Dredging begins at Marsh

    Dredging equipment was moved in over the weekend and workers are ready to begin dredging the Ventura Marsh this week. 
    According to CLEAR Project Director David Knoll, the sediment will be pumped to a new containment site located behind the DNR

wildlife office in Ventura.  They will be taking out about 15,000 cubic yards of sediment.  The channel will be deepest (10’) and widest (100’) at the pump station, and then get shallower and narrower as it extends out into the marsh.  It will go out approximately 1,250’.

    The marsh restoration project is a partnership between the IDNR and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Its principal goal is to restore Ventura Marsh by achieving water level control of the marsh. The overall health of the marsh greatly influences the condition of Clear Lake.  Experts say the marsh contributes up to 40 percent of the annual sediment loading the lake receives.
    The Marsh restoration project, which has been underway for over a year, includes demolition of the existing stoplog structure and grate; constructing a new controlled spillway; constructing a marsh pump station and outlet to Clear Lake on the north-eastern shore of the marsh; dredging a water flow channel from the deepest section of the marsh to the pump station; dredging the forebay immediately adjacent to the pump station; constructing two grade control structures; excavating one sediment detention basin; constructing approximately 10,000 lineal feet of - Read More Via e-Edition