SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A local lake is preparing to undergo a process that hasn’t been done in its over 50-year history.
To keep water and local wildlife healthy, lakes are expected to be dredged about every 15 years. The process removes sediment that has built up on the lake floor. However, Project Manager Chris Egge, said Sullivan Lake has never been dredged.
When the lake gets built up, it becomes shallow”, Egge said. “You lose your water depth, obviously, and that is harmful for the environment and the wildlife that is out there. It also increases water temperatures in the summer and that affects fish habitat, breeding, swamping, that sort of thing.”
Preparation at the lake is almost finished.
“For phase one, the two sediment basins have been constructed, so they’re ready to go”, Egge said. “We’re finishing, right now, the installation of all the piping required for the hydraulic dredging process.”
The dredging process will begin in just a few weeks at the marina portion of the lake. The water and sediment will be transported from there to the nearby basin.
“It’ll get pumped over to these two sediment ponds and treated with a flock in it, which will make the sediment particles settle to the bottom of the sediment ponds”, Egge said. “Then we will release the pure water back into the lake, so we aren’t taking any water out of the lake.”
Phase one of the project has been funded, but a complete timeline has yet to be determined.
“We’re moving at the speed of funding”, Egge said. “We know where we’re starting, but we don’t know where we’re finishing or going to go next based on how much funds we’re able to raise, grants we get awarded, that sort of thing.”
Sullivan Park and Lake is expecting to begin the process in the next few weeks, but residents and visitors to the park will still be able to enjoy the space, including boats on the river.
