Posted on June 26, 2023
The City of Dallas, Texas completed dredging at Bachman Lake in late April 2023, finalizing the first phase of the Bachman Lake Dredging and Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation Project, according to a press release from the City of Dallas.
Dredging has restored the lake to recreational depths and removed the “sediment islands” and debris in the lake. The lake is open to the public and rowers, kayakers, and other users to enjoy the lake without restrictions. The southern parking area next to the Dallas Rowing Club has also reopened. Dallas Water Utilities, in partnership with Dallas Park and Recreation, is leading the project at the lake.
The Dallas City Council approved the dredging construction contract on October 29, 2021 and dredging activities began in early 2022 to remove silt and debris that have entered the lake from Bachman Creek and the surrounding area.
The contractor, Renda Environmental, used a barge to pump silt to an off-site location, where the slurry was dewatered to load the sediment onto trucks for offsite disposal. The contractor was able to remove 154,441 cubic yards of sediment and 3,125 tons of debris from the lake, resulting in improved water quality, aquatic habitat and restoration of the lake to recreational levels.
The next phase of improvements will include the rehabilitation of the Bachman dam and spillway to address regulatory flood capacity as well as structural and stability recommendations. These improvements will ensure dam safety and regulatory compliance, minimize flood risk, and preserve access to recreational use.
Side view of the dredging barge.
The rehabilitation improvements will significantly reduce the potential of a breach by replacing the existing service spillway to improve capacity along with moving and widening the auxiliary spillway to pass flood events safely. Additional improvements include hardening the earthen embankment to protect the dam and to comply with TCEQ dam safety guidelines.
The dam and spillway rehabilitation design is complete, and the project has been advertised for construction. The bids for the construction project are expected to be received by the City early this summer, with construction activities anticipated to start this upcoming winter after approval of a construction contract by City Council.
