AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
DEPARTMENT: Infrastructure Division
AGENDA NUMBER: 9j
MEETING DATE: October 13, 2026
Calendar: Consent Calendar
Project Manager: Mital Patel
Approve Increase to Cost and Duration Contingencies for Contract No. HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair
Summary of Proposed
Commission Action:
Approve an increase of $1,650,000 to the cost contingency and 183 calendar days to the duration contingency for Contract No. HH- 1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short -Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair, with Njirich & Son, Inc., for a revised cost limit of $11,191,730 and a revised duration limit of 683 consecutive calendar days (approximately one year and ten months). This additional contingency is needed to include additional work at Eleanor Dam to comply with California Department of Water Resources’ Division of Safety of Dams requirements.
Background: The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Water Enterprise owns and operates Cherry Valley Dam and Eleanor Dam, both located in Tuolumne County, California, as part of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System.
Cherry Valley Dam, constructed in 1956, impounds Cherry Valley Reservoir for recreation, hydroelectric power generation, and emergency backup water supply for the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2010, a heavy spill from the reservoir caused a landslide that blocked the spillway channel and redirected flows, resulting in flooding near the Cherry Power Tunnel Adit and backcountry campground areas downstream. The SFPUC initiated a short-term improvement project to restore the original flow path at the Cherry Valley Dam spillway.
Eleanor Dam, built in 1918, impounds Lake Eleanor and provide reliable water storage, supports hydroelectric power generation , and serves as an emergency backup water supply for the San Francisco Bay Area. A 10 -foot-wide, 1,177 -foot-long bridge deck spanning the dam crest serves as a public trail and the only access across the dam. After more than a century of service, the deck shows deterioration and poses safety concerns . While a full replacement is planned, the SFPUC has initiated interim repairs to extend its service life and maintain safe access until the permanent project is completed.
Agenda Title: HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement And Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Commission Meeting Date: October 13, 2026
On March 10, 2026, by Resolution No. 2 6-0035, the Commission awarded Contract No. HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short- Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair , to Njirich & Sons, Inc ., to address the short -term improvements at Cherry Valley Dam Spillway and Eleanor Dam. The original contract amount was $8,674,300 and the original contract duration was 455 consecutive calendar days.
Scope of Contract: The contract location is in Tuolumne County, California. The contract work consists of:
Cherry Valley Dam Spillway:
• Removing trees and landslide debris within the spillway channel
• Re-building an embankment to contain the flow within the original discharge channel flow path
• Installing erosion protection
• Constructing access improvements
Eleanor Dam Bridge:
• Repairing concrete and replacing the deck overlay atop the Eleanor Dam Bridge
• Constructing access improvements
Modifications to the
Contract:
Proposed Increase to Cost and Duration Contingencies: Staff recommends the Commission approve an increase of $1,650,000 to the existing cost contingency, and an increase of 183 calendar days to the existing duration contingency, for a revised cost limit of $11,191,730 and a revised duration limit of 683 consecutive calendar days, to address costs and schedule extension associated with the additional scope of work at Eleanor Dam, proposed to be completed to comply with the California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams safety requirements, and includes repairing the surface cracks on the upstream and downstream sides of the spillway, retrofitting the foundation of the spillway diversion wall, stabilizing the concrete pier joints on the spillway, and repairing the exposed wire mesh on the dam barrel crests.
Funding and Costs: Funding Source: Hetch Hetchy Capital Improvement Program, Project No 10030759, Eleanor Dam and Bridge Rehabilitation Original Contract Amount: $8,674,300
Original 10% Cost Contingency: $867,430
Approved Increase to Cost Contingency: $0
Modified Increases to Contract Amount: $0
Total Current Contract Amount: $8,674,300
Current Cost Contingency: $867,430
[Proposed] Additional Cost Contingency: $1,650,000
Total [Proposed] Cost Limit: $11,191,730
Agenda Title: HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement And Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Commission Meeting Date: October 13, 2026
Schedule: Notice-to-Proceed Date: May 12, 2026
Original Contract Duration: 455 consecutive calendar days Original 10% Duration Contingency: 45 calendar days
Approved Increase to Duration Contingency: 0 calendar days Modified Increases to Contract Duration: 0 calendar days Total Current Contract Duration: 455 consecutive calendar days Current Duration Contingency: 45 calendar days
[Proposed] Additional Duration Contingency: 183 calendar days
Total [Proposed] Duration Limit: 683 consecutive calendar days
Environmental
Review:
The Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short -Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Project have been combined into one contract for contracting convenience, and each project has independent utility under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). No changes are proposed for the Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement Project.
On October 7, 2025, the Planning Department determined the Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1 (Existing Facilities ) (Case No. 2025 - 007117ENV).
On July 15, 2026, the Planning Department determined that the modifications including repair of surface cracks, retro fit of the foundation of the spillway diversion wall, stabilization of the spillway concrete pier joints, and repai r of exposed wire mesh , are not substantial, are categorically exempt under the CEQA , and no additional environmental review is required.
View the exemption and Planning Department determination.
Local Business
Enterprise Utilization
and Non-
Discrimination in
Contracting:
The Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) established a 10% LBE subcontracting requirement for this Contract. The contractor committed to 13.83% LBE subcontractor participation with its bid submittal, and this remains unchanged.
Attachment(s): No attachments
Agenda Title: HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement And Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Commission Meeting Date: October 13, 2026
Figure 1: HH-1022 Location Map of Project Sites
Cherry
Valley Dam Eleanor
Dam
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Water Enterprise requires construction services to upgrade the spillway at the Cherry Valley Dam and to repair the bridge deck spanning the dam crest at Eleanor Dam, both located in Tuolumne County, California, as part of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System; and
WHEREAS, O n March 10 , 202 6, by Resolution No. 2 6-0035, this Commission awarded Contract No. HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short -Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair, to Njirich & Sons, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, The original contract amount was $8,674,300 and the original contract duration was 455 consecutive calendar days; and
WHEREAS, The contract Notice-to-Proceed date was May 12, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Staff recommends the Commission approve an increase of $1,650,000 to the existing cost contingency, and an increase of 183 calendar days to the existing duration contingency, for a revised cost limit of $11,191,730 and a revised duration limit of 683 consecutive calendar days, to address costs and schedule extension associated with the additional scope of work proposed to be completed to comply with California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams requirements and includes repairing the surface cracks on the upstream and downstream side of the spillway, retrofitting the foundation of the spillway diversion wall, stabilizing the concrete pier joints on the spillway and repairing the exposed wire mesh on the dam barrel crests; and
WHEREAS, The Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) established a 10% LBE subcontracting requirement for this Contract. The contractor committed to 13.83% LBE subcontractor participation with its bid submittal, and this remains unchanged; and
WHEREAS, The Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short -Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Project have been combined into one contract for contracting convenience, and each project has independent utility under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); no changes are proposed for the Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement Project; and
WHEREAS, On October 7, 2025, the Planning Department determined the Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair Project to be categorically exempt from environmental review under the CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1 (Existing Facilities) (Case No. 2025- 007117ENV); and
WHEREAS, On July 15, 2026, the Planning Department determined that the modifications including repair of surface cracks, retrofit of the foundation of the spillway diversion wall, stabilization of the spillway concrete pier joints, and repair of exposed wire mesh, are not substantial, are categorically exempt under the CEQA, and no additional environmental review is required; and
WHEREAS, Funds are available from Project No. 10030759, Eleanor Dam and Bridge Rehabilitation; now, therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby approves an increase of $1,650,000 to the cost contingency and 183 calendar days to the duration contingency for Contract No.
HH-1022, Cherry Valley Dam Spillway Short-Term Improvement and Eleanor Dam Bridge Interim Repair, with Njirich & Son, Inc., for a total cost contingency of $2,517,430, and a total duration contingency of 228 calendar days, to include additional work at Eleanor Dam to satisfy California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams requirements; and, be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby authorizes the General Manager, or the General Manager’s designee, to consider, and, if appropriate, to approve modifications to the contract, up to a total cost limit of $11,191,730 and a total duration limit of 683 consecutive calendar days.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of October 13, 2026.
__________________________________
Director of Commission Affairs
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission