Project Information
Due to the deteriorating state of the Homestake Arkansas River Diversion, which includes a damaged dam and a dangerous spillway, it could no longer serve as a dependable backup to the main intake at Twin Lakes Dam. The Homestake Project, a collaboration between Colorado Springs Utilities and Aurora Water in Colorado, brought in Schnabel's Boise, Idaho, office in 2016 to carry out the necessary upgrades.
The Homestake system is responsible for supplying approximately half of the yearly water demands of the two leading cities in the Front Range by moving 180 cubic feet per second of water from the Colorado mountains to Spinney Mountain and Rampart Reservoirs. However, due to sediment buildup and a worsening condition, the current facility was in need of replacement. The spillway also posed a significant risk to those using the river, which is one of the most popular recreational waterways globally. Our task involved the construction of a new diversion dam with a concrete top and a rockfill spillway next to a low-flow channel on the left bank for recreational activities. The project also included the addition of a new fish ladder on the right bank, a 90-foot-long Acrow Bridge over the river, and the installation of a new intake structure for water.
Throughout the design phase, we conducted thorough studies on the site's geology, geography, and water flow. We documented each phase of the design in a comprehensive technical report, which concluded with a final report on the project's foundation. The project also required extensive approval and coordination with various agencies and stakeholders, including the State Historic Preservation Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404, Colorado 1041, environmental clearances, UPRR encroachment permits, floodplain development permits, and assistance with land acquisition.
