OGDEN — A new addition to Ogden’s Kayak Park on the Weber River will not only be an opportunity for thrill-seekers; it will also serve a practical purpose.

The city is looking to install a surf wave in the Weber River near Ogden’s Kayak Park in the near future.

While the new piece of infrastructure will add a bit to the challenge of Kayak Park and provide another recreation option, Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski — who previously held jobs that involved study and restoration of rivers — said that the project is also looking at solving an infrastructure challenge.

“At that location, there is a critical piece of infrastructure,” he said. “It’s a sewer line that crosses the Weber River underneath (the downstream) bridge. … A ton of our sewage waste from our city has to go west to get to the sewage treatment plant. If that thing failed, we have an environmental catastrophe on our hands.”

He said the way the sewer line was built has long concerned the infrastructure team.

“The way that pipe is secured is through what’s called grouted concrete,” he said. “I know this from the river side because I study hydraulics — grouting a river with concrete creates significant hydraulic challenges.”

Nadolski said scouring is potentially a major issue at this point.

However, he said the city has come across a surf wave system that helps protect the vulnerable area from scouring while providing a multitude of other advantages.

“This bladder system that we’ve found that has seen success in other cities is being paid for by outside money, in large part, with the addition of the infrastructure funds,” he said. “We’re going to do it in a way we can raise and lower so that we can convey floods. It allows the woody debris to pass through — that saves us money and we’re not putting large equipment on the bridge to pull out the woody debris during flood periods. And we’re doing it in a way that’s going to create a new, better and safer hydraulic and recreational opportunity for kayakers.”

He said that the system also allows for fish passage that had once been a barrier for species such as the bluehead sucker.

The project will utilize $1.7 million in grants while the remaining $1.7 million will come from city utility funds.

Ogden City Parks and Cemetery Division Manager Monte Stewart said these systems have been used for dual purposes before.

“Vail was kind of the first one, that I know of, that used that system for recreation and flood (control),” he said.

Nadolski said he’s seen the Vail, Colorado, surf wave system in action.

“They lift them up, it creates the hydraulics, the kayakers come in and do their tricks and everything,” he said. “They were holding a huge event that activated their downtown. It’s an opportunity to activate people to create connection with our outdoors. But it’s also, at its fundamental core, an infrastructure protection investment.”

He said that this was an example of how the city is looking to keep costs to the taxpayers down.

“We’re finding these operational efficiencies and partnerships because collaboration is critical,” he said. “It’s fundamental to the Ogden Way.”

A timeline for the project has yet to be announced.