Godfrey Ditch Diversion Structure Reconstruction

After examining the interactions between water and sediment within a 20-mile segment of the Middle South Platte River, Otak engineers and geomorphologists have been reconfiguring the Godfrey diversion structure. The new design will reduce sediment, improve maintenance, limit damage in future floods, enhance aquatic and riparian habitats, and enable fish and safe recreational boating passage. Working with the Middle South Platte River Alliance, Godfrey Ditch Board, and Naranjo Civil Constructors, the team is finalizing the design of moving the current point of diversion upstream and replacing it with a bladder dam structure. An additional part of the project includes the stabilization of a large actively eroding bank that is threatening the Godfrey Ditch. Construction will include a mixture of large timbers, rocks, and revegetation to slow the flow directed at the bank, allow enough time for vegetation to re-establish, and provide long-term bank stability. The project has involved regular communication with federal and state funders, landowners, and other stakeholders, and is set to be constructed in the spring of 2020.