CDM Smith Wins CASFM’s 2016 Grand Award for Engineering Excellence
DENVER—CDM Smith was recently honored with the 2016 Grand Award at the Annual Conference for the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers (CASFM). The award, which celebrates engineering excellence, was presented on September 15, 2016, in Crested Butte, Colorado. This recognition showcases the firm’s multi-disciplinary water resources planning and engineering expertise and affirms CDM Smith’s position as a leader in stream restoration, recreation site design, aquatic habitat modification and floodplain management.
The South Platte River Vision Implementation Program (River Vision) is a stream restoration and recreation improvement program that provides habitat, flood control and community resources for the Denver area, transforming southern Denver’s previously-blighted South Platte River into a safe, healthy centerpiece of the urban environment. River Vision was developed from a partnership among The Greenway Foundation, the City and County of Denver Parks and Recreation Department, and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, along with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Denver Water, Trout Unlimited, and a diverse array of stakeholders throughout the Denver area. CDM Smith led planning and design for River Vision, with THK Associates and PKM Design Group serving as landscape architects.
Our goal was to weave the river system into the social, environmental, economic and recreational aspects of the community in such a way that we could leverage the benefits of the river, while still allowing the river to be a river.
Through public outreach, team members were able to work with project stakeholders and local neighborhood associations to deliver creative, holistic solutions that work to enhance the river corridor for future generations, like the introduction of aquatic habitats, park enhancements and recreational use improvements. As CDM Smith principal Brian Murphy explains, the River Vision project transforms the South Platte River into more than just a mechanism for water conveyance. “Our goal was to weave the river system into the social, environmental, economic and recreational aspects of the community in such a way that we could leverage the benefits of the river, while still allowing the river to be a river,” says Murphy.
CASFM is an organization of professionals involved in floodplain and stormwater management, water quality, flood hazard mitigation and flood preparedness. CASFM represents the interests of stormwater managers and flood hazard specialists from local and state government, the research community, the insurance industry, and consulting engineers.
CDM Smith provides lasting and integrated solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities to public and private clients worldwide. As a full-service engineering and construction firm, we deliver exceptional client service, quality results and enduring value across the entire project life cycle.