News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Shoreline Excavation of Lake Gregory Pending

Shoreline Excavation of Lake Gregory Pending

County Regional Parks Preparing Bid Documents

By Michael P. Neufeld
Thursday, November 20, 2008

Crestline, CA - San Bernardino County is preparing plans for the shoreline excavation of Lake Gregory in order to remove sediment. Once the plan is in place, bids will be received, and work will commence on the project.

Lake Gregory is a man-made lake, formed by the 1938 construction of a dam on Houston Creek in Crestline. Its water levels are seasonally dictated by the California Department of Water Resources, and are affected by rains and snow pack.

San Bernardino County reports that lower than normal water levels result solely from less than normal precipitation in preceding years, and that 70 seasons of melting snow and storm water runoff have deposited a modest amount of sediment in the lake.

Lake Gregory Regional Park in Crestline (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

However, three recent occurrences; wild land fires, the removal of a large number of trees, and record rains, have combined to increase debris inflows. This has occurred at several points on Lake Gregory's shoreline, according to a county media advisory.

To define the sedimentation, and acquire proper environmental permits, San Bernardino County Regional Parks engaged a consultant last year. The scope of work was to prepare a dredging work plan, obtain a bathymetric survey of the lake, and determine the best management practices for sediment removal.

Bathymetry is the measurement of the depths of water bodies from the water surface. It is the marine equivalent to topography. Bathymetric surveys are used to determine the amount of sediment at any particular site.

The consultant was also responsible for the preparation of environmental documentation, and securing permits from various regulatory agencies. Steps that are necessary in order to begin any sediment removal project.

Initially, the county's plan was to use a hydraulic dredge. However, studies and surveys determined the volume of sediment was far less than first thought, so the method of dredging the lake was amended to utilize both hydraulic and mechanical removal. Permit applications were submitted to federal and state regulatory agencies in December 2007.

When costs, and other elements of the hydraulic and mechanical sediment removal plan were considered, the consultant recommended a Sustainable Resource Enhancement project for Lake Gregory. Subsequently, amendments to the permit applications were submitted, due to the fact that the project had changed.

Lake Gregory Regional Park (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

In late March 2008, the County Regional Parks Department, and its consultant, presented the Crest Forest Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) with a draft work plan for the Sustainable Resource Enhancement project. This plan afforded cost efficiencies, while offering a way to prevent future sediment formation.

However, in response to numerous concerns and comments from the community, it was decided to remove the debris inflows via a shore based "mechanical only" approach, and not to move forward with the Sustainable Resource Enhancement method.

Throughout the months of May, June, and July of 2008, the Regional Parks Department worked with its consultants, and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, to formulate the new "mechanical only" excavation work plan, including proper 401 and 404 permit applications. All applications were submitted to the regulatory agencies, including the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Key issues regarding the shoreline excavation of Lake Gregory were addressed at a meeting with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board on October 28. By Thursday, November 13, all agencies had received the final draft for the shoreline excavation work planned for Lake Gregory.

San Bernardino County Regional Parks is coordinating with the County's Architectural and Engineering Department regarding the preparation of bid documents for the excavation work. It is anticipated that these bid documents will be presented to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors for approval upon receipt of all federal and state permits.

San Bernardino County Regional Parks Director Thomas A. Potter (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Following is a statement issued by Tom Potter from Regional Parks:

"San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department has diligently followed the process, defined by law, with all of the various regulatory agencies. And has regularly informed the Crest Forest Municipal Advisory Council of the progress of this important endeavor, and will continue to do so until this project has been completed. Regional Park wishes to thank the Board of Supervisor, particularly the 2nd district, for providing the funding that allowed us to move forward with planning and permitting process."