First and foremost Smelter rapid has only been manipulated 6 times in 22 years now. It is done every time with an engineer and a group of people that all agree on what maintenance can be done, and what the Army Core will permit, (another engineer stamp) it is not on a "whim". Last maintenance was only for bank stableization. Till now the Army Core and the city will not permit the use of concrete and even with concrete in Smelter there is no "guarantee" that there would be a great feature and hold. Very high flows, steep and on a turn is difficult to get anything to stay put and on the inside of a turn guess what happens??????? Sediment!!! And if things did not blow out last year then everyone would be happy right?????
To clean out sediment is not allowed under any permit!!! We live in a area that has Whirling desese spores that live in the sediment and it is a Gold Metal Fishery!!! That makes things very difficult and very expensive. There are a lot more fisherman than people who want to surf a wave!!!!!!!!!!
Smelter would qualify for an RICD in the present state but the city has hired Gary and Scott to design a number of sites not just Smelter, and then the city will sign off on what they want to build and go forward with the RICD and the structure that is approved. THE NEW BILL IS NOT GOING TO AFFECT EXISTING RICD'S AND WILL NOT AFFECT DURANGO'S. AS LONG AS DURANGO FILES BEFORE JULY OF NEXT YEAR, AND THEY WILL.
The city of Durango spent 500K to build a skate park that maybe 12 people use!!!!
So people stop bitching and get involved. Write letters to the city council tell them how much river recreation brings to the quality of life in d-town and how much it would mean to have a feature like salida right at 9th street or at rotory park or even at smelter.... It is moving forward. Get involved...
John Brennan
Animas River Task Force and "local slalom coach"