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Feasibility Evaluation of the Arkansas Valley Pipeline Water Works! Committee July 2003 Section 3 -Engineering Evaluation Pipeline Alignment Evaluations and Project Cost Estimates Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and field reconnaissance were used to evaluate potential pipeline alignment alternatives. The GIS mapping used available data sources to evaluate wildlife habitat, riparian vegetation, roads and railroads, streams and rivers, political boundaries, and other surface features that could impact the construction of a pipeline. A GIS decision support model was applied to the GIS mapping and was used to screen alignment alternatives. Field reconnaissance of the GIS-screened alignment alternatives was performed to refine the alignments to accommodate the dense urban areas within the City of Pueblo (which were not readily mapped using GIS) and to cover surface and topographic features that were not included in the GIS mapping. The evaluation of alignment alternatives indicated that there are two categories of alignments: (1) alignments that require pumping and (2) alignments that do not require pumping. Alignments that do not require pumping are generally preferred because their operation is not interrupted by power failure or pump failure, they require less operating storage, and they are less expensive to construct, operate, and maintain. Alignments that do not require pumping are limited by topography, however, to areas typically in the central and southern portions of the City of Pueblo. Estimates of probable construction cost were prepared and used to rank alternative alignments. Pipeline sizes were based on the assumption that the pipeline should be able to deliver maximum day demands to the entities. It was assumed that hourly demands that exceed the maximum day demand flow rate would be supplied from storage in each entity's water distribution system. Project cost estimates, including costs for engineering, administration, legal, permitting, and operation and maintenance efforts were developed to allow an equivalent comparison of alternatives with different operating requirements (e.g. alignments that require pumping versus alignments that do not require pumping). A comparison of cost estimates for alternative alignments indicated that costs were most influenced by pipeline length and the number of major river and road crossings. An attractive alignment that utilizes an existing utility corridor (the Bessemer Ditch) to pass through the City of Pueblo and which follows topography that would not require pumping is shown in Figure 1. The estimated project cost for this pipeline alignment is $175 million. This estimated project cost includes a welded, all-steel pipeline, land acquisition for easements, GEI Consultants, Inc. 0128a 03-07-21 feasibifty report executive summary