Laserfiche WebLink
Recreation Engineering and Planning <br />485 Arapahoe <br />Boulder, Colorado 80302 <br />303 - 545 -5883 <br />February 9, 2001 <br />Via Fax: 303 -443 -6864 <br />Steven J. Bushong, Esq. <br />PORZAK BROWNING & BUSHONG <br />929 Pearl Street, Suite 300 <br />Boulder, CO 80302 <br />Dear Mr. Bushong: <br />This is a follow -up letter to my earlier reports regarding the water rights application filed by <br />the City of Golden for the Whitewater Course on Clear Creek. I am responding to issues that <br />have been raised, particularly those contained in a January 23, 2001 memorandum from Ken <br />Knox to Steve Sims and a January 19, 2001 letter from Richard L. Stenzel to Steve Sims. <br />Mr. Knox raised a number of issues related to control and made some comparisons to the <br />Fort Collins boat chute. The structures built within the Clear Creek Whitewater Course are <br />significant hydraulic improvements to what previously existed, and completely divert and control <br />the streamflow. These are large structures, built of large stone grouted together with concrete, <br />spanning the entire channel, and are anchored well into the bed and banks of the creek. They are <br />designed to divert and control water to create whitewater boating features, particularly at high <br />flows. These structures function even if they are partially or completely inundated, and work <br />together in tandem to create the desired features. <br />Each of these structures is an improvement and is a drop (or chute) for boating. Such <br />structures are designed not only to allow the passage of boats, but also for recreational purposes. <br />While it is difficult to precisely predict how much of each structure will be inundated at various <br />flows, this can be roughly determined from observations made during high flow and from <br />calculations. I will prepare demonstrative exhibits for trial demonstrating how the different <br />structures in the Course divert and control water for boating. <br />The first structure in the Course is a modification to a previously - existing barrier, which <br />consisted of a concrete dam drop structure that spanned the entire channel. This structure <br />encased a City of Golden water main. Prior to the construction of the Golden Whitewater <br />Course, this structure created a safety hazard and impediment to boat passage at certain flow <br />rates on this stretch of Clear Creek. <br />EXHIBIT <br />M <br />d <br />G -52 <br />