Durango Council Approves $44,000 Study to Explore Animas River Surf Wave

Durango City Council moved forward in late February 2026 with a $44,000 feasibility study to identify where an engineered surf wave might be built on the Animas River, and the nonprofit Animas River Surfers has contributed $13,000 toward the work. The city budget entry covers $40,000 plus a 10% contingency drawn from the 2015 sales tax fund, and council approved the appropriation alongside a slate of other municipal budget items.

Parks and Recreation Director Scott McClain said the city has received proposals for the study and described the consultant’s expected role. “They’ll help us look at possible locations for the surf wave, look at concerns, narrow it down to a location, and then give us a price/cost estimate for that feature,” McClain said, describing how the study will give the city the information it needs to decide whether to pursue construction.

Council questions during the discussion zeroed in on funding mechanics. Councilor Kip Koso asked why the full $44,000 appropriation was necessary if Animas River Surfers had raised $13,000, and McClain explained the city appropriates the entire project cost and donated funds are repaid into the sales tax fund. The city news releases that first flagged the topic in September 2025 showed the city directing the Financial Advisory Board to investigate adding another river surfing wave, but formal appropriation and approval were reported as taking place in late February 2026.

The procurement process was underway as the study was approved. McClain confirmed proposals have been received, and city spokesman Tom Sluis told The Durango Herald, “The city hasn’t yet hired a consultant to conduct the feasibility study and it will be another week or so before a consultant is selected.” Once under contract, the consultant will be asked to engage with commercial organizations and Animas River users during the study to vet candidate reaches and operational concerns.

City News Flash posts from September 4, 2025 supply the procedural backdrop and meeting logistics: council study session 2:45 p.m. and regular meeting 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2025 in council chambers at 949 East Second Ave. Those news releases also listed other appropriations considered at the same session, including $41,000 for the city’s employee parking program, $98,000 for free fare summer transit, $16,000 for free transit to community events, $115,000 for more vehicle barriers at city events, $260,000 toward La Plata Economic Development Alliance childcare investments, and $185,000 to establish a pilot seasonal United Airlines route between Houston and Durango.

Photographs accompanying coverage show Ben Cross surfing the Ponderosa Wave at Durango’s Whitewater Park, credited to Animas River Surfers/Durango Herald file. With consultant selection expected imminently from the city’s perspective as of Feb. 28, 2026, the immediate next steps are contractor selection, site evaluation, stakeholder outreach, and delivery of a price estimate that City Council can use to decide whether to proceed to design and construction.