On April 15, the Salida City Council (SCC) began their scheduled work session with a quick trip to the banks of the Arkansas River, a few blocks from Council Chambers in the Touber Building, to view the Scout Wave water feature and hear updates on planned improvements from Parks and Recreation Director Diesel Post and the Scout Wave’s lead designer, Mike Harvey.
Trying out the new Scout Wave 3.0 on April 15, 2024 in Riverside Park Salida. Merrell Bergin photo
“This project started in 2010, when I built the first Scout Wave,” said Harvey. “It was the very first river-surfing-specific project in the country. [River surfing] was a very new sport. I think I knew all six guys in Colorado who were doing it – but we knew this was going to be the wave of the future.”
Harvey explained that river surfing has exploded in popularity “for a number of reasons – one of which is that it takes a lot less time to get good at it than other river sports, like river kayaking, for example – and local kids can get into it without investing in $100 life jackets.”
Harvey also explained that the mechanics of creating a proper river “wave” are actually quite difficult. “There are other types of waves on other rivers but they require city staff [and specialized equipment] to monitor them.” The challenge that he and the engineers at Lowry Construction, who helped design, excavate, and build the structure of the Scout Wave, was “Could we make the same sort of wave in a fixed structure that didn’t require regular maintenance?”
The improvements that Harvey and others have put into the Scout Wave, followed its debut in 2022. But they were also made following criticism from citizens expressed in 2023. The improvements have apparently paid off.
Accessing the newly redone Scout Wave 3.0 at Riverside Park in Salida. Merrell Bergin video
“Lots of people are saying that this was the best river surfing they had ever done,” said Harvey. “But we did have some problems.” He elaborated on improvements to the initial design. “Number one was improving the hydraulic performance of the [Scout Wave] structure. Targeting low flows attracts more users – higher flows make the waves collapse.”
Harvey said that he and the Lowry Construction team had been working to solve the problems caused by high water flow by taking out trees, and working on both the right and left river banks. They also installed a water level logger, to keep digital track of water flows.
He said that they had also created what they are calling “fish passages”. “Small fish can’t burst up at the velocities that we need for the surfing…we are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) biologists to make velocity chutes for the fish.”
Harvey also noted that the flatter drops for the fish passage also serve as a boat passage for people who want to bypass the wave feature.
Post elaborated on the economic value of the donated work that Harvey and Lowry Construction had provided to create the Scout Wave. “Equivalent structures in other cities cost many millions of dollars. I think the return on investment for Salida will be good.”
By investing in the Scout Wave, he added, Salida has been “ahead of the curve in river sports and river lifestyle.”
Featured image: City Council members and staff hear Diesel Post and Mike Harvey explain Scout Wave 3.0. Rear, left to right – Mayor Dan Shore, Post, Harvey, Council member Wayles Martin. Facing the water, Council member Justin Critelli and Finance Director Aimee Tihonovich. Merrell Bergin photo
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