Marin Headlands Water Line Replacement Project: Water Engineering Case Study

Water Engineering Case Study Overview

Project: Marin Headlands Water Line Replacement
Type: Infrastructure Rehabilitation
Location: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA
Scope: Replacement of deteriorated water lines serving historical military sites
Role of HECO Engineers: Comprehensive water engineering & modeling, preliminary and detailed design, Title I and Title II document preparation
Outcome: Modernized water distribution system ensuring reliable supply to critical sites

Services Provided by HECO Engineers

Civil & Water Engineering
Project Management
Title I Report (Preliminary Engineering)
Title II Construction Documents

Problem

The Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, faced severe water infrastructure challenges due to aging pipelines. Originally installed in the early 1900s for military operations, the 6-inch cast iron water lines suffered from corrosion and tuberculation. These deteriorations led to significant performance issues, endangering the reliability of water supply to several historical sites, including:

Fort Baker, Fort Barry, and Fort Cronkhite
The Nike Missile Site
Other operational military facilities

Key Issues:

Corrosion and Tuberculation: Advanced deterioration reducing water flow and reliability.
Aging Infrastructure: Lines dating back to the early 1900s no longer met modern standards.
Water Supply Reliability: Compromised delivery to critical and historical sites.

Solution

HECO Engineers implemented a comprehensive water engineering solution to rehabilitate the aging water infrastructure within the Marin Headlands. This involved thorough analysis and strategic upgrades.

Steps Taken:

Water Modeling: Conducted detailed modeling to assess the existing system’s deficiencies and guide the sizing of new lines

Pipeline Upgrade: Increased the water line diameter from 6 inches to 12 inches, enhancing capacity and reliability.

Design Phases: Delivered both Title I preliminary engineering and Title II construction documents to ensure precision and compliance.

Strategic Sectional Replacement: Replaced water lines in three distinct areas:

Field Road
Bunker Road (Capehart)
Bunker Road (Stables)

Results

The project successfully modernized the water distribution infrastructure, ensuring reliable water supply to the Marin Headlands and its historical sites.

Key Outcomes:

Enhanced Capacity: Larger pipelines significantly improved water flow and distribution.
Reliability Restored: Ensured consistent water supply to critical facilities.
Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed engineering and construction documents supported effective execution.
Infrastructure Longevity: New pipelines designed for long-term performance.

Preserving History Through Water Engineering Excellence

HECO Engineers’ contribution to the Marin Headlands Water Line Replacement Project demonstrates our commitment to preserving historical sites while ensuring modern functionality. By leveraging advanced water engineering solutions and careful planning, we provided a sustainable and reliable water system for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.