Posted on August 20, 2025
Contract delays have pushed back plans for a massive water injection dredging project at Tuttle Creek Lake.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was slated to begin the water preservation and sediment removal project this month, followed by a second phase this fall. Project manager Laura Totten said while a definitive starting date for the project hasn’t been determined, it will likely begin mid-to-late September.
“We are now planning to only perform a fall period in 2025 and then two periods in 2026 — spring and summer,” she said.
Corps officials announced Friday via social media that the boat ramp at Tuttle Creek Cove will close on Aug. 24 to accommodate the assembly and launch of a large barge associated with the project. That closure is anticipated to continue until sometime in October. Additional truck traffic can also be expected while barge components are delivered.
Water injection dredging utilizes gravity to transport sediment out of the lake through the outlet works. The process hasn’t been used on an inland lake previously, but since Tuttle Creek’s gates are at the lowest point of the lake, the Corps of Engineers saw it as a prime candidate for such a project.
The project won’t help the lake regain lost space, but if deemed feasible, could become a tool that helps officials maintain and slow the loss of the multipurpose pool space for the remainder of the lake’s lifespan.
Michels Construction of Brownville, Wisconsin was initially awarded the $7.8 million contract in December 2024. The project should be completed sometime in 2027.
