Lake Gregory Dredging Finally Underway

The long-needed and anticipated dredging of Crestline’s Lake Gregory got underway in earnest on Monday, May 8 following over a year of delays related to the permitting process. The final of three permits needed to begin dredging was approved earlier this month when San Bernardino County officials reached an agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to alleviate habitat concerns.

According to the agreement, the county must create new wildlife habitat areas on county-owned property. The County had previously gained permitting approval from the Lahontan Water Quality Control board and Army Corps of Engineers.

In preparation for dredging the lake’s swimming area, earth-moving equipment began the process by removing tons of sand from the north shore beach area and piling it into mounds to accommodate excavators that will soon begin pulling mud and silt from the swim area. According to reports, a buildup of mud and silt had resulted in only a two-foot water depth in the lake’s popular, summertime swimming and play equipment area.

Excavation equipment was seen on Monday, May 15 repeating the mound-building process on the lake’s south shore beach area. Next, two earthen landings extending toward the middle of the lake will be created in order to accommodate the excavation of the deeper part of the swim area.

General engineering contractor Earth Constructing and Mining of Garden Grove was contracted by the county to complete the dredging project. Once dredging is completed in the swimming area, excavators will move operations to the area opposite of the south shore parking lot. The final area targeted for dredging will be off of the San Moritz area of the lake’s east shore.

Dredging activities are expected to be completed by August. A county spokesperson said dredging operations would not disrupt this summer’s recreational activities at the lake, and that there would be no dredging taking place between Fridays and Sundays.

In regard to the availability of recreation activities at the lake this summer season, Chris Freeman of Cal-parks responded, “Since the lake’s level will be lower, we’ll bring in lots of sand and make the beach wider and add cabañas.”

Mud and sediment removed from the lake is currently being transported to the Lake Gregory Ball Field, where it will be stored for up to three years, while it drains, and will reportedly be used to buttress the dam, as ordered by the state’s Department of Safety of Dams. This has subsequently resulted in many complaints from local citizens and sports leagues that now must find alternative ball fields.

With the state’s Department of Safety of Dams (DSOD) demanding Lake Gregory’s water level be lowered by 20 feet while the dam undergoes seismic retrofitting, Second District County Supervisor Rutherford travelled to Sacramento in January 2016 to meet with the DSOD. After presenting DSOD officials with a half-dozen letters from Crestline business owners concerned about how such a drawdown would negatively impact Crestline’s economy, the DSOD relented and agreed to a five-foot drawdown.

Supervisor Rutherford, who is fully behind the dam’s retrofit, said in a press release, “I am disappointed that the state is mandating the lowering of Lake Gregory, but I understand the state believes it is necessary for public safety.” Once the retrofit project is complete, the county will seek state approval to allow the lake to refill.

Rutherford’s Communications Director Scott Vanhorne told The Alpenhorn News, “She talked to the DSOD people and explained the importance of the lake to the local economy. Then she squirreled away several million specifically for dam repair.”

Source: The Alpenhorn News