Pipeline break at Grand Canyon National Park/NPS file photo

Grand Canyon National Park officials have a plan to fix the leak-prone Transcanyon Water Distribution Pipeline, but it won't be quick, will impact hikers in the park's Inner Gorge, could create a 41-acre footprint, and could cost Xanterra Parks & Resorts several million dollars in lost revenues. 

In an environmental assessment released Wednesday and open for comment through November 10, park staff lay out a plan to locate a new water source for the South Rim in the vicinity of Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Inner Gorge near the Colorado River.

Under the park's preferred alternative described in the EA, one of two options would likely be pursued to obtain the water.

One would be 2-8 shallow alluvial wells located along Bright Angel Creek that would have an operating capacity of 1 million gallons a day. If that's not possible, the second option would entail a surface water intake built on the south end of Phantom Ranch along the creek. However, the EA adds that the park might have to consider another option, unknown at this time, if neither of those two sources prove suitable.

Current consumption levels on the South Rim range from 300,000 to 850,000 gallons a day, the EA noted.

The purpose of the pipeline project is to provide a reliable water delivery system to meet water supply needs at the South Rim and in the Cross Canyon Corridor in the national park. The new project is intended to support the park for approximately 50 years.

The EA did not list a cost for the project, though past estimates to completely rebuild the pipeline have been in the $100 million range. As such, it's one of the largest deferred maintenance projects in the National Park System.

The current pipeline was constructed in the 1960s, is beyond its useful life, and experiences between five and 30 breaks/leaks a year due to pipe weld failures at joints, internal pipe corrosion, freezing, flooding, and falling rocks, according to park staff. The park currently has imposed water conservation measures due to breaks in the line and problems with the pump station at Indian Garden.

A typical pipeline failure stops the flow of water in the TCWL for about 4 days. A failure of longer than 2 to 4 weeks could interrupt the water supply at the South Rim. In 1995, a flood damaged the TCWL and the pipeline remained offline for 28 days while it was repaired, requiring the park to implement emergency measures to truck in water from outside sources to the South Rim. The South Rim has 14 million gallons of water storage, which is a 2- to 3-week supply. In the event of a complete failure of the TCWL, the South Rim could run out of water for visitor use and fire suppression. Pipeline failures are increasing in both frequency and severity each year. -- Grand Canyon National Park

The pipeline provides water for more than 6 million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents, and also provides firefighting water.

The current pipeline was built in the 1960s and actually is listed as a "historic district" because of its connection to the massive Mission 66 building program the Park Service conducted between 1956 and 1966 to upgrade park facilities across the system. It has its source at Roaring Springs, which comes out of  a cave system that collects snowmelt and precipitation, on the North Rim of the park. The intake there feeds a pipeline that runs down to Phantom Ranch, crosses the Colorado River attached to the "Silver Bridge," and continues on to Indian Garden, where a pump station pushes the water on to the top of the South Rim.

The desire to find a new water source near Phantom Ranch, if successful, would necessitate a disturbance of about 8-9 acres there for a water treatment plant, boost station, the alluvial wells or surface water intake system, water tanks and pipeline, and accommodations for employees. Additional acreage would be needed at Indian Garden for a treatment plant, water tank, and other infrastructure (1-2 acres), at the South Rim for a treatment plant, pipeline, expanded helibase for equipment sorties, and staging areas (15-16 acres), between Phantom Ranch and Indian Garden for new pipeline (11 acres), and for new pipeline from Roaring Springs to the nearby Cottonwood Campground (2-3 acres).

The work, if approved as outlined, is expected to take four-five years. At times the Bright Angel Trail would be closed to hikers, who would be diverted to the South Kaibab Trail. Mule trips would be hauled during construction closures along the Bright Angel and North Kaibab trails due to concerns that noise from helicopter flights (up to 12 a day) and construction could scare the animals and jeopardize rider safety.

Closures of the Bright Angel and Indian Garden campgrounds also would be possible, though intermittently and no longer than two weeks at a time. 

Xanterra Parks & Resorts could lose up to $3.5 million of the concessionaire's gross annual revenue if Phantom Ranch is closed for the eight busiest months of the year. That amount could be lowered to $1 million-$1.5 million if the closures were spread out over three years and didn't last longer than 2-3 months each year, the EA said.

Outfitters that lead backpacking trips into the canyon also would lose money -- possibly a combined $1 million-$2 million over three years -- under the preferred alternative.

By sourcing water near Phantom Ranch, the plan would eliminate one of the existing pipeline sections through "the Box" where most of the breaks occur, staff said.

Grand Canyon staff has scheduled several meetings to present information on the plan:

Open House
Wednesday, October 24, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. MST (Arizona)
Shrine of the Ages
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

Open House
Thursday, October 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. MST (Arizona)
DoubleTree by Hilton
1175 W Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Webinar
Tuesday, October 30, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. MST (Arizona)
Registration information https://parkplanning.nps.gov/grcatcwl