staff said most of the project is grant funded and additional work will be paid from the water fund.
The Saratoga Springs City Council voted unanimously to approve three change orders for city stormwater ponds: two change orders for Pond 3 and one for Pond 1. City utilities staff described unforeseen subsurface conditions discovered during removal of existing pond liners that required additional excavation, replacement of weak soils with compacted structural material, reinforcement and re-pouring of concrete around a center drain, and redesign and installation of a maintenance ramp in Pond 1.
Dean Free, assistant public works director for utilities, said Pond 3’s original plastic liner had reached the end of its service life. When contractors removed the liner they found saturated, weak clay that required over-excavation and replacement to support a concrete liner. Later, as Pond 3 was refilled, a leak at a center drain revealed subsidence beneath the concrete; crews drained the pond, removed concrete, added reinforcement and re-poured that portion. Pond 3 has since been refilled and is operating.
Work on Pond 1 was delayed by seasonal constraints; when its liner was removed crews found weak sand material under the liner and also redesigned and will install a new, gentler maintenance ramp to allow heavy equipment access. Staff said pond lining and related work are largely grant-funded; the total project package (including other items such as removing landscape on Grandview Boulevard) is approximately $2,000,000, and change orders will be covered with water-fund dollars.
Councilmembers asked whether the city has monitoring and leak-detection tools for other ponds. Staff said ponds include an underdrain system with pipe outlets that can be inspected and that the city uses a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system to monitor pond levels and flows. Staff said the pond monitoring includes watching water levels and flow rates and that manhole inspections and dye testing were used to locate the Pond 3 leak.
A motion to approve Business Item 2 (change orders as presented) was moved and passed unanimously.
