Posted on July 17, 2026
BALTIMORE — A nearly $24 million project to dredge Lake Montebello is slated to start this fall after the Baltimore City Department of Public Works approved the hiring of a contractor on Wednesday for the dredging.
“If anyone’s been out there, they see that the lake is filled with sediment,” DPW Director Matt Garbark told WBAL-TV 11 News. “This project is critical because it’s going to give us room in case we need that water from the Susquehanna.”
The project also includes dredging a nearby wash water lake to make room for water from the Susquehanna River if drought conditions become dire.
The river is the city’s secondary water source.
“The wash lake actually flows into that lake and then that lake, if it fills up, actually discharges into the Herring Run,” Garbark said. “By dredging this, we’re going to protect the Herring Run and make sure we don’t have a discharge into the Herring Run.”
The department said the project is estimated to cost more than $23 million.
“What we have seen specifically, in this project, is the issues of disruption in the supply chain as well as international conflicts have caused the prices to increase considerably,” Garbark added.
Asked by City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton, D-District 6, about any communication with families who may be impacted by the project, DPW acknowledged more communication is needed and it will make sure neighbors are aware.
The impact to visitors going to the lake should be minimal, according to DPW.
“There’s going to be basically a bypass that’s going to go up and around so that we can take stuff out of the lake without impacting the walking path,” Garbark told WBAL-TV 11 News. “There could be some periods where we have to move equipment that’s going to require the walking path to be closed.”
The Lake Montebello dredging project is expected to last two years.
