The day-to-day dredging of White Rock Lake officially began in January. In the spring, when the weather warms up, a citywide ÒGreet the DredgeÓ party will be held at Winfrey Point.
In the meantime, answers to frequently asked questions about the dredging project are available at my web site, www.dallastex.com. Here are some of those answers:
Phalarope is the name of the new dredge. The 130-ton dredge is 25 feet wide and 70 feet long.
It will take about 18 months to complete the dredging operation.
About three million cubic yards of sediment will be removed. This amount of material would cover an area the size of Love Field to a depth of 1.5 feet.
The dredge contractor for the White Rock Lake project will be using electric motors to power the dredge and the booster pumps. This will virtually eliminate any nuisance from noise.
The disposal site is a privately-owned, 900-acre tract in the unincorporated area of Dallas county south of the city of Hutchins.
Studies performed in connection with the White Rock Lake Diagnostic/Feasibility Study found little aquatic habitat on the bottom of White Rock Lake at the upper end of the lake due to the high level of sediment suspended in the water. The aquatic habitat will replenish itself after the dredging is completed.
The engineering consultant conducting the diagnostic study on the lake has tested samples of the sediment in an EPA-approved testing laboratory. The results showed no contaminant levels above acceptable standards. Most of the results showed levels below the detection limits of EPA-approved laboratory equipment.
There will be a minimum eight-foot depth in the lake when the project is completed. This will require the dredging of the upper one-half of the lake.
All indications associated with the handling of the sediment samples are that the material does not have a bad odor. Therefore, there should be no foul smell at the reclamation site.
The Soil Conservation Service has projected that the average sediment inflow into the lake will be about 130,000 cubic yards (80 acre-feet) per year. However, there is an indication that the sediment yield from the White Rock Creek basin is decreasing due to the effects of urbanization. At the currently projected rate, it will take about 28 years to accumulate another three million cubic yard of sediment.
For more information, call the White Rock information line at 214-747-LAKE. If you have specific questions, you may contact the following individuals: Ben Cernosek, P.E., City of Dallas (214-948-4690) and Burt Weathersbee, Carter-Burgess Consulting Engineers (214-638-0145).
