Greeley considers underground boring on pipeline route

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Officials from Greeley Water, while moving ahead with plans to install a 60-inch pipeline through LaPorte, think they have found a solution to property owners' primary issues with the project.

The city is planning to bore underground, rather than excavating a ditch, through sensitive areas just south of the Cache la Poudre River. Spokesperson Dan Moore said preliminary plans call for a series of bores, for a total of about a quarter mile of pipeline.

The so-called northern segment through LaPorte is just one of several sections of pipeline that will take water from the city's Bellvue treatment plant all the way to Greeley. Some of the segments have already been completed, but the northern segment's preferred route has drawn intense criticism from some landowners who will be affected.

However, Moore said, the boring method "should avoid most of the concerns we have heard."

Some of those relate to historic railroad structures such as bridges and an intact section of track used by the old Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Property owners have also been irate over possible damage to the geologic feature called Point of Rocks and irrigation canals in the area.

Moore said that with the boring method, the city should be able to avoid destroying the historic features and the Point of Rocks. The city would bore under the irrigation canals and through a ridge just south of the Point of Rocks. It would go under the old railroad bed at some point, but the intact tracks would not be disturbed.

Moore said the approach would be friendlier to the environment. The access road could be smaller, and the area would be easier to restore. The process would likely involve digging three boreholes, about 20 feet deep, from which the tunnels would be bored.

There are always surprises when doing underground work, Moore cautioned, and the city might have to excavate in some areas if they encounter large chunks of rock.

Mary Humstone, one of the property owners affected by the pipeline route, said it's too early to say whether the boring method will be an improvement over trenching.

"We have to have a lot more information before determining the impact on the historic resource," she said.

Humstone is also concerned about vegetation that will be destroyed by equipment working on the project. "It's all destructive," she commented.

Moore said that the cost difference between boring and trenching is difficult to assess. Although boring is a more expensive construction method, restoration of the property would cost less with that approach. Even with boring, he said, Greeley is sure that the preferred route on the south side of the river would be less expensive than the other alternatives considered.

Moore said his office plans to talk with Humstone and her husband, George Burnette, as well as Jim and Rose Brinks in early February to discuss the boring process and possible alignments through their properties.

Greeley will also be negotiating for easements with property owners this spring and summer. There are about 24 landowners along the northern segment route, Moore said. A private appraiser in Greeley has already completed her work on land valuation, a starting point for negotiations.

Construction could begin next winter on the project, Moore said, and the project could take two seasons to complete. The city avoids doing pipeline work in the spring and early summer because of farming activity, irrigation and wildlife. Before work can begin, the city must acquire necessary permits from Larimer County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps will consult with the Colorado Historical Society before issuing a permit.