Surf ... Pueblo?
'Pittsburgh of the West' opens new wave park on Arkansas River to rave reviews 

Surf’s up in Pueblo. That’s right, the southern Colorado town known more for its steel and chile production is the state’s latest entrant into the surf park craze.

On Sat., May 24, whitewater enthusiasts of all kinds turned out to test the waves at a celebration for Pueblo’s new Water Works Park.

Pueblo Water, the local utility, spent about $11 million to turn a dangerous old diversion dam on the Arkansas River into a family-friendly, all-levels recreation area. Along with surf waves, the park has wading ponds, tubing areas, walking paths along the riverbanks and two new pedestrian bridges that cross the river.

"It's a jewel,” local resident and whitewater enthusiast Bob Walker said. “It’s probably one of the finest water parks in the state, if not the nation. It's one of those pinch-me things –it is hard to believe that we're doing this in Pueblo, and it came out so wonderful.”

Walker owns Edge Ski, Paddle and Pack shop in Pueblo, where he sells and rents all kinds of gear, including tubes, kayaks, surfboards, boogie boards and paddle boards. He said he’s spoken with river surfers who have come from out-of-town and even out-of-state to ride the new Pueblo wave.

“People are literally changing their travel plans to be here,” he said. “I don’t know how many times I’ve gotten ‘We never got off the highway in Pueblo. We thought this was the ugliest, scariest place (because that’s what) we've heard.’”

But now, he said, they come to town, and while they are visiting, they eat at local restaurants and explore the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk and downtown. Then they tell him they think it’s a great place.

“The economic impact (of the new water park) on Pueblo, I believe, is going to be felt,” Walker said.

Local doctor and avid river surfer Brad Roberts shared a similar experience. He said he’s met river surfers from all over the country at the park. Like Walker, he also thinks it’ll be a boon for the city.

For those who have never tried river surfing, unlike in the ocean, river surfers don’t have to paddle and catch a wave. They can walk to the wave, step onto their boards and glide back and forth on a steady stream of water gushing over a man-made feature.

Roberts described how it feels.

“It's awesome,” he said. “You kind of hit that high where you're just floating on the water, and it just feels like you're almost floating in air … It's just like flying, almost.”

Pueblo Water Executive Director Seth Clayton said it was important to make the park, which covers about an acre and a half, fun for many people. They made adjustments to the design and placement of the rock features to make sure the experience good for as many recreational users as possible at all skill levels. There are benches for people to sit and watch and areas of calm water areas for wading. There are also stone stairs leading in and out of the river in multiple spots.

“What we really wanted to do is make this a family-friendly environment and something people could come down and just enjoy for free,” he said.

Clayton said he's in awe of the construction workers and heavy equipment operators, who placed the rock while working in the river environment. Walker said he is also impressed with the design and construction work that went into the water park.

The work also now makes the river floatable for about 8 miles from near the dam at Pueblo Reservoir to the Runyon Lake area. However, it is not a lazy float without challenging sections, so people need to check water levels, wear quality certified life jackets and be prepared to swim. “You may end up upside down and having to crawl back on your tube,” Walker said. “But that's about the worst that'll happen.”

It’s also critical for people to understand that the river can change from day to day, hour to hour. One time, it might be safe for a novice or child, and later, at a different flow, it could be dangerous, so always check the current water level, Walker said.

Clayton said the park will also improve the fishery by creating passages for trout and other fish to get through that section of river. The Arkansas is already considered a Blue Ribbon river, and fly fishermen are in the water year-round in many locations.

He also said the utility was able to secure a low-interest loan for the work, and the cost of the project doesn’t affect the bottom line on water bills. “It really doesn't move the needle for our rate payers,” he said.

For more from Colorado Public Radio, go to www.cpr.org.