Lake Project FAQ

The city has released a FAQ about the dredging of the lake. You'll find it beneath the fold.




Lake Project Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)    

Why does the lake need to be dredged? 

When dams are built to form man-made lakes, the natural progression of water is slowed down, which makes the sediment build up faster, eventually turning the lake into a wetland. Healthy lakes need appropriate depths to keep nutrients in check. Fish and other creatures living in water can feel sedimentation effects quickly. Shallow water becomes less habitable if filled in with continuing deposits. Sedimentation can deplete water of needed oxygen content. Pine Lake has created effective wetlands to enhance the watershed, mitigate flooding, remove pollutants, and reduce silt depositing in the future.  Dredging will ensure continued health of the lake and clean water flowing downstream.

What does “dredging” mean? 

The removal of the sediments and muck on the lake bottom is referred to as dredging. In addition to simply deepening the lake, dredging can remove harmful plants, limit nutrient cycling, and remove contaminated sediments.

When will the work take place?  

Plans are to start draining the lake in March.  Depending on how quickly the water drains, the city anticipates the work will be  done by June, but it’s not certain how quickly the lake will re-fill.

What about swimming? 


It is probably best to manage expectations about swimming in the first part of the summer.  The inconvenience this poses for many who enjoy swimming and other use of the lake was taken into consideration when planning this project, but time constraints give us no choice but to proceed in March.  We hope you’ll agree that the short-term sacrifice of lake use is more than a fair trade for the long-term health of the lake and vitality of our community.

Why can’t the project wait until Fall? 

The majority of funding for the dredging is from federal stimulus dollars and is available now.  If we don’t take advantage of  this window, we won’t be able to improve the health of the lake and provide cleaner water downstream.

Will the entire lake be drained and dredged?  

No. Plans are to dredge two-thirds of the lake, the shallow end near Spruce Drive.  Water will naturally drain to the deep, western end during the project. We are looking at costs to see if we can at least partially dredge the swimming area.

What will happen to the fish? 

The fish will migrate to the deep end of the lake during draining.  Some will be removed and relocated to other ponds and streams. Some will be relocated to an aquaponics site near the bridge on Lakeshore Drive. where they will become part of a water garden (www.aquaplanetonline.com). Some will be caught and eaten. When the lake work is complete, we will restock the lake with the help of Georgia Fisheries.

What happens to the silt that’s dredged out of the lake? 

If tested free of contaminants, the City will make it available to anyone to use in gardens.  Some will be trucked to the DeKalb Landfill.  Trucking the soil and paying the “tipping fees” to the landfill account for nearly HALF of the project’s cost, so anyone who wants silt for gardening is welcome to come and get it!

What else, other than dredging, will happen?   

Trees:  When the lake was created, an unfortunate decision was made  to plant trees on the berm.  Trees planted on earthen dams can destroy them with their roots and by leaving large holes when they die. The lake’s north shore (along the berm) will be sculpted to reduce the stream’s scouring action on the banks, which further erodes the berm, and 20 trees are marked for removal. Lowering the road: The road between the lake and the Western wetlands will be lowered about one foot, creating a spillway for major flood events that will protect the impoundment (often called the “back berm”) from further degradation.  Since the impoundment keeps the water in the lake, instead of in Snapfinger Creek, this is very important for flood control. Bio-retention feature:  An improved water retention area will be installed in the grassy area west of the gazebo, where a drainage ditch is currently located. This “rain garden” will be planted with native flowers and grasses and will clean storm water runoff from Clubhouse Drive before it flows into the lake and stream, creating a small pond during rainy times.

How can I help? 

Help us get rid of silt!  Spread the word to friends or anyone you know with a garden or farm, the material that comes from the lake should be full of nutrients that are great for plants.

More questions? 

If you have other questions, or if you want to volunteer for the community committee working on the aquaponics site, send your e-mails to TheDredgeReport@gmail.com, or contact Phil Howland at City Hall.  By e-mailing, you will also be put on an email distribution list for direct updates on progress and events.  Stay tuned to hear about our Restoration Celebration event, where we’ll give more details about the project, the aquaponics garden, and more!