Integration of Utility Locations, Surveying, and ROW Mapping to Support the Planning-Level Design of over 200 Miles of Pipeline

Abstract

The Arkansas valley conduit (AVC) project was conceived as part of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Fryingpan-Arkansas (Fry-Ark) Project. The Fry-Ark project was originally authorized and constructed in the 1960’s; however, the AVC project was not financially feasible at that time. Planning-level designs of the AVC project are presently underway and are being managed by Reclamation. The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District (SECWCD) is the project sponsor and when completed, the AVC will serve 50,000 people in about 40 communities with drinking water in southeastern Colorado. The project consists of a new connection to a joint use pipeline near Pueblo Dam, a water treatment facility, booster pumping stations, and approximately 250 miles of transmission pipeline and spurs, ranging in size from 36-inches down to 4-inches. This paper provides an overview of the utility, survey and mapping data collection process to support Reclamation’s design of the pipeline and associated facilities. Important design data is gathered and integrated into relational databases and geographic information system (GIS) formats to provide the design team ready access to utility location, surveying, right-of-way (ROW), property and easement mapping data for the pipeline. This approach provides key design data on an integrated platform, allowing for timely decisions to advance the pipeline design within the established corridor. The data collection and integration process is supporting the determination of land ownership and easement acquisition needs; minimizing overall project risks by identifying potential utility conflicts; reducing cost uncertainty at the planning and future final design levels; and ultimately will reduce potential conflicts and substantiate potential utility related construction costs for the AVC project.