As crews begin the task of hauling 300,000 cubic yards of sediment away from North Park Lake, people can expect heavy truck traffic through next spring. But Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Jeff Hawk says it will be worth the temporary inconvenience when the lake is restored to its former glory next summer. Hawk is urging visitors to watch out for the trucks and take precautions when crossing the street. The trucks are expected to carry away 1,500 cubic yards of muck each day. He also suggests taking a gander at the muddy bottom of the lake, because it's going to get a lot deeper, with revitalized vegetation and rehabilitated aquatic/fishing habitat. The North Fork and Irwin Creek stream diversions will continue to flow through the lake bed. Hawk says the loads of sediment will first be deposited in a landfill and eventually relocated to the fringe of the park, expanding North Park's boundaries. The lake, created in 1935 is the largest man-made lake in Allegheny County. When it was built, it was 75 acres and 24 feet deep near the dam. But over the years runoff from development filled in 12 acres of open water and cut the lake's depth to 12 feet. Hawk says they hope to start refilling it by May 2011.
Follow this link to read more about the dredging of North Park Lake.
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