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Lake Dredging
Columbia Association. Investing in our environment and our community.
To maintain Columbia's beauty and ensure the splendor of our city's lakes, Columbia Association (CA) is currently dredging Lake Elkhorn in Owen Brown and will be dredging Lake Kittamaqundi in Town Center and Wilde Lake in the Village of Wilde Lake.
To keep residents and community members informed of this effort, CA will provide timely updates and images regarding CA's dredging activity on a bi-monthly basis.
 
Lake Elkhorn
Information and Dredging Updates
This 37-acre lake in the village of Owen Brown was built by the Columbia Association in 1974 with a watershed of about 2,500 acres. The lake depth averages eight feet and is 15 feet at its deepest point.
On September 24, 2009, the Lake Elkhorn Dredging project was awarded to Mobile Dredging and Pumping Company. Hydraulic dredging of this lake officially began in October using a dredge boat and a pipe to carry sediment laden material to the work area where it will be dewatered and then hauled off the site.
As the CA Lake Elkhorn Dredging project moves forward, we will provide you with the latest dredging details and developments in the sections below. Most recent dredging activity and updates:
July 29, 2010: Lake Elkhorn Dredging Update - On July 9, the dredging Contractor began dredging Area 4, which is adjacent to the completed Area 3. Area 3 was completed at the end of the day on July 9 and the dredging operation moved immediately into Area 4. The Contractor continues to use the Tri-flow machine to screen out coarse materials and sand, and four belt-presses to extract the water from the sediments. All adjustments to the speed and flow rate of the belt-presses to achieve the optimum amount of material dewatered have been established. The work in Area 4 has progressed as expected with limited slowdowns. Previously, there had been some slow down in areas of dense lily pads, which have a tendency to clog the dredge. However, the Contractor is dredging at full production.
The Contractor has increased his work hours in an attempt to regain the work schedule. On July 12, the Contractor began 12-hour work days. The increase in hours is expected to increase production by 25% on average. The increased hours has already increased the number of trucks hauling away dewatered materials from 16 loads out per day to 20 per day. CA predicts that the Contractor will be in Area 4 until early November 2010.
Area identification on Elkhorn map
- Latest Images of the Lake Elkhorn Dredging Project - 7/29/2010
- Important Notice - Path Closure: There will be times when the path closure is not pre-determined, but construction activities and pedestrian safety require it to be closed for a very short period of time (i.e. 20-30 minutes). In cases such as these, signs may not be posted.
Lake Kittamaqundi
Information and Dredging Updates
Lake Kittamaqundi, in Town Center, is a 27-acre man-made lake with a maximum depth of seven feet. Its name, taken from the first recorded Native American settlement in Howard County, means "meeting place," and it is, indeed, a community-oriented site. CA is looking forward to dredging Lake Kittamaqundi within the next year so that it maintains its splendor and continues to serve as the "meeting place" in Columbia.
When dredging begins, CA will provide current updates and images of the Lake Kittamaqundi Lake Dredging project on this page.
September 8, 2010: Lake Kittamaqundi Dredging Project Update - The Lake Kittamaqundi Dredging project began with a kick-off meeting on August 10, 2010 with the contractor, Cashman Dredging; CA; HDR Engineering; Maryland Department of the Environment and Howard County in attendance. Project elements were reviewed and everyone was looking forward to a speedy start and successful outcome.
Since the kick-off meeting, Cashman Dredging has begun surveying the lake and constructing the staging area at South Entrance Road. They have completed the grading, stabilization and sediment control devices for the crescent access road and the work pad. Paving of the work pad was accomplished the week of August 30.
The site work required to access the southern end of the lake and the isthmus (Kennedy Gardens area) from the GGP lower parking lot is ongoing. The contractor is creating a temporary pedestrian path that is parallel to the paved hiker/biker path so that pedestrians can continue to circulate between Town Center and Oakland Mill via the Route 29 pedestrian overpass. The temporary hiker/biker path is generally parallel to the existing path that the contractor will utilize to move equipment and materials around the lake, and is physically separated for pedestrian safety. There is a stretch that diverts through a stand of trees because the site's constraints would not allow it to remain next to the truck access. Additionally, the Contractor has begun clearing the access route along the isthmus extending from the paved trail loop at Kennedy Gardens along the east shore of the lake.
Cashman Dredging anticipates that the hydraulic dredge will be launched from the lower GGP parking lot into Lake Kittamaqundi sometime during the week of September 13. Thereafter, work will commence in the northern part of Lake Kittamaqundi (designated as Area 1). At this time, the work will be active seven days per week during the times permitted by the County.
- Latest Images of the Lake Kittamaqundi Dredging Project - 8/8/2010
- Important Notice - Path Closure: There may be temporary path closures periodically during the site work portion of the project. CA will make every effort to notify the community in advance. There will be times when the path closure is not pre-determined, but construction activities and pedestrian safety require it to be closed for a very short period of time (i.e. 20-30 minutes). In cases such as these, signs may not be posted. Please maintain safe distances from all construction equipment.
Wilde Lake
Information and Dredging Updates
Wilde Lake is a 22-acre man-made lake built by the Columbia Association in 1967. The site was originally a low-lying meadow of rough grass featuring a small stream. The lake depth ranges from 13 feet at the back of the dam to nearly eight feet in the lake's center. Wilde Lake flows downstream into Lake Kittamaqundi.
CA currently has plans to dredge Wilde Lake and, and when dredging begins, CA will provide timely updates and images of the lake dredging effort on this page.
July 29, 2010: Wilde Lake Dredging Project Update - After numerous public presentations and community meetings, CA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the staging area design and dredging of Wilde Lake in September 2008. After CA staff evaluated the proposals, receiving a letter of recommendation from the Wilde Lake Village Board regarding the dredging plan and proposed methodology, a contract was awarded to Genesis Fluid Solutions on March 30, 2009.
Since the award, CA Project Team members, Anchor QEA, who is the Consulting Engineer, and Genesis have worked together establishing the staging area requirements, designing the site based on the requirements and finally submitting the completed plans to the regulatory agencies for permits.
At this time, CA anticipates that the permits will be issued at the end of August 2010. Based on the current schedule, Genesis Fluid Solutions will begin constructing the staging area in a portion of the grassy area between the Wilde Lake Dam and Little Patuxent Parkway on or about September 15, 2010. Once the staging area has been completed, the dewatering equipment will be set at the staging area. Genesis will then launch the hydraulic dredge into the lake and begin the dredging and dewatering operations. The dredging is anticipated to take approximately three months to complete. At the completion the staging area will be removed and the site restored to its original condition.
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