Projects
Client: Central Colorado Water Conservancy District
Walker Recharge Project - Current
The decree for the Walker Recharge Project allows for up to 30,000 acre-feet of water to be diverted from the South Platte River and conveyed to ground water recharge basins annually. Per the decree, a total of 100 cfs will ultimately be diverted from a combination of wells and surface diversions when the right is in priority.
Approximately 15 wells and one or two surface diversions are planned for the project. In addition, 6 to 10 miles of distribution pipe and up to 200 acres of recharge ponds will be constructed.
Wayne E. Eckas, P.E. developed conceptual infrastructure designs and cost estimates to assist the District in making critical decisions regarding the construction and implementation of the project. Work has included the following:
Development of conceptual infrastructure design and estimated capital costs for each of the four well fields defined in the water right decree, and the four surface diversions.
Evaluation of multiple pipe materials and sizes for the main distribution pipeline from the surface diversions and well fields to recharge pond distribution pipelines. PVC, HDPE, and steel pipe were each evaluated for the project. Various pipeline capacities, and construction phasing alternatives were developed and evaluated for initial capital cost, estimated useful life, energy requirement, and operational considerations. The results of this study was used as the basis to develop an RFP to select a contractor and the preferred pipeline material and size.
Development of final construction documents for the main distribution pipeline. The final design documents are for a 54” diameter steel pipeline approximately 3 miles in length. The pipeline design included the design and permitting of 4 road crossings with CDOT and Morgan County, and a canal crossing with the Bijou Canal Company.
Development of preliminary hydraulic models of the main distribution pipeline, the well field manifold pipeline, and secondary distribution pipelines to the preferred recharge ponds.
Development of preliminary well field layout and distribution pipelines.
Coordination with Morgan County REA for electrical power to the preferred well field and surface diversion locations.
Coordination with Morgan County flood plain manager.
I am working with the following consultants and contractors:
White Sands Water Engineers - Water Rights
JUB Engineers, 54” Steel Pipeline Design Sub-consultant
Hydrokinetics, Inc., Well Design
Browns Hill, Electrical Engineering and Controls;
CEI, Inc. , 54” Pipeline General Contractor
Wildland Hydrology, Stream Stabilization
Client: central colorado water conservancy district
Rinn Valley Gravel Pit Storage Project - 2018
This project was one of the many storage projects considered as part of the CCWCD Capital Improvement Project Evaluation and Prioritization project conducted from 2013 through 2015. Conceptual infrastructure plans developed for this project were used as the basis for the design for this project. Infrastructure required to fill and extract water from the storage cells was designed as part of this project. Water diverted from Boulder Creek is conveyed to the storage cells via the Rural Ditch when CCWCD water rights are in priority. To augment member well pumping during the irrigation season, water is pumped from the storage cells and conveyed to the Rural Ditch and ultimately St. Vrain Creek.
Preparation of construction documents, bid assistance, and construction observation services were completed for this project.
Work completed by Wayne E. Eckas, P.E.:
• Close coordination with CCWCD operations staff during design and construction.
• Hydraulic and structural design of two flow measurement structures including a high capacity structure capable of measuring 10 to 80 CFS, and a smaller structure capable of measuring 2 to 15 CFS.
• Design of Rural Ditch headgate structure modifications.
• Design of 10 CFS submersible column pipe pump station to extract water from the largest storage cell. The submersible pump is installed in a steel pipeline that is installed parallel to the reservoir bank slope.
• Design of two reservoir fill rundown structures to protect the reservoir slope during filling operations.
• Design of two pipeline to transfer water from the pump station to another storage cell or the Rural Ditch.
CLIENT: City of Gillette, Wyoming
Dalbey Park Baseball Field Irrigation Project-2018
The existing irrigation system for this baseball field complex was one of the 24 individual irrigation systems evaluated for a 2013-2015 evaluation of existing irrigation systems. The recommendations from this study were the basis for the complete redesign of the irrigation system. The existing irrigation system was redesigned per the design criteria developed with the City of Gillette.
Construction documents, bid assistance, and construction observation services were completed for this project.
The following tasks were completed by Wayne E. Eckas, P.E.:
• Close coordination with City of Gillette Parks and Recreation staff and the Little League Baseball Club during design and construction.
• Irrigation system was designed to allow implementation of drought management plan.
• Follow up on contractor references prior to final contractor selection.
• As-constructed CAD and hard copy drawings were completed using GPS data collected by the City of Gillette GIS department during construction.
• Controller charts were developed for each system based on the as-built drawings for the system. Accurate precipitation rates were calculated for each lateral to provide basis for sustainable water management of the system.
CLIENT: LAS ANIMAS CONSOLIDATED CANAL COMPANY
Highway 50 Spillway Structure
2014 flooding of the Arkansas River destroyed an existing spillway structure on the Las Animas Consolidated Canal near Las Animas, Colorado. The structure was located upstream of the flow measurement structure for the canal. The structure was in place to regulate flow to the canal flow measurement structure, protect the canal from highwater events during the irrigation season, and flush sedimentation from the canal that collects upsteam of the structure. The structure is located approximately 6,000 feet downstream of the main diversion on the Arkansas River and approximately 200 feet upstream of the existing 12’ Parshall Flume flow measurement structure.
Work completed includes:
Development of HEC-RAS model of the proposed spillway structure to verify proper operation of the overshot bypass gate, fixed elevation emergency spillway weir, and existing flow measurement structure.
Preparation of construction documents for the spillway structure, Obermeyer Hydro overshot bladder gate, head gates, rip rap bank protection upstream and downstream of the structure, and final grading around the structure. Complete bid documents were prepared including Division 0, Division 1, and technical specifications.
Preliminary and final cost estimates were developed.
Construction observation services were provided to review compliance of construction to plans and specifications
CLIENT: Central Colorado WAter Conservancy District
Capital Improvement Project evaluation and Prioritization
Voters within the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District boundaries approved a $60 million Bond for the development of additional water supplies to provide ground water well augmentation water for their members. Wayne E. Eckas, P.E. assisted the District in completing feasibility studies for numerous water storage and water development projects. Work included the development of infrastructure costs for gravel pit storage, aquifer storage and recovery, ground water recharge facilities, and miscellaneous pipeline or conveyance projects to improve the efficiency of the District to move stored water within District boundaries.
Typical infrastructure that was included in the preliminary designs included reservoir fill and extraction facilities (pump stations, canal headgates, river diversions, pipelines, conveyance ditches, flow measurement structures, etc.). In many cases, existing river diversions and canals were considered to fill the gravel pit storage vessels. Existing infrastructure was evaluated, and costs to improve existing infrastructure estimated. In some cases, existing canals would need to be realigned and lined to maximize gravel mining and water storage.
The following services were provided:
Develop preliminary design plans and cost estimates at the direction of the District manager and board.
Attend monthly board and committee meetings as required to present project evaluations, answer questions, receive feedback for future work.
Attend meetings with gravel pit operators, land owners, ditch companies, and potential project partners as requested by the District.
Develop a uniform method of evaluating projects based on input from the District and other consultants and contractors working for the District including their water rights engineer, ground water hydrologists and engineers, environmental permitting specialists, and specialized contractors.