Posted on July 23, 2025
BIRMINGHAM — The city of Birmingham is in the process of dredging Quarton Lake, a five-year project. The upper portion of Quarton Lake, just north and south of Oak Street, is being targeted.
“Yearly dredging of the upstream portion of Quarton Lake prevents sediment from traveling downstream into the main portion of the lake and near the dam structure,” City Engineer Melissa Coatta said.
Dredging is a process that involves using a machine called a dredge to remove sediment from a lake.
“Dredging helps to improve and preserve the ecosystems in lakes. By removing sediment such as dead plants, vegetation and other debris, dredging improves water quality and supports native wildlife,” Coatta said.
The current dredging operation began the week of July 14. It is estimated to conclude by the end of September, weather permitting. The five-year project is expected to cost just over $652,000.
The hydraulic dredging portion of the process will take a total of approximately five weeks. After that, there needs to be another four to five weeks to dry the bags of sediment collected.
Residents may see work in progress, as well as the drying beds needed for the sediment to dewater. The beds will be located on the north side of Oak Avenue, between the river and Lake Park Drive.
The park will still be open and accessible to the public, since the work is constrained within the water. Parks and Recreation Manager Carrie Laird said that the dredging process will have “very little impact to the park area.”
For safety reasons, the public is asked to stay away from active construction. If any residents have questions about the operations, they can contact the engineering department at (248) 530-1840.
