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Project Titles:
- Sun River Solar Water Well (FFS #R8GT*)
- Construct 3,084 Foot Trail (FFS #R8LB)
State: California
Project Description: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds will be used to upgrade an inefficient water well and construct a new trail at Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in California’s Central Valley. Details on these Recovery Act projects are below.
Sun River Solar Water Well
The Sun River Unit of the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge manages approximately 150 acres of irrigated pasture and wet meadow that support numerous species that migrate and winter in the Central Valley, including waterfowl, greater sandhill cranes, white faced ibis, and Swainson’s hawk.
Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Refuge will be able to replace an existing water well with a new solar power-assisted well, which will improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The well will provide potable water for domestic and irrigation uses, as well as a clean source of water for livestock used to maintain short grass habitat.
The project will include the following components:
- New photovoltaic power system to serve the new water well. The well pump will be able to be connected to the existing electrical circuit box to provide power when solar energy is not available.
- New state-compliant water well, complete with testing, treatment, pump equipment, and connections to serve livestock watering (100 head of cattle), incidental landscape and agricultural irrigation, and a potable drinking source for future domestic use.
- A simple, concept-level to scale site plan that depicts the improvements: well, PV panels, existing pump house and septic disposal area, and topography.
Sybrant Construction, LLC, a woman-owned, small and disadvantaged business, is the prime contractor in charge of the design and construction of the project. “This project enables us to retain our highly qualified project manager by providing additional work for him for 180 days,” explained Sandi Sybrant, president of Sybrant Construction. “In addition, it allows us to continue to employ administrative support staff members who are working with the project manager on this project.” Sybrant added, “This project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase use of renewable energy. It will also correct any code deficiencies and unsafe conditions.”
Scope:
- Construct solar powered well in accordance with County of Sacramento specifications. Project may also include decommissioning the existing well and disposing of the old pump equipment if necessary.
- Allow for the well to be connected to the electrical grid when necessary. As necessitated by the actual work, perform ancillary tasks such as, but not limited to: design, code review, structural, fire, mechanical, electrical calculations, preparation of drawings and specifications, coordination with utility companies, city/county/state/federal agencies for water, sewer, electrical system inspection, fire alarm/sprinkler system inspection, and similar, as well as field engineering, construction, commissioning building systems, and training government staff.
“We enjoy working with the Fish and Wildlife Service,” commented Sybrant. “We find the staff to be dedicated to the successful completion of the project and furthering the mission of the Refuge. It has been particularly great to work with Anthony Kaiser in Contracting; Bart McDermott, Refuge Manager; and Beatrix Treiterer, Deputy Refuge Manager, who run the local Fish and Wildlife facility at Stone Lake. They’ve been helpful in determining the local subcontractor community and identifying local conditions. We’ve also been supported by Jim Burby, Project Manager, Division of Engineering, who specializes in renewable energy projects.”
Project Status: The contract was awarded to Sybrant Construction, LLC of Glendale, Arizona, on December 20, 2009, in the amount of $158,663. The project is expected to be completed in 2010.
Photos:
 Sun River Hunt club at Stone Lakes NWR. |
 Sun River pasture land. |
Photos by Bart McDermott.
Construct 3,084 Foot Trail
The Headquarters Unit of the Refuge contains wetlands with paved trails. Recovery Act 2009 funding supported upgrades of the Blue Heron Trail, a long-awaited project that will expand public access at the Stone Lakes NWR. 3,084 feet of concrete trails four to six inches thick by six feet wide connected to two, 25-foot-diameter concrete gathering pads were constructed in fall 2009. The project also included construction of one 20-foot-long by six-foot-wide boardwalk over a waterway that is dry seven to nine months out of the year.
The trail is part of the Refuge’s long-term plans for improving public access and environmental education programs on the Refuge. When opened to the public, the Refuge will use the trail to facilitate environmental education programs for visiting school groups and volunteers.
The trail is one phase of the entire Visitor Contact Station that is being developed at Refuge Headquarters. The remaining construction includes a new entrance road, parking lot, and interpretive panels and kiosks along the trail.
Public access will be restricted while the Blue Heron Trail is under construction to provide visitor parking and facility development. Once completed, regular public access is projected for Fall 2011.
Effect on Visitation to the Refuge and Community: This project is the first phase of development in an area that will be open to the public seven days a week, from dawn to dusk. These trails will also be part of the “Junior Biologist” program that will provide youth groups with hands-on opportunities to study water quality, survey wetland plant and animal communities, sample for mosquito larvae, etc. Once the project is open to the public, it’s estimated that 10,000 visitors will come to the Refuge.
Effect on Wildlife Habitat and Species: The Headquarters Unit of the Stone Lakes NWR was designed to create wildlife habitat and allow for non-consumptive wildlife-dependent recreation, such as environmental education, interpretation, photography, and wildlife observation. The trails meander along two permanent wetland units leading to viewing areas overlooking seasonal wetlands and grasslands where the public can observe wildlife, such as sandhill cranes, herons, and waterfowl without disturbance. Thus, although we cannot eliminate all disturbances, the entire restoration and placement of trails and eventual parking areas and other amenities are designed to minimize disturbance, while providing the public with high-quality observation and learning opportunities.
Effect on Deferred Maintenance Backlog: The trails will require limited maintenance, such as mowing and weed control along the trails. This will not likely add to the deferred maintenance backlog for the Refuge.
Long-term Economic Benefits for the Local Community: The long-term economic benefits for the local community will result from bringing people to the general area, where they will visit local restaurants and shops. The opening of the Refuge to the public may also generate new opportunities for shops that cater to birdwatchers, photographers, and other wildlife enthusiasts.
Youth Involvement in the Project: This project involved a number of youth groups. The overall Blue Heron Trails project includes restoring the area to native vegetation. A number of volunteer groups, including local school groups, scout groups, Refuge volunteers, Youth Conservation Corps crews, and California Conservation Corps crews have already begun the process of planting native shrubs, trees, and grasses around the wetlands and restored grasslands. Additional restorations will continue along the trail.
Project Status: The contract was awarded to Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction of San Francisco, California on July 31, 2009, in the amount of $217,000. A grand opening is projected to be held in fall 2011.
September 2011 Project Update: Completed in October 2009, the 3,084-foot universally accessible trail and boardwalk at the refuge headquarters project, Blue Heron Trails, is part of a larger infrastructure project aimed to provide regular public access on a daily basis. With the on-going construction of a new entrance road, parking lot, amphitheater, rest-rooms, kiosks, and interpretive panels, Blue Heron Trails is scheduled to open in November 2011.
December 2011 Project Update: The majority of the water well project is complete. The actual cost of construction was higher than estimated due to the location of the well being in the one hundred year floodplain and several design challenges. The contractor drilled and secure a new well shaft to county requirements. The contractor also provided plans with drawings and specifications for completing the platform rack that will hold the solar array and mechanical equipment that will be installed as additional funding becomes available.
Photos:
 Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction poured over 3,000 feet of concrete trails, as well as two 25-foot-diameter pads. |
 Youth groups and volunteers planted new plantings along the Blue Heron Trail. |
 September 2011 Update: New Trail |
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Whether it’s fall and flocks of geese are landing in wetlands and grasslands, or spring and warblers are foraging in tree-lined waterways, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) protects wildlife in the midst of an urban setting in California’s Central Valley.
Located just 12 miles from the state’s capitol, the Stone Lakes area has three permanent lakes – Beach Lake, North Stone Lake, and South Stone Lake. These large bodies of water serve as magnets for fish and wildlife in the northern Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
The Refuge is part of a vast complex of seasonally flooded agricultural lands and natural managed wetlands that provide resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for thousands of birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway.
Area residents and public officials long recognized the need to preserve this open space for wildlife. In 1994, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) established Stone Lakes NWR as the 505th refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System to protect these habitats from intensive agricultural development and urbanization.
Stone Lakes NWR manages 6,206 acres through fee title, cooperative agreements, and conservation easements.
The refuge is one of 46 refuges in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin of Oregon managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Southwest Region.
To learn more:
- Sacramento Bee, March 23, 2010: “Stone Lakes nature trail won’t open until 2011″
- The News Tribune, April 7, 2010: “Stone Lakes an opportunity to feel far away close to home”
For more information, visit the Stone Lakes NWR website, or contact:
Bart McDermott
Project Leader
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
1624 Hood-Franklin Road
Elk Grove, CA 95757
Phone: (916) 775-4421
Fax: (916) 775 4407
Bart_McDermott@fws.gov
Beatrix Treiterer
Assistant Project Leader
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Beatrix_Treiterer@fws.gov
Amy Hopperstad
Park Ranger
Visitor Service Manager
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Amy_Hopperstad@fws.gov
Jim Burby
Project Manager
Division of Engineering
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
911 N.E. 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232-4181
Phone: (503) 231-6252
Fax: (503) 231-6847
Jim_Burby@fws.gov
Reid Tanner
Sybrant Construction, LLC
6615 West State Avenue
Suite 6
Glendale, AZ 85301
Phone: (623) 435-6651
Fax: (623) 435-6652
rtanner@sybrantconstruction.com
News Release: Secretary Salazar Announces Contract Award to Construct Accessible Trail at Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
*Project R8GT is a Regionwide project impacting multiple sites. To learn more about the energy-efficiency projects taking place in this region, visit the Pacific Southwest Region’s Energy-Efficiency project page.
Originally posted 08/21/2009
Updated 04/14/2010
Updated 04/29/2010
Updated 05/13/2010
Updated 09/02/2011
Page Completed 12/08/2011
