Preparations underway for Sullivan Lake dredging

For the first time in its history, Sullivan Lake is set to be dredged, WTWO/WAWV reports.

Lake Sullivan was created over 50 years ago for the purpose of being a sediment basin. Now that sediment has grown too high, causing an unsafe environment for the ecosystem.

Instead of the typical mechanical dredging, which uses excavators to clear the sediment, this will be hydraulic dredging.

“We’ll be doing hydraulic dredging, which is suction off the bottom of the lake and piping it to a containment area where the wet water will de-water”, Chris Egge, one of the leaders of the project, said.

“All that water will run right back into the lake. Then that soil will be removed from the property. It’s actually really great topsoil, so there’s nothing harmful with the material. We’ve already done all the soil studies and all the surveys, so that’s why we’re able to do the hydraulic dredging process.”

Sullivan Park and Lake will hold a community forum about the work on Wednesday, March 12th, at 6 p.m. at the Sullivan Civic Center.