Hine Lake Fishing Pier

Acknowledgements

The Topwater Troubadours would like to acknowledge Sean Kitners and the rest of the team at Foothills Parks & Recreation District for their responsiveness, availability, and helpful feedback throughout the entire process. A thank you to the teams advisors that helped give direction in design, calculation, and overall approach to the teams innovation that included Professor Jim Wong, Dr. Kristoph Kinzli, and Dr. Andres Guerra. Thank you to Dr. Alexandra Wayllace for granting the team access to the soil lab facilities on campus. The team would also like to thank Michael Yost and Matthew Yost for their help in producing our site video. And last, but not least, the Topwater Troubadours would like to thank Lisa Woodward for doing an outstanding job with giving guidance to our team and encouraging creativity.

Project Advisor: Lisa Woodward, P.E.

Technical Advisors: Dr. Andres Guerra, Dr. Kristoph Kinzli, Dr. Alexandra Wayllace, Professor Jim Wong

Video

Elevator Pitch

Hello, we’re the Topwater Troubadours and we worked with Foothills Parks & Recreation to develop the design for a new fishing pier at the Hine Lake Park, in Littleton Colorado. This project required us to first investigate an old pier on the site that had failed and determine the causes so that we could improve on the design for a new pier. This design would be more accessible and usable to the community. 

One of the main challenges that we faced in designing this new pier was the fact that the water level in Hine Lake sees a lot of fluctuation. This meant that a traditional, fully fixed pier would be several feet above the water in a low water condition, and a floating pier would create slopes that exceed standards set by ADA.

To be compliant with ADA standards and adhere to the significant water level fluctuation a dynamic innovation was drawn up to meet the requirements and take stakeholders into consideration. The design consists of a floating platform when water levels are relatively high that settles into a rigid structure when water levels drop. 

This project also included a site work portion in which the team designed a new parking lot and a revitalization of the existing trail to the lake to make it ADA compliant. The team worked on making the site more aesthetically pleasing, educational, and usable to everyone in the community. 

In order to meet these goals the project also included some nature play elements that encourage proper use, activity, and a better experience for those that are using the pier and surrounding amenities. Also taking the piers environmental impact into consideration signage was made to give basic rules for the area and provides information about endangered species in the area.

Design Approach

Design Solution

Because of the large variations in the water level that is present at Hine Lake, our solution utilizes both floating platforms and two pinned gangways in order to maximize contact with the water’s surface. 

On the north shore of Hine Lake, there will be a concrete abutment installed. Pinned to this structure will be the first of two aluminum gangways. Connected to that gangway, by pins, is the first of two floating platforms. Pin connections allow the gangway to change in angle, thus allowing the floating platform to adapt in elevation. The second gangway and floating platform is then connected to the first platform in a similar fashion.

In scenarios where the water level is high, the pier is designed to float on the surface and provide a fishing experience that is close to the water. As water is drained from the lake over the course of the year, the height of the pier adapts to the changing water level. The pier platforms remain floating until the water level becomes too low for the gangways to comply with ADA standards. After that point, the floating platforms are supported by fixed concrete pillars and a custom support truss, restricting the structure to a maximum slope of eight percent. This way, in scenarios where the water level is low, the pier becomes more or less traditional. The floating platforms are held above the water’s surface, however the end platform is as close to the surface as possible while still in compliance with standards set by ADA.

The team mirrored the existing master plan developed by Foothills Parks & Recreation District for the grading and site plan. This included performing a preliminary survey of the site and creating a grading plan for a parking lot and trail that leads to the pier. The team wanted to increase community enjoyment so some elements of nature play were incorporated into the plan including shade trees, benches, and native erosion reducing shrubs, grasses, and paths.

Next Steps

The work done by the Topwater Troubadours will be utilized by Foothills to apply for the Fishing is Fun Grant in the Spring of 2022 to provide funding for the project to move forward. Following this, a design engineer and construction contractor will need to be selected to adjust and stamp the plans we have set forth. The team chosen will need to verify conformance with all local and national standards. It is possible that the pier could be constructed and in use by the end of 2023.

Though we believe our design is a thorough solution to the presented problem, it is possible that the final design approved by the engineer will differ considerably. Whether this change is due to the project scope, setting, or goals changing in the future, the team is glad to have contributed to a project that benefits the local community.

Meet the Team