Large scale excavations have officially begun at the Mountain Tunnel Improvements Project. The tell-tale sign of this milestone was the appearance of the huge crane near Priest Reservoir. The specialty Liebherr crane was manufactured in Austria and carefully transported to the remote site in pieces. The crane is so large it had to be broken…
Category: Regional
Read the latest news and stories of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System on the Peninsula, in the East Bay, and beyond.
Learn about the SFPUC’s system, the staff who operate and maintain it, and the Agency’s ongoing efforts to support the communities we serve.
Track individual construction projects at the SFPUC construction page.
Work Set to Proceed on Mountain Tunnel Improvements Project
The SFPUC is set to begin construction work on the Mountain Tunnel Improvements Project, a multi-year effort to upgrade and rehabilitate a critical component of the SFPUC Regional Water System that serves 2.7 million customers in the Bay Area. “The water we provide our customers passes through miles of pipelines and tunnels before it reaches taps in…
Sunol Long Term Improvements Project Wins 2020 San Francisco Collaborative Partnering Award
Most every major infrastructure project encounters challenges during construction. The Sunol Yard Long Term Improvement Project was no exception. However, the manner in which the project team joined together to overcome these challenges is why the project team won a 2020 San Francisco Collaborative Partnering Award. In January 2017, the project began construction at the Sunol…
A Look Back in History: Life at the Dam
A gem from the Hetch Hetchy construction contract No. 61 proposal is a plan showing proximity of the construction crew camp to the proposed dam site. In the lower left quadrant of the drawing, the tramway location is reaching down from the loop of Hetch Hetchy Railroad upslope. Other interesting features in the drawing depict…
A Look Back in History: Bedrock Contour Map of Hetch Hetchy Dam Site
The original O’Shaughnessy Dam was 226 feet above riverbed. It was raised from its original height in 1938. Today the O’Shaughnessy Dam is 312 feet above riverbed and 430 feet above bedrock. Below is a bedrock contour map developed for the dam. This illustration is taken from Contract No. 61, “For the Construction of Hetch…
How a Little-Known Powerhouse Keeps San Francisco Running
Moccasin Powerhouse is situated near the base of beautiful rolling hills along a creek in Tuolumne County 130 miles east of San Francisco. Unbeknownst to many a visitor passing by, it is a vital resource in the City & County of San Francisco’s Regional Water and Power System. One of three hydroelectric power plants operated…