The Dredge Report #2

Patiently Waiting


The city’s environmental project (restoring the stream bank and dredging the lake) is careening along at the Speed Of Government: county-state-federal-city.

What does this mean?

Dekalb County released a check to Pine Lake last week to cover half of the GEFA/ARRA (see next paragraph) funds. Next, the city will send the county funds received to the Feds. The city next sends the Feds the county funding. The wheels will turn and the city will receive the $1.4 million for our stream bank restoration and dredging project. When the funds are received, the second “plug” will be pulled and the lake will drain to its full extent. As the lake drains, we’ll start fish relocation. When the silt and mud at the eastern end has dried thoroughly enough, we can expect to see equipment and the start of the project.

A summary:
Pine Lake has been approved for a streambank restoration grant as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act in partnership with the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority. This project is specifically focused on reconfiguring the bank between the lake and the creek, with a subset of the work including dredging the eastern area of the lake where nearly all of the silt depositing occurs. A third element in this environmental effort is the construction of a bioretention feature to the west of the Gazebo (where there is currently a drainage ditch.) The last piece of the project is the lowering of the road between the lake and the Western wetlands to create a spillway in the event of a major flood (expect the road to be closed at this phase).

The end result will be a greatly improved overall hydrology infrastructure: a kinder, gentler stream with ripples and stilling ponds that help enhance habitat, a cleaner lake, and a significant drop in flood risk.

Please sign up to receive these emails (TheDredgeReport@gmail.com) and to send in questions, or if you want to volunteer for the community committee working on the aquaponics (www.aquaplanetonline.com) site. You can also contact Phil Howland at City Hall.