Agenda Date: 04/22/2025
Subject:
Title
City Ditch Flume Structure Discussion
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Brent Soderlin, Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Ryan Germeroth, Deputy Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Presentations: |
Brent Soderlin, Director of Public Works & Utilities |
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Ryan Germeroth, Deputy Director of Public Works & Utilities |
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this item is to provide Council with an overview of the assessments done for the City Ditch flume structures owned by the City of Englewood in Lee Gulch and Slaughterhouse Gulch. In addition, a staff recommendation and options will be provided for Council input and direction.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
The City of Englewood is planning to pipe the open channel City Ditch in both Slaughterhouse Gulch Park in 2025 and in Lee Gulch in a future year. Once piped, the existing flume structures that carry water in both parks will no longer be function or needed and could be abandoned and / or removed. Due to the potential removal of the flume structures, a request was made by representatives of the Littleton Historic Preservation Commission to consider keeping the flume structures. Currently neither the ditch nor the flume structures have historic designations.
City staff hired a consultant to assess the condition of the existing structures and provide scenarios on what could be done with the flumes. The scenarios analyzed include costs to repair in place, costs to maintain in place, and the costs to remove and relocate part or most of the flumes to another location. Based on the condition assessments both flume structures are leaking, have corroded steel, have spalled concrete, are missing anchor bolts, and have exposed or undermined foundations. Most of these deficiencies are rated as “serious” or “high” need in the assessment reports. The full inspection reports have been included with this summary memo. Given the extent of the maintenance needs, the costs for repair or relocation are extensive and the flumes could pose a safety risk once abandoned, especially if left in place.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Englewood would like to pipe certain sections of the City Ditch that are currently open ditch in the Lee Gulch and Slaughterhouse Gulch areas. The goal of piping the open ditch is to improve the reliability and safety of the water supply to Englewood. The City of Englewood initiated a design project in the third quarter of 2022 to pipe the ditch in the Lee Gulch and Slaughterhouse Gulch areas. The new piped alignments will no longer transmit water via the existing flume structures in either park. While the ditch was constructed in the 1860s the existing flumes were likely built in the 1940s.
Prior Actions or Discussions
N/A
FISCAL IMPACTS:
All the costs identified here are not currently budgeted for and would likely need to be funded from the General Fund. Option 1 is removal of the flumes with the Englewood project. There would be no cost to the city with this option. Option 2 is to repair the flumes in place. Each flume would cost the city about $300,000 to repair all the issues identified in the condition assessment. In addition, there would be an annual cost of $21,000 to $55,000 for on-going maintenance to keep the flumes in a good state of repair. Over ten years, this would total up to about $550,000 in maintenance costs if both flumes are maintained in place. Option 3 is to remove and relocate part or all of each flume to a different location. The costs for this option vary depending on how much or which parts of the flume would be relocated. The costs to relocate the Slaughterhouse Gulch flume range from about $220,000 to move one span, nearly $450,000 to move the truss, and up to almost $1.1 million to move most of the structure. Any part of the structure relocated would also require on-going annual maintenance in addition to these relocation costs. The table in the alternatives sections provides more detailed costs.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Based on the current condition and the costs to repair, relocate, or maintain the flumes, staff recommend the City proceed forward with Option 1. This would result in the City of Englewood removing the flumes at their cost.
ALTERNATIVES:
Option 1: Instead of full removal there are two main alternatives that Council could consider.
Option 2: Repair and maintain the flume in place.
Option 3: Relocate a portion or all the flume to a different location. The following table provides a menu of options for Council to consider for the Slaughterhouse Gulch Flume.
Table 1. Alternatives for Slaughterhouse Gulch Flume (present day costs):
