Posted on December 22, 2016
By Dave McMillion, Herald-Mail Media
With previous concerns about the project allayed, the Hagerstown City Council Tuesday night approved an estimated $1 million contract to dredge the lower lake in Hagerstown City Park.
The contract, which totals $1,053,871, was awarded to Edwin A. and John O. Crandell Inc. of West River, Md.
City Engineer Rodney A. Tissue said previously that the work can begin next month during the off-season of the park and be completed by May.
Tissue has said the lake off Park Circle needs to be dredged because accumulation of debris over the years such as leaves, soil erosion from the banks and waterfowl waste have caused the depth to shrink as low as 6 inches.
The lake, which dates back to the park’s inception in 1916, used to be about 7 feet deep.
But various questions about the project surfaced last week during a council work session.
Councilman Kristin B. Aleshire said he was worried that the dredging could alter the flow of water sources for the lake.
But Tissue said that the dredging will only involve removing silt that has built up in the lake.
Aleshire said Tuesday night that he has researched the issue and realized that man-made lakes such as the one at City Park should be dredged over time.
Problems with dredging usually occur in inland coastal areas, he said.
Tissue said an informational meeting has been scheduled to allow residents to learn more about the project on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.
Given the visibility of the project, Aleshire said he believes it is important for residents to get regular updates about it, perhaps through the city’s website.
Sediment that is dug out of the lake will be taken to the Forty West Landfill and used for daily cover. It will require hauling 1,600 dump truck loads of sediment from the lake to get it to a depth that designers want, Tissue said.
Source: Herald-Mail Media
