Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, April 7, 2015
(MITCHELL) - Contractors should begin removing the silt from Spring Mill State Park lake.
The state announced in July it would begin dredging 40,000 cubic yards of silt from the 23-acre lake in order to improve its recreational access and improve the habitat for fish, turtles, otters, waterfowl and other wildlife.
The lake was last dredged in 1977-78 when 14 cubic yards of sediment was removed.
Maintenance crews from the Department of Natural Resources dug out settling basins, east of the park off Lawrenceport Road.
The project,expected to cost $700,000, will happen in two phases over the next two or three years.
Visitors may have noticed a large piece of machinery floating around the lake. That machine was busting up the sediment so it can be flushed with water through pipes that lead east through the forest and pool area out of the park. The pipeline is also visible in a few public areas throughout the park.
As the larger basin fills with sludge, the excess water will drain into a smaller basin. When most of the particulate has settled, the water will be returned to the lake through a pipe or ditch to an existing stream bed that flows into the lake.
Once the sediment is removed, the plan is to use it within the park to fill areas or around the community.
Property manager Mark Young says the silt could be removed in about three months, but that will depend on if the diesel pumps use can run 24-hours a day.
There are some concerns they may be too loud and disturb overnight campers and guest at the inn.
Once the lake is dredged the plan is to improve the road leading away from the Lakeview Activity Center and to build a new boat ramp where the boat rental area is located.
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