New Trampas reservoir in south O.C. overcoming hurdles; public tours offered May 4
Construction costs have increased nearly 50 percent has water district aims to reduce need for imported water
By MARTIN WISCKOL | mwisckol@scng.com | Orange County Register
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Despite cost increases and weather-related delays, construction of the 1.6 billion-gallon Trampas Canyon Reservoir in south Orange County is well underway and officials continue pointing to long-term savings to be gleaned by reducing the need for imported water.
The public will have a chance to tour the 177-acre site tucked in the hills south of Ortega Highway on May 4 as part of the Santa Margarita Water District’s annual Water Festival. Construction began in February 2018 and completion, originally slated for January 2020, is now expected in June next year.
The Santa Margarita Water District is building the $145-million Trampas Canyon Reservoir to enlarge the capacity of recycled wasterwater it can distribute for irrigation. The face of the reservoir will be 216-feet high and the reservoir will be 3000-feet wide, 2700-feet long, 88-feet deep and will hold 1.6-billion gallons of water. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)