Charles City whitewater course originators urge maintenance, improvements

Safety repairs and suggested upgrades range from $150,000 to $2.5 million

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

One of the original proponents of a whitewater course in Charles City was back in town Wednesday evening at a city Parks and Recreation Board meeting, saying that after almost 13 years the park needs some maintenance for safety and performance reasons.

Ty Graham, who now works for Riverwise Engineering LLC of Durango, Colorado, also suggested that the course should be improved to keep up with similar attractions that are being created across the state and the country.

Graham explained that Shane Sigle, who owns Riverwise Engineering, was the lead engineer of the Charles City whitewater course, while then working for Recreation Engineering and Planning.

Since the course opened in August 2011, “the park has held up pretty well,” Graham said, “but the forces of nature are starting to take its toll a little bit.”

He said he started advocating for low head dam removal in 2000 and started pitching whitewater parks around the state, going to about 20 different communities including his home town of Cedar Falls.

“Charles City was the first one to say, ‘Hey, that sounds like a good idea. We need to do something – let’s do that.’ So this one being the first, I’m really, really proud of it and it holds a special part of my heart. … I want to see it continue to be a leader in the state, and not just in the state, in the region,” he said.

“You guys are a success,” he said, “and I think we need to keep building on that success instead of sitting on our heels.”

Graham had sent a proposal to Mayor Dean Andrews and Tyler Mitchell, the director of the Charles City Department of Parks and Recreation, outlining some of the problems that he said had developed in the course’s features. He listed:

• Dam Drop (first feature) – “On the river right side (as looking downstream) along the structure’s downstream edge there are multiple places where undermining is evident. Undermining can result in partial collapsing of structures and increased maintenance costs. There is also exposed rebar creating a safety hazard.

“On the river left side, the outer edge of boulders along the waterline have settled and need to be re-set and grouted. The settling has reduced the performance of the whitewater feature and created safety concerns.”

• Tew Shanez (second feature) – “Structure boulders on the river left side upstream of the feature just below the storm outlet have undermined and created a safety issue.”

• Exit Exam (third feature) – “There is minor undercutting on the river left upstream of the structure.”

The proposal, which was sent by Graham and by Shane Sigle, also said, “While addressing these issues the areas around the features could be ‘tightened up’ for safety, aesthetic and functional purposes making for safer and better access on and around the features.”

The letter offered three proposals:

1) “Perform safety and stability maintenance tasks as noted above. Riverwise is available to submit a proposal for creation of a project narrative, design drawings, cost and quantity estimates, and bid document support that can be used by the City to acquire a contractor and complete the maintenance. This may include additional permitting.

“The full cost of engineering and construction for the maintenance activities will range from $150,000-$400,000.”

2) “Install Increased terracing along the banks of the river at key locations. The terracing would create bank stabilization, reduce future degradation, and reduce costly repairs following flooding events. The terracing creates improved access, additional usability options for users, and additional draw.

“The cost for additional terracing will vary depending on how much additional rock is placed and can range from $50,000 to $1.5 million.”

3) “Modify the Dam Drop to create an additional surfing wave. The additional wave would be based on current technology not available during the initial stages of the park design. Similar waves have been created in Salida, Colorado, and Munich, Germany. … RWE is available to submit a proposal for the modification.

“The cost for engineering and construction for the new surf wave will range from $200,000 to $600,000.”

Graham said the options could be considered separately, but “my recommendation would be to look at the utmost that you could do.”

“Instead of just bringing things back to what they were, I would suggest moving forward and making them even better. Because sooner or later you’re going to want to do that anyway.”

Graham said that the technology to create whitewater courses has changed significantly, and the focus has also changed, especially with more emphasis on standup surfing which is becoming more and more popular.

Option 3, creating an additional wave in the first feature, would be aimed at standup surfing, he said.

The members of the Parks & Rec Board accompanied Graham and several others out to the pedestrian bridge that crosses over the beginning of the whitewater course, and he pointed out where some of the problems are and what could be done.

Also along were kayaking enthusiasts Marty Colbert and Hannah Ray J, as well as Ginger Williams, the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce and Charles City White Water marketing director.

Graham said his dream would be to have three whitewater courses on the Cedar River, in Charles City, Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids, and they could develop a “Triple Crown” event of kayak competitions, but the Charles City course would need to have “something equally as good” as those new parks.

He also suggested competitive partnerships could be formed with other whitewater courses across the country.

Graham said there are grants available to help with projects like this, including some providing many millions of dollars, and he would send to the board some contact information to people involved in grants and grant writing.

Also at the meeting Wednesday, the Parks & Rec Board members went to Sportsmen’s park as the first step in creating a master plan for development and improvements at all the city’s parks.

At Sportsmen’s, the board members talked with Tad Barry of the Charles City Baseball Club, about the club’s efforts to improve the ball diamonds at the park, discussed possible locations for a new inclusive playground the board plans to have built, and also looked at other parts of the park that need some upkeep or that have other potential.

The board will continue visiting and discussing other city parks at its next meeting, which hasn’t been scheduled yet because several members will be unavailable in May on the usual third-Wednesday-of-the month meeting time.