Intake Facility Overview
Located on the Sacramento River just upstream of Freeport, the Freeport Regional Water Project (FRWP) intake facility draws water from the river and pumps it through pipelines to various FRWP facilities. The site features advanced engineering to ensure efficient water delivery and environmental protection.
Key Features at a Glance
- Pump Building Size: 20,500 sq ft (approx. 0.5 acre)
- Building Height: 40 feet
- Pump Bays Depth: 10 feet below river level
- Pumps Installed: Eight 2,000 horsepower vertical turbine pumps
- Pumping Capacity: 185 million gallons per day
- Efficiency: ~95%
Additional Infrastructure
- Fish Screens: 16 screens, each ~10 feet long, designed to protect native species like salmon and Delta smelt
- Fish Screen Capacity: 290 cubic feet per second
- Sediment Control: Three concrete-lined basins using an innovative chain-in-flight removal system
- Electrical Support: On-site dedicated substation
- Flow Management: Four pressurized surge tanks and main discharge flow and valve vaults
- Pipeline: 84-inch diameter, concrete-lined steel pipeline extending east of Interstate 5
Raw Water Process
Water enters through fish screens into two forebays beneath the pump building. From there, it flows into the rear inlets of eight turbine pumps. The pumps push water through eight 30-inch pipes that converge into a 72-inch pipeline, which passes through a meter vault and expands to 84 inches in diameter. This main pipe travels east for 12 miles, where it splits:
- Northward: 1 mile to SCWA treatment plant
- Eastward: 4 miles to Folsom South Canal for EBMUD use
Fish Screen System
Sixteen 10-foot-wide screens line the river-facing side of the building. With 1.75 mm openings, these screens prevent small fish—including salmon fry and Delta smelt—from entering the system. An automated brush keeps the screens clear, while floating log booms protect against river debris.
Surge Tanks
Four surge tanks, each 12 feet in diameter and 65 feet long, are filled with water and compressed air. They connect to the 84-inch pipeline and serve as shock absorbers to prevent water hammer during flow changes.
Sedimentation Basins
The facility includes three sedimentation basins to settle out riverborne particles:
- Sediment collects in the forebay and is scraped into a sump by a chain-and-flight system.
- It’s pumped to the basins, where:
- One is actively settling,
- One is drying for sediment removal,
- One is cycling between functions.
- Cleaned water is returned to the forebay and re-entered into the distribution system.
Landscaping
A 5-acre landscaped buffer surrounds the facility, softening the impact on nearby homes. The design mimics the ripple of a water drop and features drought-tolerant, California-native trees and plants to reflect regional ecology.
