Rutherford Design Committee Page

2005 Rutherford Design Updates

Nov_5_05

Rutherford Course Progress - Update

The contractor's engineer (Knight Piesold), has responded on behalf of the contractor Peter Kiewit & Sons, to the input from the paddling community's Rutherford Design Team (provided by the WKABC to the developer - see the recommendations in the October 28 update below).

The Knight Piesold response fails to address a large number of the concerns put forward by the WKABC over the past year or more, relating to a number of safety and performance related items. Communications detailing our concerns are listed below:

   - July 17 2004 E-mail,
   - September 2004 2004 Outstanding Issues Letter,
   - May 5 Outstanding Items Letter,
   - May 5 2005 E-mail,
   - July 20 2004 E-mail,

Despite verbal assurances from both the engineers (Knight Piesold) and the contractor (Peter Kiewit & Sons) that the concerns we have been putting forward would be addressed (these concerns were put forward during the model testing, during construction, and during testing of the course), the engineers are now indicating that they feel they have only a few small items to address to complete the course.

You can read the Knight Piesold October 28 response.

Clearly a large number of our concerns have not been addressed. The engineers also continue to focus on their perception that the course channel was designed to be Class III-IV, though at no time has the design group put that forward. We do not feel that the features which are currently too difficult to paddle safely are that way by any design choice or intention.

There are also a number of safety and long-term durability related items which paddlers were assured would be addressed (by the engineers and contractor), which have not been resolved.

In the big picture, the WKABC maintains a good working relationship with the developer, and the developer desires to see the course completed, and to see our concerns addressed, within reasonable constraints. Many of the outstanding items were put forward to the contractor during construction, but these were not addressed, and as a result the required solutions are now much more complex (in terms of implementation and in terms of costs).

The relationship between the WKABC and the contractor has been strained since the entire Ashlu review process, which saw paddlers opposing the Ashlu project (which had Peter Kiewit & Sons as the contractor, and Knight Piesold as the engineers). It was exceedingly difficult to attend meetings and have employees of the contractor and the engineers very vocal in criticism of the paddling community, then have to work with those same people on the Rutherford Course in the following days.

At present the contractor (Peter Kiewit & Sons) appears to be avoiding many of their responsibilities which we feel were clearly inherent with the completed facility, and which have been known since the outset of the plan/design/build process.

We now await word of discussions between the developer, and the contractor, as to how the outstanding concerns we have put forward will be addressed.

Oct_28_05

Update on Site Visit and Process

A number of paddlers from Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler met on Saturday Oct 8, and reviewed the course channel, from top to bottom. This occurred first with no water, and entailed a walk through looking at the concerns in each area of the course, a review of the design intention, and the thoughts on what needs to be revised, if anything.

While working within the following restraints, the group formulated a set of recommendations for solutions:

    - keeping with the original general intent of the overall course channel
    - keeping with the original intent of the features placed in the channel
    - recognizing that minimal iteration solutions are preferred
    - recognizing that retaining existing structures when possible is desired

Following this dry walk through (which lasted three hours) the group reviewed the course channel with water in it, again from top to bottom. This provided a check on the comments and suggestions put forward during the dry review, and helped to shape the final inputs on what was required to make the course safer, and more functional.

The design groups solutions for each area of the course where concerns had been identified were agreed to, and these have been submitted to the developer. You can read the recommendations here

The October 11 meeting was cancelled after a number of people could not attend.

Currently we are awaiting a response from the developer, after they review this matter with the contractor. Once we receive a response, there will be more updates, and another meeting to review what is put forward by the developer.

Oct_6_05

Rutherford Course Visit

We will be meeting on Saturday October 8 to visit the Rutherford Facility and review the course channel. Dependent upon water levels, there may be the opportunity to view the course with flows in it.

Contact the RPC if you wish to attend.

Oct_6_05

Rutherford Designers Meeting

Next meeting is October 11, at 7:00 PM at the Howe Sound Inn in Squamish

If you have any agenda items, send them to the RPC at the e-mail above by Sunday October 9 , and the agenda will be posted that day.

Oct_4_05

Oct 5 Agenda

Rutherford Designers Meeting - Agenda and Meeting Format

The agenda for the October 5 meeting is below, on the left.

We will be working through the identified problem areas on the course, starting at the upstream end, and moving downstream.

We will have presentations by anyone with concepts for repairing the specific item we are working on (max 5 minutes). There will be a discussion period, and when we have heard from everyone on potential solutions the group will narrow the choices, and select one, or perhaps a new hybrid, as the proposed solutions, and this will be taken forward.

Depending on how many variations for solutions, and how much discussion follows, we may only have time to identify the various proposed solutions, and narrowing those may need to occur at later meetings. If there is much to discuss, we may only get through some of the issues.

Oct_2_05

Rutherford Designers Meeting - October 5, 2005 - 7:00 PM at the Howe Sound Inn

We have another meeting scheduled to follow up on the items discussed at the September 29 meeting.

Will try to post the agenda on Tuesday - send any items you want added to the agenda to the

Oct_2_05

Sept 29 agenda

September 29 Rutherford Designers Meeting - Follow Up

We reviewed a detailed slide show of the various features at a variety of flow levels, as well as video of the course in action, to identify and understand the various issues and problem areas.

Some important items that were decided at the meeting:

a) the design team feels that working with a contract designer will be helpful, and this will be put forward to the developer to see if they agree, and if they might be able to provide a budget for this.

b) any design revisions or solutions from contract designers would need to reflect design parameters and/or performance measures that are/were set by the design team

c) any design modifications put forward by the paddlers will be approved by the WKABC's Rutherford Design Team , and put forward as the preferred solution. This means the consolidation of input, so that the entire design group will review and finalize options, rather than the individual design teams. Everyone felt this would ensure we get the best potential solutions, with the best consensus.

d) each revision solution will be looked at one at a time, starting from the upstream end of the course, and potential revisions that are reflected by the identified problem areas will be considered

We have strongly suggested to the developer that any work on the course also follow this pattern of upstream to downstream movement

e) that any design revisions would need to work within the original design concepts and parameters (eg: we can not make Vancouver Wave into a pourover - it was designed to be a wave)

Sept_28_05

Rutherford Design Meetings

There will a lot of activity in the next few weeks as we move forward with the completion and testing of the Rutherford Facility. This has spun-off of a meeting this week with the developer, and the clear indication that they desire to see the facility completed and operational as soon as possible - needless to say, the paddling community agrees !

The paddling community needs to provide its input into this process, so that any revisions and refinements address the outstanding issues which have been identified in the flow testing to date. This will need to occur in the next few weeks, and though most of the current issues are known, and documented, this is an opportunity to have your input, before the revisions are made. Act now!

There is a design meeting on Thursday September 29, in Squamish, at the Howe Sound Inn.

There will also be another meeting on October 5, location TBA.

Updates will be posted here, however if you want to be in the loop, getting on the e-mail list is the best way to keep up on the developments.

Sept_26_05

Rutherford Facility Press Release

Today, both Rutherford Creek Power Limited Partnership (RCPLP) and the WKABC issued a joint press release regarding the Rutherford Facility.

Follow the link to read the press release.

There will be more details on the progress to be made this fall, in a few days.

Sept_16_05

Rutherford Completion Update

The second generator has been installed (late July) and we have now seen the course with full flows (17.6 CMS). As was the case with the lower flows there are some areas of the course which are not functioning properly. These areas need to be revised and we are in a holding pattern until the details are worked out between the developer and the contractor as to how this will occur.

There has been an independent review of the course safety and design, and this report reflected most of the outstanding issues that the WKABC had previously identified. This report was requested by the developer, as they were required to undertake due diligence in investigating their potential legal implications, now that the course has seen full flows.

There is a meeting scheduled in the last week of September with the developer to discuss the steps required to complete the course, and construction of the required revisions will begin this fall, with potential testing when water levels rise (when it rains) to allow for sufficient flows to be diverted into the course channel.

While the process for completion has been complicated by the equipment installation (generator) and the interaction with the contractor (Peter Kiewit), we are moving toward successful completion. In the larger perspective, the facility will be operating over the next 40 - 50 years, and while the delays have been a period of many months, getting the facility operating properly will be in everyone's best interest.

More details in early October, and a Course Designer's Meeting to follow.

July 11_05

Full Flow Testing Delayed Again

We were notified this weekend that the contractor, Peter Kiewit, is having difficulties, and the second generation unit will not be installed in July.

Until such time as the second generator is installed we are unable to complete the testing which is required before the course can be signed over to the WKABC.

Updates will be posted when we know more.

June 13_05

Full Flow Testing Delayed

It has been an up and down wait for the installation of the second generation unit at the Rutherford Power Station, and until such time as that unit is installed and functioning, we will have to wait to complete the testing that is required.

We were notified today that the contractor, Peter Kiewit, is having difficulties, and the unit will not be installed in June. We are looking at a July date now.

Stay tuned for updates...

June 01_05

Course Testing Update !

The second generator is now being installed, and it is estimated that this work will be finished in June. We will then be able to begin testing of the course with full flows.

The first testing will involved shore-based testing only, until we have catalogued all the features, at all the different flow levels. Once completed there will be some more work, to finish off the course so that all the features are safe to paddle, and so that the course, and the entire facility, can be signed over to the WKABC.

There remains lots of work to do (constructing obstacles, finishing the painting of the classroom, changes to some of the features, etc. If you can help, please contact the River Projects Coordinator at the e-mail link at the top.

With a a little luck, and some effort from the paddling community, we will have the course open for paddling this summer.

May 16_05

Rapid Magazine Follow Up Letter

Rapid Mag did a brief article on the Rutherford Course, and it came up a fair bit short of accurate, or of representative of the efforts that have gone into the course. Certainly it did not portray the efforts made at the facility in a great light.

A response was sent to Rapid.

E-mail to Rapid

Rapid Letter to the Editor

Mar 16_05

Course Images Posted

Some of the November 2004 course testing images are now posted.

These are selected shots of the course at different flow levels.

Mar 16_05

Rutherford Course Designers Meeting !

There will be a Rutherford Course Designers meeting on Thursday March 31, from 6:30 - 9:30 PM. at the Harry Jerome Recreation Centre in North Vancouver.

The agenda is here, and the map is here.

The items up for discussion are: the testing which is required to complete the course, the modifications required for a few of the features, completing the required movable obstacles, developing a course use protocol, protocol for supervision and operation of the facility, and the scheduling of all of these things.


	WKABC - Rutherford Design Committee Update Page - 2005
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