A section of the Roaring Fork River is closed to boaters and anglers as crews start building two recreational waves above the Town of Basalt. Pitkin County attorney John Ely said the project is intended as a safeguard against drought.
“The primary motivation for building this thing [was] to call water to this spot in the river such that in low-flow years, or in low-flow seasons of the year, we can call water and keep this thing wet,” Ely said.
The first step in that long-term goal of keeping water in the river, is to divert it so crews can build on the river floor. Diggin’ It Riverworks company has been hired to build concrete structures in the channel that will create two whitewater waves.
For several months, the water will be diverted for about 400 feet along an adjacent, dry part of the river channel.
The project has a $770,000 price tag.
