If you were wondering what modifications are going down during the Bend Whitewater Park reconstruction closer we have the list. What we are most stoked about is the primary focus to get a section of the park dialed in specifically for river surfing! Park district Executive Director Don Horton consulted with the Bend river surf community and has declared Wave 3 has been selected as the wave best suited to be converted for surfing. The design engineer working on the project has consulted with engineers from successful river surf parks like the Boise Whitewater Park to perfect the new design and construction crews are hard at work to make it happen. They will be moving a number of rocks, extending the concrete panel and re-positioning three or four of the pneumatic bladders used to create the surf wave.
Here’s a specific breakdown of what reconstruction is taking place during the temporary closer of the Bend Whitewater Park:
- Unblock airlines to drop 2 (the airline was twisted)
- Fix leaking bladders
- Install inclinometers to gauge bladder conditions
- Recover and replace boulders and alluvium (loose rock, sand or cement) throughout.
- Grout the voids in drops 3 and 4
- Move bladders in drop 4 outward to widen playable wave
- Replace middle bladders in drop 4 with shorter panels to better control wave
- Reconfigure drop 3 with longer concrete panel and the addition of two bladders from drop 4 to improve likelihood of a better surf wave
