Posted on August 29, 2016
The Lake Improvement Commission held their monthly meeting Monday afternoon in the City Council chambers.
Public Works Director Jason Etnyre told the commission the dredge is currently undergoing repairs to the water pump. It required several repairs during the previous month, including a new cutter head, which had already been replaced at the start of the season, and a cracked spud ( a “leg” that holds the dredge in place.)
All available pipe has been attached, so the dredge is currently working as far into the lake as it possibly can. Lights have been added to the dredge to allow night operations.
In the spoil storage area, the “cross-over” structure, which allows water to flow between the two spoil ponds was constructed 4″ to 6″ too high by Redding Construction. This has allowed water to back up and flow into the lake at the discharge structure. City personnel welded an extension to the discharge structure, making it taller to prevent water from returning to the lake, and Redding will reimburse the city for the material and labor.
Julie Sievers of the Iowa DNR reported a Notice of Violation was issued to Dredge America for an oil spill, but there was no penalty for the offense. Etnyre said “A human error caused the oil spill. A new guy walked away from the bilge pump while it was running, and when all the water was pumped out, it pumped out the layer of oil on the surface.”
Thus far, a little over 70,000 cubic yards has been dredged.
Source: Pilot Tribune
