Cascading Water Feature at Sugarhouse Park
In April 2020, SLCDPU’s long-awaited pump started pouring water into the system to begin the season, discharging at 4,000-gallons per minute (GPM) through the force main and into the improved energy dissipation system. Water flows into the 11-foot deep rectangular box, pooling in the 3-foot deep sump before traveling down the 24-inch RCP and impacting the energy dissipation structure. The impact forced the rushing water to slow and cascade over the structure outlet weir and ripple down the riprap into Parley’s Creek. What might not seem so exciting to some, was thrilling to Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) who had strived for years to provide a stable discharge system into the creek.
For several years the discharge box for the pump to waste line from the Sugarhouse Well did not function properly. The undersized discharge system routinely caused the discharge box to overtop, causing significant erosion surrounding the discharge box and stream bank into Parley’s Creek. Several attempts were made to fix the discharge box before CRS was ultimately hired to solve the problem. We quickly went to work performing an alternatives analysis and recommend remediation for the system.
The Sugarhouse Well pump groundwater at a rate of 4,000-GPM and discharged into Parley’s Creek to supply water for irrigation water rights. CRS Engineers evaluated three alternatives, including reinforced concrete headwall modification, corrugated pipe with riprap apron, and USBR type VI impact basin. CRS performed a cost evaluation of each against the effective implementation of energy dissipation, erosion control, and impacts to Parley’s Creek and Sugarhouse Park. The USBR Type VI impact basin was selected in coordination with SLCDPU because it provides energy dissipation within a small footprint with the least disturbance to the creek. The impact basin sits next to the existing Parley’s Creek culvert headwall and remains outside of the creek bed. Thank you SLCDPU for engaging CRS to support you on this exciting and successful hydraulic design.
For more information on the SLCDPU Sugarhouse Wellsite Restoration, contact Ben Rood, PE in our Stormwater Division at (801) 359-5565 or mark.chandler@crsengineers.com.
