As the Project Manager for the Tom Darlington WSR, I would like to clarify a few items with respect to the water storage reservoir.
Our direction as a Design Team is to blend the WSR site into the surrounding area, completely screening it from view of the residents in the Boulders to the east. In order to accomplish this goal, the entire top of the WSR and the sides, except for approximately 50 feet on the west side of the WSR facing Tom Darlington, will be buried.
Our aesthetic approach is being led by a registered landscape architect with more than 25 years of experience, who will be designing the character of the final landscaping. A minimum of 2 feet of soil will be placed over the WSR, which is adequate to support plants indigenous to the area including creosote, cholla, prickly pear cactus, yucca and ocotillo. Soil material along the sides of the WSR will be gently sloped and selectively undulated to give it a natural hilly appearance.
Larger vegetation like mesquite, palo verde and ironwood trees, as well as saguaro cactus, will be utilized on these sloped areas to further blend with the existing environment and provide additional screening from the residential area. As required, temporary irrigation will be provided until plants reach maturity and sustained growth. To supplement planted species on the site, a hydroseeding mix based on the existing native plants will be developed.
The area adjacent to the west side wall of the WSR that is not buried will be used to locate municipal equipment necessary for WSR operation, such as electrical, chlorination and blower equipment. Based on this location, the equipment will not be visible to the residents east of the WSR due to the soil cover and landscaping. This equipment will also be screened from Tom Darlington using appropriate additional landscaping.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this information.
Tracy Grunden
Coe and Van Loo Consultants
