When North Park Lake was established in the 1930s, boaters could paddle for hours on 75 acres of lake without worry.
Nearly 80 years later, the lake is half as deep and 15 acres smaller as a result of sediment deposits and wetland emergence.
"Even in its current condition, the lake provides a really great experience for people," said Sean Brady, assistant executive director of the group Venture Outdoors. "But it needs restored to its original glory, not only for its visitors, but for the animals that call it home."
The Allegheny County Department of Public Works, in a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is developing plans for a $10 million dredging of the lake that would restore its original 75-acre surface area and 24-foot depth. The plan, which the Army Corps is revising, will be discussed at a meeting Sunday at the North Park Boathouse as part of Venture Outdoors' Members Day.
Under the partnership, the county is responsible for 35 percent of the cost and the Army Corps will pick up the rest.
The project faces some unique challenges because part of the lake has developed into a wetland area. Conservation regulations prohibit the county from restoring that area, said Gene Vaskov, manager of the county's geotechnical division.
"They're emerging wetlands," Vaskov said. "Considering this is funded under the ecosystem restoration plan, we can't go destroying an ecosystem."
Vaskov said that a final plan has not yet been set by the Army Corps, but is expected to be in place in the next few months. If the plan is submitted by the end of the year, work would begin in 2008. It will be up to the contractor hired to decide if the lake will be drained or dredged hydraulically.
"No matter what method they choose, the lake will never dry up completely, but it will have to be shut down for a bit because of the work," Vaskov said. "With the silt building up like it is, something needs to be done. We're losing diversity in the fish and the plants."
Anyone interested in attending the town hall meeting is asked to RSVP to Mila Nguyen at Venture Outdoors at 412-255-0564 ext. 26. A buffet lunch will be served for $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
Larger text
Smaller text
Print this article
E-mail this article
