The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued their permit for lake dredging.  Engineering plans and permit applications have been submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources - Office of Water Resources.

The MPOA has received bids, and approved a contract to stabilize O'Brien Shoals and Wickline Island this summer.  In addition, supplemental rip-rap will be placed on the upstream face of the Wonder Lake dam, to prevent future erosion.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Comment Period for the Lake Restoration project has expired, and they have provided the MPOA with copies of written comments received from the public that required a "technical" clarification", or that were needed to address "negative" comments".  Many "positive" comments supporting lake restoration were also received, but did not require MPOA responses.

Due to the recent bankruptcy declaration by the landowner who controls the preferred stream corridor alignment between Wonder Lake and the proposed Sediment Drying Facility (SDF) offered to us at Thatcher Meadows, the short-term likelihood of successfully negotiating an access or purchase agreement for that preferred alignment  has disappeared. 

By a vote of 19 YES, 2 NO and 1 abstention, The County of McHenry Board voted to APPROVE an ordinance authorizing the County to issue a $3,820,000 bond through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bonds).  The balance of the money necessary to fund our dredging project will come from a Village of Wonder Lake bond in the amount of $2,110,000.