Initial Information Part 3

WHITEWATER IN YOUR TOWN

You’ve been planning a whitewater course for months. Maybe for years. You’re excited about the possibilities and aware of the challenges, which may accompany a project of terrific proportion like the one, you and your group are undertaking.

Then again…perhaps you’ve just recently heard that whitewater courses are being built “all over” and are simply curious to know what all the noise is about.

What do you need to know as you plan to build or enhance your whitewater course? What are the “must do” steps, as well as those, which are “nice to know?” The McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group can help you navigate through the most important aspects of planning your whitewater course as you pursue funding, or develop a stakeholder outreach program. Our unique sets of skills and experiences — from hydrologic and civil engineering to architecture, stakeholder development and resources planning — offer both technical excellence and a broad vision.

This section of our web site outlines some important considerations as you start or review your plans for building a whitewater course in your town.

WHITEWATER IN YOUR TOWN
Course Types

The terms whitewater “courses,” “parks” and even “stadiums” are being used interchangeably to refer to both artificially enhanced rivers and completely self-contained venues. As this outdoor recreation expertise evolves, new terms will be added to our vocabulary. Here are a few to get you started:

In-Channel - courses, which modify the flow of water and create intentional hydrologic features in existing river or streambeds. These are by far most common. Their design and construction can also be the most demanding, for the structural integrity of any in-channel structures must be high to withstand constant flow and extreme fluctuation.

Out-of-Channel - courses that create intentional features and flow on water which has been diverted from a river or stream.

Diversion - a structure or system, which obstructs or diverts water flow, like a dam.

Recirculating - courses which are self-contained and employ pumps to move water the site. There are a growing number of these around the world, still limited in number due their complexity.

WHITEWATER IN YOUR TOWN
Design Parameters

There are a few factors whose consideration will you help determine the scope of your project. They are common to the projects on which we work, and all are considered initially to determine how we can best meet your objectives.

Water Volume - How much water (flow rate in cubic feet or meters per second) are you planning to accommodate? What is the ideal level for recreation for your project? As you might guess, it is easier to build a set of diversion structures designed to manage 500 cfs than 70,000 cfs.

Fluctuation - Your river probably fluctuates during the year: what is that range, and in how much of that range do you want your artificial or enhanced river features to function? To extend the previous example, designing a whitewater course that will be useful at a range of 500 to 1,500 cfs is different than addressing a river whose average annual fluctuation is 500 to 70,000 cfs and whose users have an expectation that the whitewater course will be useful up to 30,000 cfs.

Length - How long do you want your course to be? Do you need the length of a slalom course so that it will be available as a future race site? Do you need a site long enough to allow slalom paddlers and freestyle paddlers to train simultaneously? Do you want beginners to have a section in which they can learn basics in complete comfort, while intermediates can hone their skills on larger, more complex features?

Depth - How deep do you want your course to be? Depth may not be an issue at all. However, if your project usage will include inner tubers, squirt or freestyle boaters, consider your required minimum and ideal depth at both the pools and in the rapids.

Width - The wider your channel, the longer your diversions will need to be. Whether the project requires one or a number of constructed features, wider projects require more “structure.”

Flexibility – In whitewater courses, this can refer to systems, which can be changed when the water is turned off, to allow a replacement or realignment of the structures, which create the rapids. The McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group offers expertise in designing features, which can modify the characteristics of drops to create a variety of types of rapids without having to shut off the water flow.

WHITEWATER IN YOUR TOWN
Financial Aspects

Financial planning is a critical element for any successful whitewater course. Whether you are pursuing initial capital to design and build the course or the ongoing plan to fund operations and maintenance, the following financial aspects are important to consider:

Sources of Capital – We work with our clients to explore funding opportunities. Public financing has been common, private sources have played a major role, and many courses have leveraged private / public matches.

Sustainability - You will not have to worry about maintenance costs on a fixed McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group whitewater venue. However, your whitewater park sustainability model may include operational overhead. If you are providing public services, you will need to work with the leaders of your local Parks and Recreation and Public Works department to maintain the access and amenities.

Economic Impact - Whitewater courses and parks have been funded, promoted and otherwise buoyed by aggressive projections of economic benefit for new venues. Vail and Golden (CO), and the Adventure Sports Center International (MD) have projected annual revenue in excess of $1m. While economic impacts are tough to measure (given the variety of external forces in play), whitewater courses and parks are generating new or rejuvenated tourism dollars at lodging, eating and other retail establishments.

The McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group can advise you about the bases for your assumptions if you plan to conduct an economic impact study.

Liability and Risk Management - Your intention is to facilitate the creation of an exciting new outdoor recreational facility for your community, so it is important to consider the steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of your having to face a frivolous lawsuit. We are neither lawyers nor insurance experts, but can advise you on the alternatives you have as an operational group and have access to experts in pertinent specialty fields to help you establish a solid risk management plan.

WHITEWATER IN YOUR TOWN
Community Involvement

One of the most important processes for you to follow is in the development of your organizational leadership. You may want to establish a 501(c)3 to benefit from tax–exempt donor ship. Identify your greatest challenges and find professionals with the appropriate strengths. Look for professionals with expertise in the business, sport and political realms, as they each will open the necessary doors at critical times. When you assemble your team, make sure you develop your internal relationships so that you can avoid potential adversity with one voice and vision.

We have worked on and with many complex stakeholder groups and are looking forward to helping you maximize your efforts.

Whitewater Parks – Considerations and Case Studies.

American Whitewater -Whitewater Parks Policy Statement Developed May 2007

The Mission of American Whitewater is “to conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.” To that end, American Whitewater does not actively participate in whitewater park projects that are outside of existing river channels. The new generation of closed system pump parks is outside the scope of American Whitewaters’ mission.

In channel whitewater parks are highly diverse in their potential benefits and potential impacts to rivers and their enjoyment. American Whitewater is an organization focused on protecting and restoring rivers, and therefore we have a direct interest in whitewater parks that will either significantly impact a river or that will restore significant ecological or social values to an impaired river. We feel that any modifications to an impaired river channel should be made with the utmost caution, care, and commitment. It is our policy that natural un-modified river channels should not be modified for the creation of whitewater parks. Whitewater parks exist in a complex and dynamic context of river management, and we consider proposed parks in this context on a case-by-case basis.


Case Studies:
Black River, NY: Original plans for alteration of the Black River were developed with inadequate consideration of impacts to pre-existing and potential recreational use, public input, and public access. Subsequent revisions to the process expanded the scope for alteration of an existing feature (Route 3 Wave) located on or near private lands to an entire reach of the Black River that currently has little recreational use, large recreational potential, public lands, and ecological restoration needs. Public input was sought and considered through several forums. No project has been built on the Black River yet.

Brennans Wave, Clark Fork River, MT: Brennan’s Wave was created through modifying an existing and operational irrigation diversion weir. The pre-existing weir was a public safety hazard containing sharp rocks, a keeper hydraulic, and rebar. There was no river access in downtown, Missoula, and the weir was unsightly. The creation of Brennan’s Wave eliminated a public safety hazard, improved public access, created new opportunities for whitewater and board surfing, and created viewing opportunities drawing attention to the river and its enjoyment. The feature does not mimic a natural riverbed or banks in appearance, and does not feature educational information.

Arkansas River, CO: The Town of Salida has been awarded a Recreational In Channel Diversion (RICD), a legal water right held by the town, to protect flows in the river at the whitewater park’s in-channel features for the foreseeable future. In many western states water must be withdrawn from the channel, at a specific point of diversion to establish and maintain a water right. Colorado has a unique modern law that grants water rights to local governmental entities that place at least two whitewater features in the river by considering them Recreational in Channel Diversions. Thus, through building a whitewater park, Colorado municipalities have the unique ability to protect stream flows, without diverting it out of the channel.

Dickerson Whitewater Course, MD: Dickerson is an Olympic training site in the concrete outflow channel of a powerhouse along the Potomac River. Since it is off-channel and does not itself affect flows, the features have no direct impacts or benefits to the Potomac River.


Next Steps:


We discussed the Dam project quite a bit at our meeting last night 11/29/2007. It seems as though all parties present feel moving forward with this is a good ideal. Based on that, here is some information related to what our next steps could potentially be:



©The McLaughlin Group, has worked through a preliminary analysis of the site and has communicated that the site is more than adequate for a whitewater park. ©Flow and gradient are sufficient.
©The McLaughlin Group, a leader in the whitewater park design and development industry, offers two initial site surveys.
©For between $6,000 & $7,000, they will come to Flint for two days and talk to all applicable groups. They will analyze the site, and based on the desires and needs of all groups present, create a presentation for the group on the second day. Basically a marketing and presentation point analysis.
©
For approximately $20,000, they perform a detailed analysis including; complete detailed design proposals, conceptual drawings and overlays, complete full cost estimates and budgets, and a final presentation with all of the information.
©Based on the early stage of the process we are currently in, there is a resource package available from the 2006 Whitewater Parks Convention which is available online for $195, they would be a valuable asset. This along with the base level initial site survey would provide adequate information for the group to prepare a detailed proposal for the City of Flint and all parties in regards to the proposal for a man-made whitewater run park in Flint at the Hamilton Dam site.


Dam Rehabilitation & Repair Act
11/14/2007

Dam Rehabilitation & Repair Act
Legislation was introduced in the House Thursday, October 25th, to authorize funding to rehabilitate and repair aging public dams in the United States. Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) introduced the Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act of 2007 which would provide $200 million over five years to repair state and locally owned dams. The legislation is nearly identical to legislation introduced in the 109th congress (H.R. 1105) that failed to pass before that congress adjourned last December.

ASCE's 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure gave dams a grade of D, and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials estimates that $10 billion is needed over the next 10 years to make repairs to the nation's most critical dams. Key Contacts are encouraged to contact your Representative and ask him or her to cosponsor the legislation.

The bill text is available at http://thomas.loc.gov