The Turlock Irrigation District met Tuesday, approving the Lateral 8 Regulating Reservoir Project in a 4-0 vote to purchase 25.5 acres of land from Hilmar County Water District and modify an existing 7-acre water treatment facility.

The total estimated to cost of the project stands at $2.16 million which includes the estimated cost of the 25.5 acres land stands at $663,000.

The land is located at the end of the Highline canal, approximately 0.1 miles down Geer Road, east of Lander Avenue in Hilmar; directly north of the head of Lateral 8 and east of Lateral 7. The property contains an abandoned water treatment facility at the intersection of two canals and approximately 19 acres of farmland.

According to the research report adopted by TID, the Lateral 8 acquisition and renovation project will act as a cost effective regulating reservoir for adjacent canals offering 29 acre-feet of storage capacity with an estimated spill savings from the Highline canal at a yearly average of 2,550 acre-feet of water with the potential to increase storage capacity to 135 acre-feet. The project will utilize all acquired property and offer a spill-savings of up to 9,000 acre-feet.

The project will regulate the flow downstream by pumping to fill shortages in water supply from downward fluctuations.

The approved project cost includes a $2.3 million Capital Investment Cost, the $2.16 million cost for HCWD land and the cost of renovating the existing reservoir.

Additionally, the project must be in adherence with the California Environmental Quality Act, which requires state and local agencies to identify significant environmental implications of projects and to avoid or mitigate them if feasible.

Requests for bids were sent out Oct. 15; local companies have responded with bids for the work, all of which are due to the District by Oct. 29. The conditional notice of award will be issued Oct. 31. Construction is scheduled to begin Dec. 2, in order to complete the project prior to the 2015 irrigation season.

With the newly approved water-saving Lateral 8 project, TID will have constructed its first reservoir since 1971; additionally, the project will offer, according to TID, a customer service improvement to farmers on Lateral 8.