Lake Manager’s Report – December 2016

Randy Stowe, lakemanager@gmail.com

  1. After moving out of South Bay, the dredging contractor began work at Wickline Island, and was able to complete the areas shown in red below before having to shut down for the winter on November 22.  Dredging this area took longer than expected due to encountering primarily clay lakebed, which clogs the dredge cutterhead, instead of the expected softer sediments.
  2. To date, approximately 60% of the 469,238 cubic yards of sediment under contract to be removed from the lake have been dredged.   The dredged sediment already deposited in the Sediment Drying Facility is consolidating well, such that surplus sediment storage capacity now exists beyond what is needed to complete the project.
  3. For 2017, the dredging contractor plans to first finish Wickline Island and then O’Brien Shoals in the Spring of 2017.  They will then move back into South Bay over the late spring / summer, and then complete the dredging remaining in West Bay.  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the dredging project should be successfully completed by the Fall of 2017.
  4. All of the dredging pipeline has been moved to the northwest portion of West Bay or off-lake for the winter. Winter lake user’s are strongly encouraged to avoid this portion of the lake.   A map depicting the approximate winter 2016 / 2017 location of the dredge pipeline is found on the following page  
  5. Winter lake user’s are also reminded of the presence of the rip-rap “collars” around Wickline Island and O’Brien Shoals, and that snowmobiles / ATV’s are not allowed on the Wonder Lake Dam embankment.
  6. The Wonder Lake Sportsman’s Club is making plans to conduct an invasive brush-clearing project of Yacht Club Island over the coming winter, similar to what was accomplished on Strom Island over last winter.  Volunteers will (as always) be welcome.
  7. All of the lab results for the required groundwater and surface water monitoring conducted  in 2016 have been forwarded to IEPA.  These lab results confirm that the dredging project is operating in complete compliance with the water quality standards imposed by the IEPA water quality permit.