Back to Restoration Process
There remains a layer of muck on the bottom of Lake Trafford that is said to have acquired over many years of agricultural runoff and over spraying of vegetation. The entire Lake Trafford restoration project is centered on the removal of this muck from the bottom of the lake (Grant 3/21/00).
The U.S Army Core of Engineers is currently working on a topographical survey of the lake, "This is because the muck varies in depth throughout the lake," said Frank Grant, the Project Manager for the Lake Trafford Restoration from the U.S. Army Core of Engineers. "Then throughout the summer [2000] we hope to begin working on the designs for the pipeline that will carry the water from the lake to the disposal area and vise-versa, as well as the designs for the dikes that will go around the disposal area," said Grant. "All of these plans we hope to have completed by December; at which time we can begin advertising for contractors which will take an additional three months" (Grant 3/21/00).
The pipeline that will transport the muck both from the dredging boat to the disposal area north of the lake and back to the lake will be between 18 and 36 inches in diameter. "The only concern that people are raising about the pipeline so far is the noise it may create to get it installed," said Grant. He has already assured people the noise of installing the pipeline will be minimal. When the pipeline is installed, dredging boats will go out on the lake, and quadrant by quadrant they will suck up all the muck and send it to the disposal area (Grant 3/21/00).
Once in the disposal area, the Core hopes the muck will sift to the bottom leaving very clean and clear water. If the water does not end up as clean as the Core would like, then there will be coagulants added to the water. This is not something people should be alarmed about because there are coagulants added to everyday drinking water as well. The only thing that concerns the Core about with the coagulants is the fact that they may cause some environmental damage down the road (Grant 3/21/00)
The Core expects people to be working on the project of dredging Lake Trafford 24 hours a day seven days a week. At this pace the completion is expected three years after the dredging is started (Grant 3/21/00).