Route Selection for a $2.2 Billion Pipeline

They say everything is bigger in Texas. So when Dallas and Fort Worth joined forces to tie-in an additional water supply for the metroplex, things got big in a hurry. The Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL) is a $2.2 billion water transmission project currently being undertaken by Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and Dallas Water Utilities (DWU). In laying out a process for selecting the pipeline route, the conceptual design team started by looking at multiple corridors then took steps to narrow the focus to a preferred corridor, then a better defined route, and eventually to a final alignment. The steps taken to select the final route included: Screening of seven initial corridors to narrow selection down to four corridors; Detailed analysis of four corridors leading to the selection of a single corridor; Analysis of conflicts within the corridor to recommend a preferred route; Right-of-Entry for the preferred route; Detailed surveys including archeology, environmental and geotechnical; and Final route selection by design teams. During the course of this process, the conceptual design team implemented several technological and operational innovations which optimized the route and the route selection process. These innovative solutions included: Use of mobile Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to collect data that led to efficiencies in sharing and analyzing data; Helicopter flight with geo-referenced video of the pipeline route; Cross-connection to existing system which increased flexibility, reliability and allowed a substantial portion of the project to be postponed; and Adding a storage reservoir and tunnel section to reduce pumping during the initial years and add operational flexibility. Implementing a sequential route selection process and incorporating technological tools allowed the pipeline route to be successfully selected. The route selection reflected consideration for a large range of social, environmental, construction, operational, and sustainable criteria.