After years of planning and objections from Lafayette residents at public meetings, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) has begun the retrofitting of the tower in the Lafayette Reservoir. The iconic 100-year-old tower, has served as the symbol of the city, which was incorporated in 1968.

    The roof and the operations house have been removed, and the tower, which serves as a spillway for overflow water, will be 40 feet shorter when the project is completed and the operations house and roof are replaced. Residents had suggested some alternative designs to effect the earthquake retrofit, but none were found acceptable by EBMUD.

    Utilizing cranes and a barge, EBMUD and its contractors have removed the tower roof and operating house before starting to saw-cut about a dozen concrete rings, each approximately 3 feet tall, off the height. This phase of the work will last about 10 weeks. Construction of a new metal operating house and improvements to the underwater conduit will follow in the fall.
    
    The retrofit is part of a number of projects currently being carried out at the reservoir. In addition to the tower work, EBMUD is performing improvements to the Lafayette Water Treatment Plant Maintenance and Reliability, and the Reservoir Recreation Area Wastewater System. According to Joe Voelker, EBMUD Community Affairs Representative, the improvements represent a multimillion-dollar investment in protecting public safety and ensuring high-quality water for Lafayette and the region. The work on the tower, some tree removal and widening of the access road is estimated to cost $14 million.

    Work is limited to weekdays, so little disruption to weekend activities at the reservoir will occur.  Currently, the reservoir serves over a million visitors annually. Part of the work included widening the reservoir egress road, which will be used for the entry of heavy machinery.  Traffic related to the project will only use that portion of Mt. Diablo Boulevard going to and from the Acalanes Road exit from Highway 24. No trucks will pass through downtown Lafayette.

    At a public meeting on the project last February some questioners raised concerns about wildlife being affected by the work. EBMUD explained that it is coordinating with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and EBMUD’s Fisheries and Wildlife Department, including EBMUD’s biologists.

    Tracie Morales, EBMUD Public Information Representative, responded to questions from Lamorinda Weekly regarding the work of the biologists at the reservoir. Because construction is occurring near a waterway and riparian habitat, Morales explained that EBMUD obtained the required permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

    A biological monitor is onsite each workday from May through October to survey for sensitive plants and wildlife. They also train crews and ensure that all required protection protocols are followed.

    Monitoring includes nesting birds, bats, bumblebees and species such as the California red-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake, California tiger salamander, western pond turtle and San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat. 

    Examples of environmental protection strategies EBMUD has taken during this construction project include the installation of netting on the tower to prevent nesting and working with the biologist to develop a plan to relocate woodrat shelters, called middens, found in the work area.  
    EBMUD is committed to protecting the plants and wildlife that call Lafayette Reservoir home.

    Some questioners had concerns about the swallows that have returned to the reservoir tower year after year. At the public meeting in February EBMUD explained that the swallows will be able to return to the tower when the work is done.

    The reason for the shortening of the tower relates to a much earlier incident that occurred during the construction of the dam that forms the reservoir. Owing to some earth shifting during the construction of the dam, the height of the dam was lowered.  

    The tower had already been built in 1929 to accommodate the higher dam, leaving the tower very high in contrast. The DSOD has determined that it represents a danger in the event of an earthquake, and should be lowered by 40 feet for safety reasons. Seismic upgrades will also be made to the spillway and outlet conduit pipelines that run under the dam.

    The new operating house and shortened tower are anticipated to be completed by winter 2026. The entire reservoir project is projected to be completed in fall of next year. More information is available at https://www.ebmud.com/about-us/construction-and-maintenance/construction-my-neighborhood/lafayettetower.