Lake Frances Whitewater Park

About This Project

The Grand River Dam Authority and the City of Siloam Springs, Arkansas are collaborating to bring a new, national-caliber whitewater adventure park to the Upper Illinois River in the Ozark Mountains. Philanthropic support from the Walton Family Foundation providing funding for the design and the construction of the park. WOKA Whitewater Park will feature heart-pumping wave action for kayakers, surfers and tubers of all skill levels. LPCI assisted GRDA in the development of operations and programming for the park. A visioning process helped identify the desired user experience, basic park operations, market identification and development, operations and maintenance costs, and potential revenue and concessionaire opportunities. LPCI worked with the project team to design the upland improvements include a paved parking lot with lighting, entry gate/signage, vehicle payment booth, concession area, kayak rental area, tube rental area, access roads and paths, whitewater course viewing and site ecology/planting areas, maintenance yard area, retaining walls, gathering places/plazas, grading improvements landscaping, and related stormwater infrastructure. LandPlan prepared construction drawings, technical specifications, and associated design calculations necessary to complete the final design for the project. The resulting whitewater course is one of a kind and will be a regional draw for outdoor enthusiasts for years to come.