Locals Get in on Whitewater Park Action

Home Browse Search

Tlie Durango Telegraph - Cover Story with communities and go about it." And although grout often is the answer to avoiding such calamities, it is not always the most popular one. As a result, Lombardo said his company is trying to come up with alternatives. She said the city is forming a task force o river users and stakeholders to steer the Smelter project. The group will also be responsible for coming up with a master river -use plan for work done beyond Smelter as required by the Army Corps of Engineers Right now, the city has identified 10 other sites on the Animas for potential whitewatei development. "We are working on some different ideas other than grout," he said. Lombardo is banking on innovation and a staff of experts and consultants to make his company competitive with Lacy. Recently Hydraulic Design Group brought Nick Turner, a civil /hydraulic engineer and whitewater park designer from Bozeman, Mont., on board. Metz said the task force is still in the proc( of forming, and no date has been set for first meeting. "I imagine, if all goes well, we'll have our meeting this month," she said. said if the group reaches consensus, on Smelter Rapid could begin this fall. "There's a specific time period set by "Nick has a whitewater park business Army Corps of when we can do work," and did a few projects, and we said. "it would be early fall if we do go in." basically joined forces to make one company," Lombardo said. "He can take our designs and run flow studies on the computer to see how they'll work." The company also uses local environmental consultant Sean Moore to help with obtaining Army Corps permits and mapping, and employs the help of professional freestyle boater Jimmy Blakely with design. Nevertheless, Lombardo notes that taking a bite out of Lacy's monopoly is a sort of chicken - and -egg scenario. "Until we get our first job and prove ourselves, it's going to be tough to compete against him," he said. In the meantime, Hydraulic Design has gotten its foot in the door, Lombardo said, going head -to -head against Lacy for several jobs, including one in Glenwood Springs (the outcome of which has yet to be decided). The company also is creating a feature later this year for the Colorado Timberline Academy north of town and is working on feasibility studies for Telluride and Rangely. Local boater Luke Hanson plays in the Corner Pocket wave earlier this year. /Photo courtesy Aaron Lombardo. "We are working on conceptual design, cost analysis, surveying the river bed and talking to community members about what they'd like to see," he said. He also has offered up his company's services to the City of Durango for the Smelter work. "I've offered my team's expertise on a volunteer basis to the city if needed," he said. "It could potentially save Durango $100,000, at least. We would be working with people that represent each river user group on a task force that's going to answer to the city." http://www.durangotelegraph.com/03-07-10/local Page 3 of 4 4/5/2004