California Aqueduct Reach 2A Crimson Midstream Cathodic Protection Installation
Summary
SCH Number
2025101171
Public Agency
California Department of Water Resources
(DWR)
Document Title
California Aqueduct Reach 2A Crimson Midstream Cathodic Protection Installation
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/24/2025
Document Description
Crimson Midstream requests encroachment permission to have its contractor, National Corrosion, install solar-powered cathodic protection (CP) equipment to its existing underground petroleum pipeline, CSFM 796 (pipeline), located in the Department of Water Resources right of way. The equipment installed includes 18 anodes, six anode shunt panels, 11,800 lbs. of RS-3 coke breeze, 3/4-inch PVC conduit, 1-inch PVC conduit, 2-inch PVC conduit, anode cable, pipe header cable, solar panels mounted on a 6-inch diameter by 15-feet tall solar post, a Dairyland solid-state decoupler (SSD) mounted on a 22.5-inch-long by 13.31-inch-wide by 36-inch-tall fiberglass mounting pedestal, and a 24-inch by 24-inch by 48-inch-tall Bison pedestal cabinet containing the CP power supply, solar charge controller, ring main unit, and batteries. The anodes and the cables will be installed underground. The solar post, SSD pedestal, and pedestal cabinet will be installed above ground.
To install the underground equipment, an air knifing truck will be used to dig six shallow wells approximately 6 feet away from the pipeline; a drilling truck with an auger rig will drill into the shallow wells to increase their size to approximately 12-inches in diameter and 49-feet deep. Three anodes with attached anode cables and 2-inch PVC conduit will be placed in each well. RS-3 coke breeze will be poured into the wells as backfill. Next, a 134-foot-long by 3-foot-wide by 2-foot-deep trench will be excavated to expose the pipeline and install 2-inch PVC conduit and pipe header cables. The PVC conduit will be placed along the length of the trench, and the pipe header cables will be pushed through that PVC conduit. The pipe header cables will be attached to an existing, above ground junction box and to the outside of the pipeline; the pipe header cable will be connected to the pipeline where the above ground CP equipment will be placed. To connect the cables to the pipeline, the coating on the pipe will be removed from an 8-inch by 5-inch area, lugs attached to the cables will be pin brazed, and the coating will be repaired.
To install the above ground equipment, a 30-inch long by 30-inch wide by 8-inch-tall concrete foundation will be poured where the pedestal cabinet will be placed; an 18-inch diameter by 9-foot-deep concrete foundation will be poured where the solar post will be placed. After the concrete has cured, the pedestal cabinet and solar post will be installed on the concrete foundations, and the SSD pedestal will be placed next to them and will be buried about a foot below the ground surface and approximately 3 to 5 feet from the pipeline.
Next, the underground equipment that was installed will be connected to the above ground equipment by attaching the anode and pipe header cables to the CP power supply and the SSD. This section of the anode and pipe header cables will be placed inside 1-inch PVC conduit. The solar cables will be placed in 3/4-inch PVC conduit extending from the bottom of the solar post to the bottom of the pedestal cabinet. The newly installed CP equipment will be energized and tested, and the excavated area will be backfilled, compacted, and restored to original contours. A 16-feet by 16-feet by 6-feet-tall chain link fence enclosure will be installed around the above ground equipment.
Contact Information
Name
Mark McDaniel
Agency Name
California Department of Water Resources
Job Title
Planner Scheduler/UC Supervisor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Stanislaus
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Approximately 0.84 miles southwest of intersection of Orestimba Road and Aqueduct.
State Highways
Interstate 5
Waterways
Orestimba Creek, California Aqueduct, Delta-Mendota Canal
Other Location Info
Work will occur in Reach 2A of the Department of Water Resources right of way at an existing Crimson Midstream underground petroleum pipeline. The work site is located approximately 0.84 miles southwest of where Orestimba Road intersects the Aqueduct (Latitude/Longitude: 37.308056, -121.138844).
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15305(b) Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations – Issuance of Minor Encroachment Permits
Reasons for Exemption
Crimson Midstream requests permission to install cathodic protection equipment to its existing petroleum pipeline located in the Department of Water Resources right of way. The work will occur in an area with an average slope of less than 20 percent, there will be no changes to land use or density. Department of Water Resources will issue an Encroachment Permit for this work. Categorical Exemption 15305(b) (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations – Issuance of Minor Encroachment Permits) applies.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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