California Construction News staff writer
The Palmdale Water District broke ground Monday on a multimillion-dollar infrastructure project to convert the 140-year-old Palmdale Ditch into a modern enclosed pipeline, a move expected to save significant water and improve delivery efficiency.
At a ceremony held at Lake Palmdale, local and state officials joined community members to mark the start of construction on the “Palmdale Ditch Conversion: Upgrading the Flow” project. The project will replace 7.5 miles of open dirt ditch—originally constructed in the 1880s—with a pipeline system designed to curb water loss and support climate-resilient water infrastructure.
“Projects like this are crucial for making the state’s water infrastructure more climate resilient, particularly during periods of drought,” said Julé Rizzardo, branch manager for the California Department of Water Resources’ Financial Assistance Branch. “Palmdale Water District’s Ditch Conversion project prevents valuable water loss and conserves groundwater supplies, ensuring more water supply to support local communities.”
The Palmdale Water District (PWD) received $17.58 million from the state’s Urban Community Drought Relief Program in 2022 and an additional $5 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program. The estimated total cost of the project has grown to $52 million, with rising environmental and inflationary expenses contributing to the gap.
“Today is a wonderful day for Palmdale Water District,” said PWD Board President Kathy Mac Laren-Gomez. “We are embarking on a project that will save significant amounts of water and, in turn, reduce costs for our ratepayers.”
The existing ditch currently loses water through seepage, evaporation and overflow. Once enclosed, the new pipeline will increase flow capacity from 18 cubic feet per second to 60 and save an estimated 1,500 acre-feet of water annually—roughly 19% of the total supply diverted from Littlerock Dam to Lake Palmdale.
“That’s a lot of water that needs to be saved, especially when we experience drought conditions,” said Scott Rogers, PWD assistant general manager.
Only one mile of the original 8.5-mile Palmdale Ditch is currently enclosed. Originally constructed by the Palmdale Irrigation Company, the ditch once included a wooden trestle spanning Little Rock Creek.
“The Palmdale Ditch continues to serve the District after more than 140 years and several iterations,” said PWD General Manager Dennis D. LaMoreaux. “By making this investment to turn it into a pipeline, the Palmdale Ditch will continue to be a critical part of the infrastructure for many decades ahead.”
Construction will begin at Lake Palmdale and extend southeast toward Littlerock Dam. The project is being built by Garney Construction and designed by Hazen and Sawyer.
PWD expects to complete 1.5 miles of pipeline within the next 12 months while continuing to seek funding to finish the remaining phases.
