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Replace Cow Creek and Furnace Creek Water and Wastewater Systems
Death Valley National Park » Replace Cow Creek and Furnace Creek Water and Wastewater Systems » Document List
Currently, the Furnace Creek and Cow Creek water and wastewater systems are breaking several times per month. This means safe drinking water isn't consistently available for 450 residents and 1.7 million visitors per year. Wastewater system failures are putting natural and cultural resources, and human health safety, at risk. The current system does not support existing levels of use, nor provide for future growth of visitation, employees, or residents of the area. Current issues with the system include water pipes that are past their life expectancy, exceeding the permitted inflow capacity of the sewage lagoons, leaking air release and blow-off valves, and poor security which could lead to injuries or a compromised water system. NPS staff are called upon for emergency repairs when these components break. Staff are put at high risk of heat-related illness when they do repairs in weather above 120 degrees. Maintenance is unnecessarily difficult on some components due to their design.
This project will ensure that the Furnace Creek and Cow Creek water and wastewater systems will continue to serve all visitors, NPS staff, and park partners as well as provide for future visitation and growth. This system would be designed to handle the extreme conditions of the environment so that it reduces maintenance of the system, provides a source of consistent potable water, and increases reliability and safety of the way wastewater is managed in the area. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024.
The Furnace Creek water system provides potable water for the Oasis at Death Valley Resort (a Xanterra inholding), the Timbisha Shoshone Village, Furnace Creek Inn, the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Headquarters, and three campgrounds. The work includes, but is not limited to: replacing potable water distribution piping (water mains and service laterals), upgrading supervisory controls and data acquisition (SCADA), replacing critical distribution system components, rehabilitating water storage reservoir access hatch and internal ladder, constructing a storage building for the chlorination storage tanks, replacing one well pump, implementing erosion control features, installing safety/security fencing around the source wells, the reservoir, and the reverse osmosis (RO) plant, and designing the system to ensure adequate fire flows are available.
The Furnace Creek wastewater system provides sewer service for the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, park offices, and three park campgrounds. The project consists of replacing the sewer system with a new design, likely incorporating a combination of force and gravity sewer mains, service laterals, manholes, lift stations, and a dump station for vault septic waste, including a trash separator. The project also consists of examining and either repairing or upgrading a three-cell lagoon system, including the possible addition of a fourth cell if necessary to accommodate flows and regulatory requirements.
The Cow Creek water system provides potable water for the employee housing, NPS maintenance yard, NPS offices, NPS emergency services building, Caltrans maintenance yard, Death Valley Natural History Association (DVNHA) office, and Death Valley Unified School District facilities. The work consists of drilling a new well to serve as the primary water source, permitting to allow conversion of the existing research well to a backup water source, replacing critical distribution systems with a newly designed distribution system, implementing erosion control features, installing safety/security fencing, preserving and protecting the spring area, and replacing the treatment building that includes the RO treatment, SCADA, air quality monitoring equipment, and standby backup generator. The newly designed system will include future capacity for the new development around the Salt Pan Vista area.
The Cow Creek wastewater system provides sewer service for employee housing, NPS maintenance yard, NPS offices, NPS emergency services building, Caltrans maintenance yard, DVNHA office, and Death Valley Unified School District facilities. The Cow Creek wastewater collection system includes, but is not limited to, approximately 11,300 linear feet of sewer mains. The work consists of replacing the sewer system with a newly designed system focused on low operation and maintenance burden, likely incorporating common parts that are easily replaceable, and a combination of force and gravity sewer mains, service laterals, manholes, and lift stations. The new system will include future capacity for the new development around the Salt Pan Vista area.
This project will also correct deficiencies identified at the Cow Creek fire water reservoir (pool) area. A potable water supply line will be run from north side of the pool to the water filtration and chlorination building to accommodate an eye wash station and facilitate cleaning and maintenance of the equipment and building. The pump house will be replaced with a concrete masonry unit building and will match color and style of the pool restroom building. Accessible parking will be added at the Cow Creek pool parking area. The supply lines to fill the pool will be replaced.
This rehabilitation project reduces deferred maintenance, dramatically reduces the need for emergency repairs, saving in O&M costs, and reduces environmental concerns resulting from water/wastewater failures. Additionally, the improved water/wastewater system will be designed to be more efficient in the usage of water (domestic usage and water loss prevention) as well as be capable of providing additional quantity to proposed future administrative developments. The project is not expected to result in an increase in the total water supply quantity previously allowed.
Superintendent
Death Valley National Park
760-786-3200
This project will ensure that the Furnace Creek and Cow Creek water and wastewater systems will continue to serve all visitors, NPS staff, and park partners as well as provide for future visitation and growth. This system would be designed to handle the extreme conditions of the environment so that it reduces maintenance of the system, provides a source of consistent potable water, and increases reliability and safety of the way wastewater is managed in the area. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024.
The Furnace Creek water system provides potable water for the Oasis at Death Valley Resort (a Xanterra inholding), the Timbisha Shoshone Village, Furnace Creek Inn, the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Headquarters, and three campgrounds. The work includes, but is not limited to: replacing potable water distribution piping (water mains and service laterals), upgrading supervisory controls and data acquisition (SCADA), replacing critical distribution system components, rehabilitating water storage reservoir access hatch and internal ladder, constructing a storage building for the chlorination storage tanks, replacing one well pump, implementing erosion control features, installing safety/security fencing around the source wells, the reservoir, and the reverse osmosis (RO) plant, and designing the system to ensure adequate fire flows are available.
The Furnace Creek wastewater system provides sewer service for the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, park offices, and three park campgrounds. The project consists of replacing the sewer system with a new design, likely incorporating a combination of force and gravity sewer mains, service laterals, manholes, lift stations, and a dump station for vault septic waste, including a trash separator. The project also consists of examining and either repairing or upgrading a three-cell lagoon system, including the possible addition of a fourth cell if necessary to accommodate flows and regulatory requirements.
The Cow Creek water system provides potable water for the employee housing, NPS maintenance yard, NPS offices, NPS emergency services building, Caltrans maintenance yard, Death Valley Natural History Association (DVNHA) office, and Death Valley Unified School District facilities. The work consists of drilling a new well to serve as the primary water source, permitting to allow conversion of the existing research well to a backup water source, replacing critical distribution systems with a newly designed distribution system, implementing erosion control features, installing safety/security fencing, preserving and protecting the spring area, and replacing the treatment building that includes the RO treatment, SCADA, air quality monitoring equipment, and standby backup generator. The newly designed system will include future capacity for the new development around the Salt Pan Vista area.
The Cow Creek wastewater system provides sewer service for employee housing, NPS maintenance yard, NPS offices, NPS emergency services building, Caltrans maintenance yard, DVNHA office, and Death Valley Unified School District facilities. The Cow Creek wastewater collection system includes, but is not limited to, approximately 11,300 linear feet of sewer mains. The work consists of replacing the sewer system with a newly designed system focused on low operation and maintenance burden, likely incorporating common parts that are easily replaceable, and a combination of force and gravity sewer mains, service laterals, manholes, and lift stations. The new system will include future capacity for the new development around the Salt Pan Vista area.
This project will also correct deficiencies identified at the Cow Creek fire water reservoir (pool) area. A potable water supply line will be run from north side of the pool to the water filtration and chlorination building to accommodate an eye wash station and facilitate cleaning and maintenance of the equipment and building. The pump house will be replaced with a concrete masonry unit building and will match color and style of the pool restroom building. Accessible parking will be added at the Cow Creek pool parking area. The supply lines to fill the pool will be replaced.
This rehabilitation project reduces deferred maintenance, dramatically reduces the need for emergency repairs, saving in O&M costs, and reduces environmental concerns resulting from water/wastewater failures. Additionally, the improved water/wastewater system will be designed to be more efficient in the usage of water (domestic usage and water loss prevention) as well as be capable of providing additional quantity to proposed future administrative developments. The project is not expected to result in an increase in the total water supply quantity previously allowed.
Contact Information
Mike ReynoldsSuperintendent
Death Valley National Park
760-786-3200