Construction on the Delta Education Center has begun!

The early morning hours of July 21, 2011, found the Paula Lee, one of Bill Dutra’s large crane barges snugged up to the waterfront in Rio Vista waiting for the arrival of 2 rock barges from the Dutra quarry in San Raphael, California. The Paula Lee, fresh from several months in dry dock, was being commissioned to offload the base rock for the Discover the Delta Foundation’s Delta Education Center project. Delivery of the rock is the first step towards the construction of the new 8000 square-foot educational center at the corner of Highway 12 and 160. The rock will also be used for the base of the historic Dutra water tower and the ramp necessary to transport the tower onto the project site.

By mid-morning two heavily loaded rock barges, carrying 3000 yards of rock base were brought up river and secured next to the Paula Lee. The barges were unloaded over the next two days with each scoop of the dragline bucket dropping more than 20 yards or a full semi truckload of rock. A loader provided by Warren Gomes Excavation loaded the rock on five transfer trucks who delivered it to the project site.

The rock will be shaped and compacted into a building pad upon which the building’s foundation will be constructed.

The Building Has Arrived!

Over the summer, six semi tractor-trailers, fully loaded, rumbled into the Delta and onto the Delta Loop. These vehicles were delivering the metal building that will become the new Delta Education Center all the way from Texas. The future home of the building will be on the southeast corner of Highways 12 and 160, next to the Delta Farmer’s Market, just across the river from Rio Vista. Contractor Doug Faszer of Galt oversaw the unloading of the components. The building was fabricated to meet the DTDF specifications and will be 8,000 square feet and two stories. When completed it will contain numerous educational exhibits about the California Delta along with a large meeting room, restrooms, and a gift shop.