Dredging has begun on Manitou

Emily requested pictures of the dredger that has begun work to improve the quality and lengthen the life of Lake Manitou. So, here they are, Emily.

The machine was put in the water from the nature preserve just beyond our house on Monday, March 19. The crew has been working on setting up the necessary "discharge" pipe (very long) which extends over the road. Please be careful, if you are approaching our house from the south! A little extra speed and you could be launched before you know what happened! The "dredgings" will be emptied into a huge pit in the field across the road from us. The hope is that fish life will thrive, plant life will be more controlled, and the lake will be more balanced. The ultimate desired benefit is slowing the natural aging process of the lake. Another benefit... it doesn't seem to be hurting property values around Manitou! This is the fourth area to be dredged, the first this year. The other areas were completed last year. All of this is coordinated by The Lake Manitou Association with state agencies' guidance. Several grants, membership dues, and lake association activities are funding the project.

Taken from the launch site at the Bob Kern Nature Preserve.

Pipe with floats attached to keep it above water.

Taken from our property.

"Travel at your own risk!"

"BUMP" is a slight understatement!

Closer view of the "BUMP" otherwise known as the "Car Launcher", if you don't heed the signs.
Not the best picture, but you can see the dike surrounding the huge pit where the "dredgings" will be deposited. It is several feet high as indicated by its height compared to this trailer of pipes. I have heard that the pit covers a few acres and is 30 feet deep, but I can't verify that. It is a huge area, though. It is to hold the "stuff" from five acres of lake bottom, as I understand it.