and is currently scheduled for completion Nov. 30, 2027. With project changes incorporated into the work, Sukut Construction Project Manager Nathan Rodriguez estimates the final construction value will be approximately $63 million to $64 million. Rodriguez, has been with the company since 2017 and is helping lead the Lake Perris Emergency Release Facility project along with Concrete Project Engineer Sarah Scherzinger and other members of Sukut’s management and field teams. “The purpose of the project is to provide a safety net in the event of an emergency release or a major event at Lake Perris,” says Rodriguez. “The surrounding area below the reservoir includes housing communities, so this project provides a defined route to safely direct that water toward the Perris Valley Channel.” Sukut’s scope includes approximately 6,500 linear feet of levee, roughly 240,000 cubic yards of levee embankment, approximately 342,000 cubic yards of channel excavation, and about 35,000 cubic yards of rock slope protection. Major structural elements involve two new roadway bridges, a reinforced concrete box culvert crossing, roadway reconstruction, extensive wet and dry utility relocations, drainage improvements, two major drop structures, and approximately 6,000 cubic yards of structural concrete. Planning Before Moving Dirt Although physical construction started in October 2024, Rodriguez says months of planning were required before Sukut could begin significant earthwork. “Before we could even start clearing and grubbing, we had to develop our quality-control plans and coordinate with the environmental entities involved,” says Rodriguez. “That took about three months of planning.” CALCON TRAC TOR.CO M
DWR describes the completed conveyance system as consisting of three general sections: an SRA Segment extending through the State Recreation Area below the dam, a Fairgrounds Segment crossing the southern portion of the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, and a Western Segment carrying flows toward the Perris Valley Channel. Once Sukut received access to begin work, crews started clearing and grubbing while opening areas for channel excavation. Groundwater quickly became an important consideration. Sukut installed approximately 3,000 linear feet of temporary dewatering wells, consisting of approximately 105 wells served by roughly 45 pumps. With the dewatering system operating, crews could excavate as deep
as approximately 15 feet below original ground in portions of the channel. Following excavation, usable material was stockpiled nearby for placement in the levee embankment. Sukut recently completed importing approximately 25,000 to 30,000 cubic yards of material to make up the difference. “We've moved almost 300,000 cubic yards so far,” says Rodriguez. “The project was supposed to balance, but because of the shrinkage factor, we've had to bring in additional material to complete the levee.” By mid-2026, approximately 85 percent of the levee embankment had been completed. Prior to embankment placement, Sukut crews overexcavated approximately 3 to 5 feet in designated areas.
Sukut Construction Project Engineers, Sarah Scherzinger and Scott Steele. CO N C R E T E CO N S T R U C T I O N / 2 0 26
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