BWR_Well_Installation_SOW_Dec2024.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge (BWRNWR) Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Groundwater Well Installation Project Parker, AZ

December 2024

BACKGROUND

The Refuge stations within the Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Complex include Bill Williams River NWR and Havasu NWR. This Statement of Work summarizes the justification to contract services for groundwater well installation at the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The Refuge needs to install a 6” diameter well with PVC casing, installed to a minimum depth of 100 feet below ground surface, with an 8-foot steel riser casing that is incased in a 24-inch diameter concrete protective column that is 4 feet below and 4 feet above ground surface. The well is needed to provide irrigation water to newly planted native trees.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT NEEDS

Bill Williams River NWR is a 6,100-acre native tree riparian corridor in the Bill Williams River floodplain. The Bill Williams River NWR staff wants a federal vendor to improve approximately 600 yards of a sandy access road enough to adequately allow a mobile drilling rig unit to install

(1) groundwater well (6”) large enough to pump a minimum of 15 gallons per minute of sub-surface water. The well water will be used primarily to irrigate approximately 60-acres of native, Mesquite trees surrounding the well site. The planting area is known at the White Gate Restoration Area (Figure 1). This project is an important component of the Planet Ranch Fire Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) Project to stabilize the cottonwood riparian ecosystem following the devastating 1,200-acre wildfire that occurred in July 2021. Potential contractors are recommended to schedule a site visit before placing a bid since the nature of this work site is remote, sandy, and difficult to navigate with large, heavy equipment.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The project work site is located on Bill Williams River NWR. The project site can reach by Planet Ranch Road at the northern boundary of La Paz County, Arizona near the Bill William River Bridge (Figure 2). The proposed well drilling site is only accessible via a sandy access road that starts at the White Gate parking lot. White Gate is approximately 3.3 miles southeast of AZ Hwy. 95 (Figure 3). The nearest facilities and lodging accommodations are in Parker, AZ, or Lake Havasu, AZ. Both urban areas are approximately 35 minutes from the project work site.

SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to access and install a 6” diameter groundwater well installed PVC well casing. The total depth of the well will be a minimum of 100 feet below ground surface; total depth drilled and well construction design and depth will be finalized at the site between the vendor and the Refuge Manager. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract and will have on the ground guidance project and planning guidance directed by refuge staff.

Objectives:

Maintain proper safety and efficiency measures as directed by refuge personnel.

Heavy equipment operators are cautioned to not cross the main river channel.

Install road base, gravel material from White Gate to the proposed well drilling site for approximately 0.3 miles or 600 yards at a width and depth adequate to allow a mobile well drilling unit to access the well site.

Provide a proposed well design diagram to the Refuge Manager that must include depth to bottom of casing, depth to bottom of screen, depth to top of screen, depth to top of filter pack, sanitary seal depth, proposed material, anticipated pump depth, static water level, well screen and filter pack sizing.

Final well design shall be stamped by Arizona Professional Engineer (PE) or Professional Geologist (PG).

Well construction may proceed once the well design is approved in writing by the Refuge Manager or Complex Project Leader.

Drilling activities must be performed by an Arizona licensed drilling contractor, if different than the drilling contractor, grading activities must be performed by an Arizona licensed contractor.

Drill a borehole to a minimum depth of 100 feet below ground surface.

Collect 1-gallon sized soil samples every 5-feet, label depths on bag and store in heavy duty zip-loc container bags.

At the time of reaching total depth, develop and submit a soil boring log providing soil descriptions every 5-feet using the ASTM standard soil classification system, reviewed, and stamped by PE or PG.

Utilize a well drilling rig to install a 6” diameter water well encased in PVC to a minimum well depth 100 feet, with a 4-foot stick up above ground surface.

Complete airlift development and pump development so that turbidity remains below 10 NTUs and the specific capacity does not improve more than 1 percent between surge cycles.

Once development is complete, perform a 4-hour constant rate test at a minimum of 15 gallons per minute, and provide flow rate and drawdown data during the test.

Install a permanent pump, drop pipe, pump cable, well seal, control panel, pressure tank(s) and switch so that a complete pumping system is provided and operational at the well head. Note that once the project is complete, the Refuge will use a generator or solar power to energize the pump. The drilling contractor must provide all temporary power to complete the project.

Install a new well pump that will flow up to 15 gallons per minute to refuge provided holding tanks. Demonstrate system operations and that it functions properly to refuge staff for a minimum of two hours at time of project completion.

Manage all debris, trash, and drilling waste so the well pad and access road are left well maintained.

Install a protective steel casing sleeve 4 feet below and 4 feet above ground surface, that is incased in a monolithic pour of concrete within a minimum of 24-inch diameter Sono-tube, reinforce with re-bar. Submit a P.E. stamped well casing protection design to the Refuge Manager for approval prior to installation.

All materials, including well casing, annular material, pump, cable, drop pipe, seal, pressure tanks, control panel, must be new materials and include typical industry standard quality and brands.

The installed well will be used to irrigate native trees for one to two years, then serve as a monitoring well thereafter.

The well pad area will be cleared of any vegetation and debris and prepared to be maintained as a satellite equipment staging area.

Refuge will provide construction water source that is located approximately five miles away from drill site. Contractor will be responsible for delivery of water to well site.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this project is 4 months from award. The project well site and access road are completely located within previously disturbed areas that are regularly accessed by refuge staff using heavy equipment and off-highway vehicles (OHVs). Contractors will be provided White Gate access refuge staff for the duration of the project.

HOURS OF OPERATION

The Contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of sunrise to sunset Sunday through Saturday except Federal holidays at the contractor’s option. The contractor must always maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this contract when the government facility is not closed. When hiring personnel, the contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

The refuge office is closed on holidays. The contractor is not required to perform work on these holidays:

New Year’s Day, January 1st or the Friday preceding or Monday following

Martin Luther King’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in January

President’s Day, 3rd Monday in February

Memorial Day, Last Monday in May

Juneteenth, June 19th or the Friday preceding or Monday following

Independence Day, July 4th or the Friday preceding or Monday following

Labor Day, 1st Monday in September

Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October

Veteran’s Day, November 11th or the Friday preceding or Monday following

Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November

Christmas Day, December 25th or the Friday preceding or Monday following

PROJECT CONTACTS

Questions regarding the scope of work for this project shall be directed to:

Richard Meyers, Lake Havasu NWR Complex Project Leader, (Project Parameters) Richard_Meyers@fws.gov Mobile Phone (928) 290-9063

Ryan Shatto, Refuge Equipment Operator, (Work Site Representative) Ryan_Shatto@fws.gov Mobile Phone (928) 271-0253

CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

The Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Refuge Manager is Edwin Sparks. He can be reached via at 928-298-2063 or by email at Edwin_Sparks@fws.gov. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration.

PROJECT MAPS

Figure 1. White Gate Well Drilling Site and access road.

Figure 2. Refuge Map to show proximate of work site.

Figure 3. Bird’s eye view to show well site location to Lake Havasu.