Volume 4 Issue 7
Thomas W. Kula North Texas Municipal Water District Executive Director
July/August 2018
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6 WATER IS LIFE: THE CASE FOR STREAMLINED PERMITTING AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIGADIER GENERAL (RETIRED) THOMAS W. KULA
Contents
July/August 2018 Volume 4, Issue 7 5 Decisionmaking for the Long Term By Kris Polly
30 Pipe Trek: Deep Trekker's Hi-Tech Inspection Robots
ASSOCIATION PROFILE 34 Building Consensus in the Valley of the Sun: The 14 Just Add Water: The Smoky Arizona Municipal Water Users Hill River Renewal Project's Key Association to Reviving a City's Spirit 20 Developing Multipurpose Solutions for Atlanta's Historic Fourth Ward Park: Robby Bryant of HDR, Inc. 4
CIRCULATION: Municipal Water Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. Please send address corrections or additions to Municipal.Water.Leader@waterstrategies.com. Copyright Š 2018 Water Strategies LLC. Municipal Water Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Municipal Water Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Municipal Water Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Municipal Water Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised. MuniWaterLeader
COVER PHOTO: Executive Director Thomas W. Kula of North Texas Municipal Water District
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
6 Water Is Life: The Case for Streamlined Permitting An Interview With Brigadier General (Retired) Thomas W. Kula
THE INNOVATORS 29 QuakeWrap's Futuristic Materials Are Reshaping Pipe Manufacturing
ADVERTISING: Municipal Water Leader accepts one-quarter, half-page, and full-page ads. For more information on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly at (703) 517-3962 or Municipal.Water.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
Decisionmaking for the Long Term
M
ost people don’t think about how their municipal water supply system functions until something goes wrong. The job of a municipal water district manager is to ensure that things don’t get to that point. And carrying out that task is something that requires long-term thinking and innovation. In this month’s Municipal Water Leader, we talk to several executives and planners who are working on the longterm tasks of planning for the future and caring for legacy infrastructure. In our cover story, we talk to Tom Kula, the executive director of the North Texas Municipal Water District, which serves two of the top five fastest-growing cities in the country. He’s spent over 10 years getting federal and state permits for a sorely needed new reservoir—and argues that the process could be much faster. In our other interviews, Robby Bryant of HDR tells us about an exciting new project in Atlanta—an ingeniously designed urban park that is also a large-scale storm water control feature. Warren Tenney, the executive director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, explains to us how his organization works to build consensus among 10 member cities and then amplifies their voices in the state legislature, state government, and regional conservation projects.
By Kris Polly
We also profile two innovators: Deep Trekker’s robotic pipe crawlers and QuakeWrap’s high-tech construction materials aim to help municipal water suppliers maintain their infrastructure over the long term with increased sophistication and reduced cost. Finally, the story of the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project in Salina, Kansas, shows how misguided infrastructure projects can cause long-term consequences— and how big-picture, comprehensive plans can help turn them around again. A flood control levee built in the 1960s all but dried up Salina’s Smoky Hill River, leaving the city sitting on the banks of a silty ditch. Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping to mitigate the problem and restore the river, a project that promises to have significant positive effects for the city as a whole. M Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.
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Approximately 345 feet long, 15 beams mark the next step in the building of the new FM 897 bridge over the future Bois d’Arc Lake.
An Interview With Brigadier General (Retired) Thomas W. Kula 6
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
Water Is Life: The Case for Streamlined Permitting
Booming population growth is the dream for many municipalities throughout the United States because it increases residential development, business activity, and the tax base. Population growth can also present challenges, however, for municipalities with limited water supplies. There are consequences when population growth occurs faster than new water supplies can be developed. Just northeast of Dallas, Texas, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is facing such growing pains. In the early 2000s, the NTMWD established a plan to accommodate an ever-increasing population. A new reservoir would be built beginning in the year 2020 to capture and store water from the Bois d’Arc Creek. But a long permitting process, requests for additional studies, and agency staff turnover caused years of delay while the population continued to grow. In February 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the construction of the reservoir. Now, NTMWD is working to get this new water supply project in service as quickly as possible. Kris Polly, editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader, spoke with Tom Kula, executive director of NTMWD, about the reservoir project and his organization’s efforts to supply water to the growing population. Speaking from his experience on this project and as former commander and division engineer for the Army Corps Southwestern Division, Kula highlights areas for improvement within the federal approval process and the importance of streamlining permitting for large water supply projects needed to serve booming population areas. Kris Polly: Please tell us about the need for and purpose of your new reservoir? Tom Kula: The NTMWD has been providing water since 1956 to what have been fast-growing suburbs north and east of Dallas. The population back in 1956 was about 30,000. Fast-forward to the 1990s, and the population had grown to 800,000. Within the last 20-plus years, the population has doubled, and today we serve 1.7 million people in 80 communities. Because of that growth, the district has moved from reliance on one reservoir in the 1950s to today having water rights and the ability to draw water from a total of four reservoirs and one of the largest manmade wetlands in the United States for the recycling of water. Because our population is due to double within the next 30 to 40 years, we need a new water supply source. That will be Bois d'Arc Lake. It will meet the water supply needs for the next 20 years for what continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the country, with two of the top five fastest-growing cities in the country, Frisco and McKinney. Now that we are building this project, we need to begin the planning process for the next project that will supply water from 2040 on. Kris Polly: How long has this process taken from when you started planning until the present day? MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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A north perspective of the the FM 897 bridge work over the future Bois d'Arc Lake.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
Tom Kula: The district talked about constructing the project was about $1 billion. Then, as we refreshed our numbers over the next couple of a new reservoir in Fannin County over 20 years years, by 2016 the cost rose to $1.2 billion. The ago. The source of water would be Bois d'Arc delay itself and the cost of construction over Creek. Staff began planning in earnest in 2003 the 2-year period increased, and the scope of and submitted our application for the Clean some of the project components changed as Water Act section 404 permit in 2008. well. Combined with the additional mitigation We received our state permit in 2015 from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. property needed, we saw the project cost rise from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion. It was issued as an uncontested state water rights permit. It was uncontested because the Kris Polly: What has been the biggest challenge team built relationships and coordinated with you have faced? agencies and interested stakeholders early on. Over 2 years later, we received the federal Tom Kula: The biggest challenge was the length permit in February 2018. It took 10 years to of time it took to get the federal permit. It was a obtain our permit. Ten years is too long. slow-moving process and we experienced many Right now, we are 2 years behind schedule delays along the way, all while constantly racing in terms of when we needed to have the reservoir complete and begin using it as a water against population growth. You need to start early, expect it to take up to a decade, and expect source. We needed it in 2020, and now will delays during that period. not have it online and operating My last assignment in the until 2022. Uncertainties with "Texas is highly army was with the Army Corps the federal permitting process dependent on as the Southwestern Division required for the project caused this delay. reservoirs, and we commander, and during my time are going to need there, we talked to congressional leaders and committees about Kris Polly: What kinds of more. Ours is the streamlining the permitting pressures will this delay put on first major reservoir process. Many leaders over the your ability to provide service to your customers? to be permitted in years have pursued this as well. our state in nearly We weren’t successful, but it can be done. A 404 permit application Tom Kula: We cannot slow down 30 years. There will could take only 2–3 years from the growth of the region. Really, be more to follow." start to finish if the process is this whole permitting process changed. If it takes any longer has been a race against this area’s — TOM KULA than that, projects are held up population growth. You do not due to the changeover of people, ever want to be the one who says, policies, concepts, and procedures. “Slow down the growth—the permit has taken Water is life—especially here in Texas. longer than expected.” We will have enough Before the creation of man-made reservoirs, water with average rainfall, but it will be a there was only one natural lake in the entire challenge if we run into a period of drought state. Looking back 100 years, our early settlers before Bois d’Arc Lake is in service. Several knew that we needed water to grow, so they consecutive years of drought could require us to constructed three reservoirs. Fast-forward to implement outdoor watering restrictions in the today, and there are now 188 large, man-made summer months. So, not only are we planning reservoirs across Texas. These provide over for population growth, but we are planning for population growth during a drought. Our region 50 percent of the state’s water supply. Texas is highly dependent on reservoirs, and we are has experienced significant drought conditions going to need more. Ours is the first major over the last decade. reservoir to be permitted in our state in nearly 30 years. There will be more to follow. Kris Polly: What has the 2-year delay done to Since water is the high priority for your project costs? Has there been an increase fast-growing areas, we have to establish in costs due to that delay? processes and procedures to get a multistate and federal permit done within a 2- to 3-year Tom Kula: Yes, there has been. When I arrived at the district in 2014, the estimated cost for time period.
Kris Polly: What improvements can be made in the permitting process?
within 3 years. They need to apply those same short timelines to the 404 permit process.
Tom Kula: Lessen the time period for a permit to be challenged. It is something that we are working on with our legislators in Washington, DC, right now. Currently, once someone receives a permit, the Clean Water Act allows for a 5-year period during which that permit can be challenged and construction potentially stopped, while the National Environmental Policy Act allows for a 6-year statute of limitations. That is unbelievable when providers like us need water supplies to meet growth that is happening as we speak. The fact that our project could potentially be stopped years after the permit is issued is very concerning. The statute of limitations needs to be shortened significantly, from up to 6 years to something around 180 days. Shortening the entire permitting process time frame to 2–3 years is key. The Army Corps has a three-by-three program that will allow them to finish Corps projects
Kris Polly: What advice do you have for other water agencies?
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Tom Kula: The applicant needs to be proactive and to be a team player early on. Initiating, building relationships, and coordinating with the state and federal agencies early on is key. A little-known fact is that a third party helps write and develop the environmental impact statement. Applicants need to work with the Army Corps and get those right resources on board early. If you assemble a dream team early on, it allows the process to move much more quickly and smoothly. There have been a number of NTMWD staff and consultants over the years who have been integral to the success of the permitting for the lake. Our deputy director of operations, Mike Rickman, has been involved in advancing the project for over a decade with
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A north perspective of the the FM 897 bridge work over the future Bois d'Arc Lake.
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with public water suppliers in other states to help the Corps obtain greater resources and funding opportunities from the U.S. Congress to apply toward water supply initiatives. We hope this article helps to raise awareness. Something managers might not think about is the naming of the reservoir. It proved to be very important for our project. Our reservoir is called Bois d'Arc Lake. For those who do not know, Bois d’Arc is a type of wood Native Americans used to construct bows. The name has the public's support because it preserves a significant piece of the area’s history. It’s important to gain that public support. Kris Polly: What is your message to Congress? Tom Kula: I think everyone agrees that we cannot live without water, and that water supply projects, due to growth and economic prosperity, are very necessary. We have been talking about it for years, so let’s do something about streamlining the process down to 2–3 years—it can be done, so let’s do it. Considering the potential financial savings of streamlining the process, it is well worth it for the people we serve. Wetlands, reservoirs, and other critical water supply projects are essential for sustaining our communities into future generations. M The North Texas Municipal Water District can be contacted at (972) 442-5405. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
support from key consultants, including Freese and Nichols; Lloyd Gosselink; Beveridge & Diamond; and Solv, LLC. Agencies and entities involved in the process included the Army Corps, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Texas Water Development Board, Fannin County, and the City of Bonham, among others. The North Texas congressional delegation and state representatives also recognize the importance of this project for our region and have been solid supporters every step of the way. Applicants should consider funding an Army Corps employee to specifically work their application: Applicants can fund a position or half a position to process their application in an expedited manner. That takes money, but if you can shorten the time frame of something that normally takes more than 5 years to something that takes less than 5 years, the money is well spent. There are enough stumbling blocks along the way, but establishing relationships and building the team early is the best route forward. Water supply projects are essential. It is possible to pursue this smart and essential development and take care of the environment at the same time. It’s time to increase the priority and funding of water supply projects. Water supply is currently the Army Corps’ lowest-priority and lowest-funded program. Given the fundamental need for water, Texas public water suppliers must initiate and increase collaboration and coordination
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Just Add Water The Smoky Hill River Renewal Project's Key to Reviving a City’s Spirit
Rendering of a concept for the Founders Park and Western Star Mill Dam area.
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Renewal Project, and Eric Dove, a senior resources engineer at HDR, about the city’s efforts to restore the river and the importance of community engagement and long-term planning in developing a project that will benefit the residents and businesses of Salina. Tyler Young: Could you each tell our readers about your backgrounds and how you became involved with this project? Martha Tasker: I have been involved with water and wastewater treatment facilities for nearly 40 years. The city’s water supply is from the Smoky Hill River, so I have done a lot of research on its flows and conditions and on the nearby lake to figure out how it forms our water supply. My background in water supply brought me to the river renewal project. Salina has a population of about 50,000 people, so we often wear many hats in the community. I often joke that if the job description has the word water in it, it seems
Martha Tasker.
Eric Dove.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERIC DOVE AND MARTHA TASKER.
Historic photos of Salina, Kansas, show a city different from the one many would recognize today. Before the 1960s, the Smoky Hill River flowed through the town, providing a place for the city’s residents and visitors to gather, fish, and enjoy themselves. The river also powered several grain mills, making it a key economic driver for the community. However, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed a flood control levee, it restricted water flow and strangled the river. The once-flowing river soon filled with sediment and debris, becoming an eyesore for the town. Friends of the River, a local grassroots non-profit organization, began organizing in 2007 to inspire local interest in revitalizing the river corridor. Building on their work, the City of Salina and HDR, Inc., are working to restore the unsightly riverbed and turn it back into a focus of recreation and business development. Tyler Young of Municipal Water Leader recently had the opportunity to speak with Martha Tasker, the utilities director for Salina and a project manager for the Smoky Hill River
Tyler Young: Could you tell us about the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project and the goals it hopes to meet?
to fit in my category. In total, I have been with the City for about 14 years. Prior to that, I worked for an engineering firm here in Salina. I was known by some of the people in the Friends of the River grassroots organization that started the river renewal project many decades ago. In fact, the engineering firm I worked for previously did some of the original work. Later, the grassroots group did a lot of research and started getting the project going. Over the course of time, I met with them several times, and the river renewal project became a fit for me to follow through with. Eric Dove: I have about 25 years of experience in water resources and obtained my bachelor of science and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska– Lincoln. My background is focused on open-channel surface water management. I have worked on dams, channels, water quality, and many other types of projects. Some of them were heavily focused on recreational aspects, and others focused on fishing and net value for the community. This project pulls in a lot of those different aspects. I serve on the board of directors for a nonprofit, the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, which is charged with protecting drinking water supplies for Springfield and Greene County, Missouri. Through my nonprofit work, I am also working on a variety of open channel and water quality fundraisers. That ties in well with the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
A present-day view of the north side of Founders Park.
"What used to be a beautiful amenity is now an eyesore filled with sediment, trash, and debris. The community’s goal is to have that river flowing again as an active asset to the city."
—MARTHA TASKER
Martha Tasker: The Smoky Hill River had been an active piece of our community since the 1800s. It was a meeting and gathering place. Many of our citizens have fond memories of the river. However, in the 1960s, a flood control levee was built, which limited the flow that came through the city. While it protected the city from flooding, the water did not flow through the community like it once had. What used to be a beautiful amenity is now an eyesore filled with sediment, trash, and debris. The community’s goal is to have that river flowing again as an active asset to the city. Friends of the River hired a consulting firm out of Colorado to research the community’s interest in a potential river renewal. They spent about $400,000 of their own money to determine that there was a desire within our community for the river to be rejuvenated. At that point, it was up to the City Commission to develop a master plan to bring that vision to fruition. In May 2016, the voters approved a sales tax for improvements within our community, one being the river renewal project. Once that was passed, we moved forward with a request for proposals. We interviewed several different consulting firms and selected HDR for the project. Tyler Young: How has HDR made this project a success? Eric Dove: Each of us on the team has worked on a variety of river renewal projects. Probably the most notable is the one we are working on down in San Antonio, Texas, on the Museum and San Pedro Creek reaches. Working on many projects of this nature, our team has identified their typical tripping points and stumbling blocks. We knew that our team for this project needed to be a diverse working group comprising experts in the fields of water supply, architecture, and public involvement. One of the things we have to be careful about is public outreach. The public always has to be invested in the outcome. We assembled a 25-person steering committee and reached out to the community in three public meetings. Through the meetings, we determined the
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City's priorities for the project and, at the end of the day, developed a thorough project that met the City’s needs. Through the process, 4,500 people downloaded and viewed the public presentation—if you do the math, that is nearly 10 percent of the community. That is outstanding community engagement. We received wonderful advice and direction from the community. It was critical to have a highly qualified team that covered every facet of the project and was willing to work with the community to find that sweet spot.
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Tyler Young: What are some of the biggest challenges you have had to face while working on this project? Martha Tasker: Our channel is 6.8 miles long, and there are a lot of different features that presented challenges during the projectplanning phase. There is an old Western Star Mill dam in the middle of that span that could be a drowning hazard because it has a 10–11 foot drop. Good engineers and architects and common sense worked us through that. I think convincing people that the river could be restored and selling the image of a Salina with a flowing river were among the hardest challenges. The river channels have been just sitting there with no flushing flow to clean the sediment. There are 8–10 feet of sediment in some locations. We even had to move the city's water intake because the water level no longer reached the old intake, which was built in the late 1800s.
ABOVE: Salina's Kenwood Park with a proposed expanded convention center and lake feature. TOP LEFT: A proposed redevelopment of the Western Star Mill dam and its environs.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERIC DOVE AND MARTHA TASKER.
Martha Tasker: To add to that, when HDR gave its presentation, it emphasized the company's team, accomplishments, and strong relationship with the Army Corps. This is one of those projects where the Section 1135 Ecosystem Restoration Program can come into play—the Army Corps will help restore ecosystems that were harmed by projects it has carried out in the past. The lack of flow in the channel prevented the river from being a live ecosystem. As a result, the Army Corps has been a part of our project team and has helped us secure part of the funding. That longstanding relationship with the Corps was a strength that HDR brought to the table. When we first started the project, Eric recommended having a 10–12 person steering
committee, but we ended up with about 25 people who really wanted to be a part of it. HDR laid out the program and discussed it with the community in an understandable fashion. Our solution is not one for San Antonio or Oklahoma. It is fine-tuned for Salina and its citizens.
Eric Dove: The other challenge was the budget. The original 2010 master plan identified anywhere from $75 million to $150 million worth of improvements. The City only has a small portion of that set aside. The question quickly became what we should build in the first phase. We couldn’t build everything, so we had to determine the community’s priorities. Trying to work through that has been important for the success of the project. Through this process, we have identified that first and foremost, we have to get the water flowing, but community access is at the top of the list as well. The community talked about using kayaks instead of water taxis, so everything that we are designing will allow for kayak accessibility down the road. That really refocused our design elements and eliminated some of the more expensive features. We were able to get a lot more miles into our first phase budget. Martha Tasker: When we started this project, we really wanted to develop an overall plan for the whole channel and MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
not just tiny segments. We felt that if we did not start to plan for the entire channel, we could easily box ourselves into being unable to do what we wanted in the future. I think we would be struggling greatly if we hadn’t done this, especially looking at what we have done with the Western Star Mill dam. I have always been a big supporter of developing a good plan up front. In every project I’ve worked on, it has been money well spent. We would not be getting the same project we are getting today if we hadn’t taken time to plan. Eric Dove: Martha’s approach shows a lot of vision and foresight. So many communities with limited budgets will just go to work on a tiny segment. We know we cannot build it all, but because everything is connected hydraulically, we needed to work through the entire channel corridor. It started to get us thinking about all of the interesting channel features. If we had gone segment by segment, we would have boxed ourselves in and possibly implemented something the community would not have been happy with.
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Tyler Young: What words of wisdom do you have for others interested in pursuing a project like this? Martha Tasker: Public involvement is key. So is not getting in a hurry. Be sure to get public support, thoughtfully analyzing every facet of the project, and make sure to work with a firm that has experience in producing the kind of project you want to have. Eric Dove: Once you open up to public comment, you have to actively respond. Rather than just giving the public information, you need to engage with the public by listening and trying to incorporate their needs into the project. It's vital to build flexibility into the process so that you can incorporate their input.
Eric Dove: Certainly. The City has already seen an increase in economic redevelopment potential. In one project I worked on in Lincoln, Nebraska, there was an increase of three dollars of private development for every one dollar of public money used for infrastructure development. In San Antonio,
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Martha Tasker: We have a new entertainment center, The Alley; a car museum; and a lot of things being built downtown near the channel in coalition with the river renewal project. This project is really creating a pull for a lot of other types of development. We really want Salina to be a place people cannot wait to tell others about once they visit. We want people to tell their friends and family about our river and our downtown. M Martha Tasker is the director of utilities for the City of Salina in Kansas. She can be reached at Martha.Tasker@salina.org or (785) 309-5725.
One of seven planned bridges in the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project.
"Salina has a rich river history: Restoring the river and those economic drivers will help restore that overall level of vitality."
—ERIC DOVE
Eric Dove is the senior water resources project manager for HDR. He can be reached at eric.dove@hdrinc.com or (417) 351-6502. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC DOVE AND MARTHA TASKER.
Tyler Young: Has Salina seen any additional benefits from this project?
the return is estimated to be even higher. This project will not only create a public recreation area—it also has the potential to boost economic redevelopment. Many of the properties that back onto the channel now are blighted, but once we restore the flow it will drive reinvestment into this area. Salina has a rich river history: Restoring the river and those economic drivers will help restore that overall level of vitality.
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Keep saving water for the birds and the bees. And me. A Thankful Butterfly
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBBY BRYANT.
The South Plaza stream channel pays tribute to the original Clear Creek that once flowed through the site. This ephemeral stormwater feature artfully collects rain water from one of the site's largest gathering spaces.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Developing Multipurpose Solutions for Atlanta’s Historic Fourth Ward Park: Robby Bryant of HDR, Inc.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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Storm rainfall can be a nightmare for municipalities with combined sewer systems, causing water accumulation in unwanted areas, overflows along streets, and localized flooding. Such was the case for the City of Atlanta in the early 2000s. The city struggled to accommodate unpredictable pressure during storm events, which often caused combined sewer overflows in and around the Fourth Ward neighborhood. While the city was initially planning to fix the sewer capacity problem by laying more pipe via a tunnel extension of the sewer system, concerned citizens petitioned the city to investigate another idea that would transform the blighted industrial lowland into an urban green space and public park with built-in storm water control features. In 2008, this creative solution was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.; Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management; and Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Tyler Young, a writer for Municipal Water Leader, spoke with Robby Bryant, planning and landscape architecture discipline leader for HDR, Inc., about how engineering and architecture came together to create a new park that is not only an important part of Atlanta’s water infrastructure, but is also an aesthetically pleasing and popular gathering space for the community. Tyler Young: Could you please tell our readers about the Historic Fourth Ward Park project?
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capacity relief and ABI was able to expedite the development of one of its first signature parks. In 2007, HDR was selected to design the first phase of Historic Fourth Ward Park, which included a retention pond that would capture storm water runoff and would also be the centerpiece of a new BeltLine park. The concept for Historic Fourth Ward Park was simple, but designing a retention pond as an aesthetic feature was a little more complicated. Additionally, each partner on the project had different goals for the outcome—DWM was trying to resolve the combined sewer overflow issue, ABI wanted to build a signature park, and the Atlanta Parks Department was concerned about the maintenance that would be required once it was completed. Fortunately, there was a good working relationship, and each group was willing to take time to consider how to proceed in a mutually beneficial way. Through public meetings, HDR’s design team began to understand the community’s expectations for the park. These expectations had to be balanced with the storm water storage requirements. We wanted the park to provide a place for people to gather and recreate like any other urban park, but we also recognized that this was a unique multifunctional space that should celebrate water, since the retention pond was its centerpiece. These principles helped to guide the park program and eventually led to the framework for the park layout.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBBY BRYANT.
Robby Bryant: In the early 2000s, the city of Atlanta, like other cities, was exploring solutions to help address combined sewer overflows. One way to accomplish this was to increase capacity within the sewer system by building underground tunnels to accommodate storm flows—that was the original plan for the Fourth Ward neighborhood, and it was estimated at $40 million. Another solution was to reduce demand on the system by capturing and containing storm runoff during peak events. This idea was embraced by the community. Soon after, planning efforts were underway to develop a storm water pond (providing capacity relief for the sewer system) within a park that would also be a muchneeded amenity for the neighborhood. Next, the City of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management (DWM) developed an important partnership with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI). ABI was already planning to build a destination park near this location. Working together, DWM was able to meet the goal of
Robby Bryant, planning and landscape architecture discipline leader at HDR, Inc.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
BELOW: This scenic walkway uses LED lighting and solar arrays to mitigate energy use and costs while providing lighting brighter than that of traditional sources.
ABOVE: The basin's walls are marked with riverstone bands that indicate the water levels for 100-year and 500-year storm events. LEFT: From left to right, these diagrams show the stormwater pond under normal circumstances and during 5- and 100-year storm events. The regional stormwater pond captures stormwater runoff and serves as the aesthetic centerpiece of the park.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBBY BRYANT.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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LEFT: From top to bottom, the two photos show the stormwater pond before and after a spring storm. The retention pond reduces neighborhood flooding and relieves local combined sewer systems in addition to functioning as the park's aesthetic centerpiece.
"It was determined early in the design process that nearly 7 million gallons of storm water runoff could be captured within the park. By containing this excess runoff in the pond and releasing the stored volume in a controlled manner, the sewer system is able to maintain capacity."
—ROBBY BRYANT
All design decisions were looked at from three sides: functionality, design, and maintenance. For example, the pipes, culverts, and headwalls were hidden from view, and the channels that would convey water were artistically designed to be attractive features within the park. Native and locally adapted plants provide a wildlife habitat and minimized long-term maintenance. The clearly defined goals and collaborative team approach are what made this project unique. Tyler Young: How did HDR’s expertise help make Historic Fourth Ward Park a reality? Robby Bryant: HDR is unique in that it has an in-house partnership between award-winning designers and nationally recognized engineers. HDR’s design team for Historic Fourth Ward Park was led by landscape architects working in close coordination with water resources and structural engineering staff. This allowed our design team to ensure that the placement of park elements met complex engineering requirements. One example was how we decided where to locate park facilities with various flood events in mind. When designing the hardscape areas, it was determined that the perimeter path around the pond should be set at the 5-year storm elevation, while the other plaza spaces in the park would be located above the elevation for 25-year storm events. This reduces long-term maintenance requirements by limiting the frequency at which the public spaces are inundated. Looking through the hydrographs with the engineers also inspired an educational element in the park. The placement of riverstone flood markers along the granite walls circling the park allows visitors to imagine what a 500-year storm would actually look like. Tyler Young: What were some of the big challenges that you faced? Robby Bryant: One of the biggest challenges was rethinking traditional techniques for retention pond design. This was also one of the most rewarding aspects of the project, because it forced the design team to search for a collaborative solution. It was important to the project team that the pond not be enclosed within a fence. The proposed solution was to create a natural planted buffer that would separate the public
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
walkway from the water. A 12-inch-deep littoral shelf was designed along the water’s edge with dense vegetation on the slope around the pond. All told, 22 feet separate the walkway’s edge from the point where the water starts to slope down. This design solution accomplished the regulatory requirement of keeping people safely separated from the water without using a fence. Another challenge was concealing the outlet control structure. The design team developed a custom-designed outlet box that is built into a retaining wall and disguised using sculptural artwork and a recirculating fountain. There is easy maintenance access through a plaza behind the retaining wall. Tyler Young: How has the community accepted the park? Robby Bryant: The community has really embraced the park. It’s a popular destination because of its proximity to the BeltLine and Ponce City Market, so plenty of residents live within walking distance. ABI has done a great job programming activities and festivals in the park throughout the year; there’s even the occasional wedding on the performance stage overlooking the pond. It’s great to see the amount of activity in and around the park; there are almost always people strolling through, walking dogs, or just people-watching from one of the many seating plazas. Tyler Young: How has the pond relieved the stress from the sewer system? Robby Bryant: It was determined early in the design process that nearly 7 million gallons of storm water runoff could be captured within the park. By containing this excess runoff in the pond and releasing the stored volume in a controlled manner, the sewer system is able to maintain capacity. The functional aspect of the pond is another design benefit: It provides an educational look at storm water, through its conveyance in the open-stream channels and also through visible fluctuations in the pond level. That’s an aspect of storm water management that is often overlooked when pipes are buried and ponds are located out of view behind fences. M Robert Bryant is the planning and landscape architecture discipline leader for HDR. He can be reached at robby.bryant@hdrinc.com.
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THE INNOVATORS
QuakeWrap's Futuristic Materials Are Reshaping Pipe Manufacturing
QuakeWrap's FRP pipe.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF QUAKEWRAP.
M
o Ehsani, PhD, PE, SE, the president of QuakeWrap, is on a mission to help irrigators in the United States combat the aging of their infrastructure and use new technologies to advance their water delivery potential. Dr. Ehsani was a professor of civil engineering at the University of Arizona when he began his pioneering work with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) technology in the late 1980s. FRP is composed of a polymer (such as epoxy, vinyl ester, or polyester) that is reinforced with a fiber (such as carbon, glass, Kevlar, or basalt). The fiber is the main source of strength and stiffness for FRP. In the most commonly used application of FRP, fabrics of carbon or glass are saturated with epoxy resin in the field and applied to a structure—anything from a pipe or culvert to a bridge piling or a building’s foundation. After the epoxy cures, the FRP will have a strength about three times that of steel. Not only is FRP incredibly strong, it is lightweight and corrosion resistant. Dr. Ehsani published the first paper on FRP technology in 1989 to praise from the scientific community. In 1994, after an earthquake in Northridge, California, Dr. Ehsani was contacted by engineers who wanted to use FRP technology to repair structurally unsafe buildings that were damaged in the earthquake. After the project was completed, he decided to establish QuakeWrap. Dr. Ehsani and QuakeWrap continued to take on small-scale projects for the next 15 years. In 2009, Dr. Ehsani left the University of Arizona to focus his career on QuakeWrap, which has grown by over 50 percent each year since 2013. Not only does QuakeWrap now employ over 70 people in Tucson, split between the engineering section and the FRP construction section, it has expanded to offices all over the world. QuakeWrap’s in-house construction section allows it to create custom-made solutions for every client and to handle the operational realities of every job from genesis to completion, which gives clients the ease of only having to deal with one company to complete a job. QuakeWrap’s InfinitPipe is a game-changing pipe-creation
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
technology. The beneficiary of a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation, InfinitPipe is an onsite pipe-manufacturing process that uses FRP technology to create a pipe of any length and diameter desired. InfinitPipe has a number of advantages over traditional pipe: It does not have joints that are prone to leaking; it is corrosion resistant; it is significantly lighter than other pipe; and it is the world’s first green, sustainable pipe. InfinitPipe’s manufacturing unit can be loaded onto a flatbed trailer and hauled by a pickup truck to the job site so that the pipe can be created right there. By eliminating the significant costs associated with hauling conventionally manufactured pipes, this makes projects in previously infeasible locations possible. QuakeWrap is actively looking to expand into the irrigation industry with InfinitPipe and a whole host of other FRP products. The company recently received a research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the use of InfinitPipe in irrigation districts. Dr. Ehsani believes that with QuakeWrap’s expertise and commitment to excellence, his company can change the landscape of the irrigation industry—and the landscape of the United States—for the better. M For more information, contact QuakeWrap, Inc. at (520) 791-7000 or quakewrap.com.
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THE INNOVATORS
E
Pipe Trek: Deep Trekker's Hi-Tech Inspection Robots
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vehicle lines, and customers in over 80 countries around the world. Deep Trekker introduced its first pipe crawler system, the DT340, in 2016 and saw huge success within the municipal water industry. Deep Trekker’s business model is based on interacting with customers and adopting feedback to enhance its products. “Customer feedback is our numberone focus,” says Cody Warner, a business development lead. The DT340 received positive reviews for its portability, effectiveness, and ease of use. The DT340 can fit into a pipe as small as 8 inches or as large as 36 inches in diameter and perform Pipeline Assessment Certification Program inspections with a camera head in the center of the pipe. The DT340 can be customized to include various attachments, depending on the project at hand. Customers worked with Deep Trekker to help facilitate the introduction of a smaller pipe crawler, the DT320 Mini Pipe Crawler, which can fit into pipes as small as 6 inches in diameter. The company began shipping units in August 2018. Deep Trekker prides itself in providing affordable units. The DT340 starts at just under $13,000 and, depending on the package and attachments, caps at approximately $50,000. The DT320 comes with all the attachments and options necessary for a 6- to 12-inch pipe and sells at a flat cost of $26,000. Deep Trekker has sold several hundred units of the DT340 since 2016, and orders are already rolling in for the DT320. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEEP TREKKER.
very man-made structure eventually wears out. Municipal pipelines—some of which are more than 100 years old—are no exception. As infrastructure ages, the risk of breaks, cracks, and leaks grows. By conducting frequent routine inspections, cities and municipalities can discover issues before they become serious problems. To make sure that their pipelines meet regulatory requirements and performance standards, cities and municipalities are turning to trenchless technology, including pipe crawlers. Deep Trekker is one company that is developing new ways to make inspections simple, efficient, and more cost effective. Deep Trekker’s pipe crawlers are portable robotic systems with onboard cameras that allow for regular maintenance and inspections on pipes 6 inches in diameter and larger. Deep Trekker is a leader in the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) industry, providing various portable ROVs and pipe crawler systems to a wide variety of industries around the world. In 2003, founder and chief executive officer Jeff Lotz designed and built an ROV called the DTG1, including all its mechanical and electrical components. In 2011, he followed it up with a second low-cost, high-quality ROV, the DTG2, which was designed with ease of use, reliability, and portability in mind. Deep Trekker sold its first unit in 2011 and has since grown from a small company building robots in Mr. Lotz’s basement to a company with over 40 employees, six robotic
THE INNOVATORS
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: the DT320; a DT340 with optional tracks; a DT340 with an optional elevating arm; and the DT340X, customized for larger-diameter pipe inspections.
"There really isn’t any training involved. Someone can just pick it up, and it is easy to understand what to do to move the vehicle." —CODY WARNER
One of the factors that set Deep Trekker’s pipe crawlers apart is portability. Both crawlers are designed with portability in mind, allowing operators to load the unit into a pickup truck or on the back of an ATV. Deep Trekker pipe crawlers are also remarkably easy to use. “There really isn’t any training involved. Someone can just pick it up, and it is easy to understand what to do to move the vehicle,” says Mr. Warner. Each crawler comes with a remote controller that allows for intuitive piloting and significantly reduces the operational learning curve. Not only are Deep Trekker’s crawlers portable and easy to use, they are also fully submersible. Deep Trekker uses magnetic coupling at various seal points to ensure that the crawlers are completely waterproof. Finally, both the DT340 and DT320 are fully compatible with traditional pipe inspection software, such as WinCan asset management software. “By conducting regular inspections
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
and prioritizing repairs, you are going to make sure that your repair dollars, the money you are spending on new construction and lining new pipes, is being spent in the right places. You’ll make your budget much more effective and save money along the way,” says Mr. Warner. The municipal infrastructure industry is one of Deep Trekker’s largest markets, and municipal water districts in the United States make up a significant portion of its customer base. Deep Trekker is committed to providing its customers with industry-leading technology, first-class customer support, and unparalleled innovation. Every pipe wears out eventually—but with Deep Trekker’s pipe crawlers, municipal water districts can care for their infrastructure with precision, confidence, and ease. M For more information, contact Deep Trekker at (226) 400-0073 or deeptrekker.com.
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ASSOCIATION PROFILE
Building Consensus in the Valley of the Sun: The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association Providing water to the residents and businesses throughout the Valley of the Sun in Arizona is not an easy task. Meeting the varying interests of municipalities and utilities within the metropolitan region requires a unified strategy for water management. In March 1969, the cities of Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe created the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) to devise such a strategy. Today, the organization is double its original size and serves as a forum for area leaders to discuss issues, formulate strategy, and advocate for the region’s municipal water interests. Tyler Young, a writer for Municipal Water Leader, spoke with AMWUA Executive Director Warren Tenney about the role the organization plays in helping to promote a consistent and unified message for municipal water providers in the region, the complexities some AMWUA members face, and the association’s outlook on the future. Tyler Young: Please tell us about how you became involved with the water industry and became the executive director of AMWUA.
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of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Project. I learned how important it is to interact on all levels within the Arizona water community. While I was at Metro, one of my tasks was to follow the meetings of the Central Arizona Project’s board of directors. In 2008, the election for Pima County’s representative came up, and I decided to throw my hat in the ring. I won as one of the four project board members from Pima County. I learned a lot during the 7 years I served on the board. In early 2016, I had the great opportunity to take on the professional challenge of serving as the AMWUA executive director. My 22 years
AMWUA Executive Director Warren Tenney.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO BY SALT RIVER PROJECT AND COURTESY OF WARREN TENNEY.
Warren Tenney: I entered the water industry through a nontraditional route. In college, I majored in history, and while pursuing a PhD in history, I got a part-time job with an entity working on southern Arizona water issues. From there, I became immersed in the field, learning about the overall industry and how many moving parts and players affect Arizona water policy. I then moved to the Metro Water District in Tucson, which had just recently become a public utility. I started as the administrative assistant to the general manager but was quickly given tasks such as developing a conservation program. I was exposed to numerous aspects of a water utility and was working with Metro’s board of directors and interacting with other water providers and entities, including the Arizona Department
ASSOCIATION PROFILE
ARIZONA
Cities of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association
The AMWUA-funded interconnection facility linking the Central Arizona Project with the Salt River Project brings the Colorado River to the Greater Phoenix area.
at Metro certainly gave me a lot of good experiences and opportunities, which have helped me handle the job here. Tyler Young: Please tell our readers about the history of AMWUA and the goals it hopes to achieve. Warren Tenney: Next year will be the 50th anniversary of AMWUA. Community leaders understood that water is critical to the economies of the cities here in the Valley of the Sun and that water does not flow according to jurisdictional boundaries. As the Phoenix area has grown and developed, our membership
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
has grown because of the benefits of grouping together to provide one voice on water resource issues. AMWUA includes 10 major cities in the Phoenix area: Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Together, these cities provide water to 3.5 million people, more than half of Arizona’s population. Our cities know they are located in an arid state where every drop of water needs to be wrung out and put to wise use. The role of AMWUA is to provide our members with a forum for discussion. We also educate our members, keeping them updated on water issues. We also try to educate elected officials and the public. We frequently collaborate with others in the water community and advocate for our cities in the state legislature, the Central Arizona Project, the Salt River Project, and the Arizona Department of Natural Resources. Our 10-member board of directors comprises mayors, vice mayors, and council members from each member city. It is a huge benefit to have elected officials who understand and are interested in water issues. Our management board comprises utility water providers or assistant city managers from each of our cities. Then we have committees composed of city staff members—these are the troops on the ground, digging into water policy issues and moving initiatives forward. We have one group called the Water Resources Advisory Group, made up of our cities’ water resource advisors. That group meets twice a month to
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ASSOCIATION PROFILE identify and discuss issues shared among the cities that AMWUA can work on. As we work on those issues, they are presented to the management board and then the AMWUA board. Similarly, we have a conservation group that works on advancing regional conservation efforts. Tyler Young: How has this collaborative approach to water advocacy affected the area? Warren Tenney: The Phoenix-area cities play a critical role in advancing strong water management in Arizona. Each of the 10 major cities must provide their residents with certainty about water. The more the cities can work together with their neighbors on water policy issues, the stronger they all will be. Looking at the past 50 years, we contributed to many significant water accomplishments in Arizona. We supported the passage of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act and the subsequent Assured Water Supply Rules, which secured reliable water supplies for Phoenix-area businesses and residents. Although the cities had to meet new regulations and invest in renewable water supplies, they recognized that having a secure water supply gave them the foundation for their economies to develop. Another benefit to collaboration is that we are able to reduce the likelihood of an us-versus-them scenario that could occur among the Phoenix-area cities. We have a forum to facilitate dialogue and collaboration. This is a strength, as we are currently working on critical issues related to preparing for looming Colorado River shortages, recovering water stored by the Arizona Water Banking Authority, and protecting how our water resources are managed. Our cities are fortunate in that they have diverse water portfolios and have been preparing for this time of prolonged drought. Tyler Young: What are some of the conservation activities AMWUA is pursuing within the community? Warren Tenney: Each of our cities has effective conservation programs, but we also work together on regional conservation projects, which strengthen each other’s efforts. AMWUA is well known for helping to create a conservation ethic here in the Phoenix area. We have been pushing proactive conservation measures and regulations for over 40 years to ensure that water is used wisely and efficiently in the Phoenix area. For example, the city of Phoenix’s gallons of water per capita has dropped 30 percent since 1990. This statistic shows that our conservation efforts have contributed to lower demand despite our increasing population. We want to continue to lead in demand management and water conservation. A lot of our focus has been on how to reduce outdoor water use by promoting the strengths of low-water-use landscapes. Tyler Young: Have you had any challenges during your time at AMWUA?
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Warren Tenney: We are dealing with 10 cities, two boards of directors, and a number of committees, so we are always juggling different approaches and interests. AMWUA wants as much dialogue as needed to build a consensus. For me, it is much better to take time to ensure everyone is on board and supportive than to try to move forward with just a majority of the group. It can be a challenge, but it is really an opportunity. If we can bring each of our cities together in agreement on a particular issue, we are in a much better position to advocate and succeed on that issue. Tyler Young: As executive director, what are some of the goals you would like to see AMWUA reach? Warren Tenney: Arizona is strong in water management, but we know there are challenges ahead of us, such as shortage on the Colorado River or making sure decisionmakers continue to understand the importance of planning and continued investment in water. Sometimes we are hurt by our success. Everyone in the Phoenix area has water every day throughout the year because the cities have been planning and investing in water. Tyler Young: Do you have any advice you would like to share with your peers? Warren Tenney: It is important to surround yourself with a strong team of individuals dedicated to water. AMWUA is fortunate to have such a team of experts. Water is so basic that, too often, all the work that the cities have done to ensure that their residents have water is taken for granted. At the same time, water is complicated by competing interests, laws, and rules. It is important to keep water a nonpartisan issue and continue to ensure that we have water for our residents, communities, businesses, and industries. It is important to continually reach out to our members and others in the water community to keep an open dialogue. It is important to continually advocate for the need to plan, manage, and invest in our water resources and infrastructure. When AMWUA is advocating for cities, it is because of their willingness to plan and invest so that our families, friends, and coworkers will have certainty that there will be water for generations to come. Tyler Young: Is there anything that you would like to add? Warren Tenney: AMWUA’s goal is to continue to ensure that water will not be taken for granted. I am confident we can meet the challenges ahead of us. My hope is that we are able to build on the successes we have had in the past and show that by working together, we can continue to accomplish much more to meet the challenges ahead. M Warren Tenney is the executive director for the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. He can be reached at wtenney@amwua.org. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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Upcoming Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.
August 1–3 National Water Resources Association, Western Water Seminar, Park City, UT August 20–22 Colorado Water Congress, Summer Conference and Leadership Meeting, Steamboat, CO August 28–29 National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Finance Conference, Washington, DC September 20–October 3 WEFTEC 2018, New Orleans, LA October 1–3 National Water Resources Association, Infrastructure Fly-In, Washington, DC October 17–19 Huesker, GeoForum, Charlotte, NC October 17–19 Texas Water Conservation Association, Fall Conference, San Antonio, TX January 10–11 National Water Resources Association, Leadership Forum, Phoenix, AZ January 23–24 Irrigation Leader Operations and Management Workshop, Phoenix, AZ February 23–28 Irrigation Leader Chile Irrigation Education Tour, Chile
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