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Design and Construction Program Notes
By David W. Lloyd, P.E., Chief, Design and Construction Program

In this past year the District's Design and Construction Program committed over $9.1 million to design and construction projects throughout the Denver Metropolitan area. Our work load continues to be in the area of 80 to 90 projects that are either in the design process, obtaining lands and easements, or under construction.

Notable projects this past year included construction of improvements to the Pinehurst Tributary to Bear Creek. This project, located almost entirely on Colorado Academy, a private school located in Jefferson County, consisted of a regional detention pond and channel improvements. Incorporated into the channel improvements were two "faux" rock drop structures as well as a new outlet spillway from the existing Woodys Pond. This was a cooperative project with Denver, Jefferson County and Colorado Academy (CA). During the design process CA developed a master plan for The Alumni Nature Preserve that encompassed most of the drainage facilities. The preserve will be made up of various geozones each representing a particular ecological and cultural environment and connected by an extensive pathway system, part of which will provide maintenance access for the drainage improvements. This project has been a fine example of various stakeholders partnering to develop a truly multifunctional drainage improvement project.

This past year saw the start of the fourth and final phase of the Goose Creek project in Boulder. This has been a multi-year project (the first phase was constructed in the mid-80s), of which the fourth phase should be completed in the spring of 2003. This multi-million dollar project will remove hundreds of properties, both residential and commercial, from the 100-year floodplain. Congratulations to the City of Boulder for staying the course in implementing this important drainage and flood control project.

This coming year looks to be equally as busy with almost $8.8 million identified in the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program for 33 new or existing projects. The new year has all the appearances of a banner year as we anticipate going to construction with the long awaited Van Bibber Creek Flood Protection Project. This project, in which the District and City of Arvada have partnered with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, is projected to be bid by the Corps in January, 2003. This project officially began in 1989 when the District and Corps entered into an agreement for the feasibility study of the Van Bibber project. Even prior to 1989, the District and Arvada worked with the Corps in the development of a reconnaissance report and made their first major land purchase in anticipation of the project in 1988. This past year, the City of Arvada has been purchasing the needed lands and easements needed for the project as well as relocating utilities that are in conflict with the proposed improvements.

The Marcy Gulch channel stabilization project included a dozen soil cement drop structures to stabilize the longitudinal slope of the channel, along with restoration and creation of wetland areas.  Last spring 200 high school students spent several hours on a Saturday planting upland shrubs and wetland plants along the newly completed construction area.  The photos to the right and below show the students in action.

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