Just four short months ago, our community celebrated as state lawmakers approved funding of $7.5 million for the Fountain Lake restoration project, with another projected $7.5 million in funding from the local-option sales tax. The Shell Rock River Watershed District continues to work hard to structure a process for our community to get the most successful project possible within the $15 million budget with a possible start date in 2016.

We again remind the community that there is more sediment in our lake system than we have the funds to remove. The watershed district continues to review each factor that needs to be considered in order to maximize the amount of dredge material that can be successfully removed. These discussions can sometimes be intense as we work through the details and eliminate as many variables as possible.

To further this goal, we work closely with our engineers and other experts in the dredging field. We currently have a project that is approximately 20 percent designed, and we will continue to learn more as the process progresses.

One variable that needs to be considered is what options are available for dredges and what can they accomplish. The dredge, “Big Al,” is available and expected to be used for channels, smaller bays and other target areas. This dredge alone, however, will not be able to complete the entire restoration project. Instead, we have always expected that a larger commercial dredge would need to be contracted to capture the efficiencies needed in the larger bays. Our job is to put together the best menu possible in accomplishing the $15 million project in as short of a time window as possible.

The ultimate sediment-removal process will be the culmination of a multiple-year approach.  For years, we have been working at the top of the watershed to minimize the sedimentation that will occur after the project is completed and to maximize the water clarity throughout the watershed. We have also discovered that there will be a tremendous water quality benefit from removing the phosphorus-laden sediment that is located in Fountain Lake. This is great news for our environment as a whole and will assist in the permitting process that lies ahead.

We appreciate the continued support in working together toward a cleaner Fountain Lake. The lake restoration/dredging project is expected to offer economic benefits to the surrounding community, as well as creating a thriving habitat for aquatic life. We invite continued fact-based dialogue in working toward this objective.

 

Brett Behnke

administrator

Shell Rock River
Watershed District

Alden