Most of us are enjoying the long holiday weekend, but Labor Day is a big day for the crews of Lowry Contracting. According to Salida Parks and Recreation Director, Mike “Diesel” Post, excavators will be “in the water”, after taking back 15 feet of the riverbank over the last few days.
Scout Wave upgrade project underway Sept. 2, 2022 on the Arkansas River in Salida. Merrell Bergin photo
The pressure is on: a delayed start and recent pattern of steady monsoon rains has slowed the work. And, according to Post, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is strictly enforcing the work permit which says crews must be out of the river by October 1 – a scant 27 days away.
The project is under the supervision of long-time Salidan, Mike Harvey and the firm of Recreation Engineering & Planning, a world leader in whitewater parks and riverside design. The wave is named after the nearby Rotary Scout Hut in Salida’s Riverside Park.
There’s lots to do in four weeks – pedestrians can observe safely from the Riverwalk and are urged to follow caution signs. City staff is working with the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) team and local river outfitters to keep everyone safe — private boaters should avoid the area.
The next task is “de-watering” the work site so the river flows around it.
A state-of-the-part, poured concrete design will form the upgraded Scout Wave, instead of using older methods of simply placing rocks. Once that’s all done, crews will put the riverbank back together, and even add some terracing to make it look even nicer. City staff also hope to try to graft some material from the big willows in Riverside Park and replant them on the north bank.
Overall, said Post, “the goal of the Scout Wave upgrade is to spread users further downriver. The new wave will be similar to the upstream “Office Wave” and is optimized to be more usable at our standard summer flows of 600-800 cubic feet per second.”
“A tuber takeout at river-right will be added, using a safe eddy, to handle the ever-increasing number of enthusiasts seen individually floating on the river this summer. Finally, a fish ladder is planned,” he concluded.
AVV will continue to follow the progress of this exciting project in words and pictures as this and other planned riverfront improvements continue to rollout in Salida.
Featured image: Excavator and Wheel Loader work together to reshape Arkansas riverbank, preparing for upgraded Scout Wave in Salida. Merrell Bergin photo
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