Twin Lakes dredging nears end

Sediment is being removed from the channel between Upper and Lower Twin Lakes, Coeur d’Alene Press reports.

The main goal of the project is to improve water quality for wildlife, boaters and the overall community.

The Twin Lakes Improvement Association, a nonprofit formed in 1956 to improve and preserve the historic natural values of Twin Lakes, is working with Idaho Fish and Game, and has retained the services of Envirodredge to remove approximately 8,600 cubic yards of organic material and 330 pounds of phosphorus to improve navigation and water quality in the channel.

The Channel Sediment Removal Project will deepen the navigation corridor to 50 feet wide and up to 7 feet deep, removing 2 feet of sediment on the channel floor.

“It’s really quite fascinating,” said Debbie Andrews, president of the Twin Lakes Improvement Association. “They pump the sediment into these filter bags and they drain out. There’s a polymer inside that bonds with the organic materials. The water comes out clear and goes back into the lake.”

Dredging work began October 8 and is expected to be done by the end of this week.

The overall project will take up to six weeks to complete, but is expected to be fully finished in the spring.

Estimated project costs are approximately $210,000-$250,000.