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.. . . 002708 Background as an Expert Witness As an expert witness I have previously testified in Colorado water courts Water Divisions .1", 4 andTfor issues related to the Golderr(Division No;.} Case 98CW448),-Vall-(Dlvl.sJon.Ne.--5 Case OOCW259), Breckenridge (Division No.5 Case OOCW281), and Gunnison (Division No.4 Case No. 02CW-38) Water Parks. I also gave testimony before the CWCB for issues related.to the Pueblo and Gunnison Parks. In all cases I have been qualified as an expertwitness with regard to my-experience as a Professional Engineer, Whitewater/Boating Park Designer, and Expert Kayaker based 01]. the' qualifications listed above. . . Boating Park Design Boating Park design begins with. an information gathering phase. In this phase information about the site. arid the people who-will use it are gathered. Necessary site . information includes existing gradient, width and depth.oftheexisting riverbed, historical averageand peak flows, and existing features in the region ofinterest. User information includes type and ~bility levels of.the different expected user-groups. User groups can include freestyle. . boaters, slaJomists, recreational boaters, rafters and people in inilatables among others. Public meetings are held in order to detennine the design objectives ofthe community and the people who will use the park. The designer then uses this information to design the layout of a particular course and tailor it for. a particular commuruty. The layout is typically a balance between the desires ofthe many user groups, the constraints of the riverbed in which the park is created arid the budgeting constraints of the project Parks with sufficient drop and flow allow for the most dynamic features a.11d are typically the venues that attract the most users and the most big events. Once the layout of the course is established the design ofthe particular features are . tai.lored to the existing riverbed. In-stream modifications are difficult and require careful planning. The structuresplaced in the stream must be stable yet createthe desired feature. without decreasing the capacity of the existing streambed or hindering the. stream's natural sediment transport mechanisms. The structures are also designed to create a navigable stream at water levels that vary from typical lows to extreme floods. Within this spectruInofpotential water levels the structure must not create a dangerous hydraulic feature. Additionally, flow control needs to be established and maintained throughout the boating park in order to prevent bank erosion or flow conditions that are hazardous to in-stream navigation. The Steamboat Springs Boating Park Background I spent a substantial amount of time paddling on the Yampa River previous to the construction of this Boating Park. In that time, public interest in creating the Boating Park grew -3-