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Home My WebLink AboutIR 7441 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS NO. 7441 —Pagp I pf 1 0SIORP To the Mayor and Members of the City Council or �rextx Subject: LAKE WORTH DREDGING,� February 27, 1990 107 3 BACKGROUND It has been known for some time that some of the uses of Lake Worth have been impaired by extensive siltation. This was confirmed in the 1980 Lake Worth Management Plan prepared by Carter and Burgess. Because of the impaired conditions, Lake Worth was identified as a priority project for federal funding in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 and the Water Quality Act of 1987. In 1987, the City Council approved the submittal of a grant application to the Texas Water Commission which requested funds for a planning study on Lake Worth (M&C No. G-7058). A $100,000 planning grant was accepted by the City, and an agreement was entered into with the Fort Worth District Corps of Engineers to perform the study (M&C No. C-10864). The study entitled, Diagnostic/Feasibility Study, under the federal Clean Lakes Program was implemented in May, 1988. One year of intensive monitoring of the water and sediment quality was included. PLANNING STUDY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The Diagnostic/Feasibility Study was completed in February, 1990. Major find- ings of the study were as follows: the quality of water and sediments in the lake was good, except for turbidity, 0 recreation was impaired because of shallow water and ob- structions, 0 aesthetics were impaired, 0 fisheries were impaired due to excessive sedimentation, and 0 there is a potential for increased impairment due to non- point sources of pollution if watershed development is not properly controlled. Nine alternatives for lake restoration were evaluated ranging from no action to complete dredging. In recommending a preferred alternative, consideration was given to the amount of federal funding that may be available - a maximum of $2,000,000 of 1989 federal funds. The recommended alternative includes selective dredging of approximately 250 acre-feet of sediment from four sites (see attached Figure 1) and raising the water level one foot. Dredged material would be disposed of at the sites indicated in Figure 1. The dredge sites cho- sen would yield the greatest benefits for the improvement of recreation, aesthet- ics and water quality. The recommended alternative includes the implementation of a watershed management plan that will effectively control development in the Lake Worth watershed. A schedule for project completion is contained in Figure 2. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7441 PaQP 2 Af 0 "t 'O to)? To the Mayor and Members of the City Council it 1 i1 S Subject: LAKE WORTH DREDGING Public participation was included in the study. Two meetings were held during plan development and a public hearing was * held on the final draft plan. Comments and recommendations from the public were included in the plan. An en- vironmental evaluation was performed on the recommended alternative. The eval- uation indicated mostly beneficial impacts would result with some adverse im- pacts during dredging operations. BENEFITS: The proposed lake restoration project will result in water quality, aesthetic and recreational benefits including enhancement of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. If an agreement can be reached with the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, the operating depth of the lake could be increased by one foot which would result in the potential for improved fisheries and benefits to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge through the creation and maintenance of marshes. Recreational benefits will also result from an increased water depth in the lake. Some decrease in turbidity may result with the increased water depth which will improve the quality of the lake from an aesthetic and recreational perspective. In addition, an increased water depth VL will improve the aesthetic appeal of the lake by submerging unattractive shoreline areas and some aquatic plants. Dredging in the vicinity of the Fort Worth city water supply intake is expected to result in improved operation of raw water intake. The turbidity which re- sults from the high suspended solids concentrations in the lake may be somewhat reduced near the intake. In addition, the elimination of nuisance clams at the intake is an expected benefit. EAST: The cost of the proposed restoration work is estimated to be $4,000,000. The total amount depends on the funds available from EPA. The estimated maximum amount is based on an EPA grant of $2,000,000 with a required City match of $2,000,000. In-kind services provided by the City could reduce the City's share slightly. FUTURE REQUIREMENTS: If the project is approved for implementation, a Phase II application would be required to send to the Region 6 EPA by the first of March, 1990. Region 6 EPA staff would review the application and submit it to national EPA headquarters by March 31, 1990. The Phase II application includes: 0 a completed Phase I project report, ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS NO. 701 Paae T-67 3 OF To the Mayor and Members of the City Council us Subject: LAKE WORTH DREDGING an endorsement of the project by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, a completed application for submittal to the Texas Water Commission for discharge of water from the dredge disposal sites, and a commitment to fund the City's share for the cost of the project. David Ivory City Manager -ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS tA to cc En Y CL W b 0 rt � � N z! Q w ! t so ¢ cn C 04 W Y CL v-4 C/} :• '. '.t:.'. `. .' LO cc C4 "' +" SILVER Q o CL Cie x ta N _ a* v N 4} ri to Y � W A W U C i� W •y 3 Cd C1t N 0 cv N CD 'pU W 0 U ,— N tl) � _.. C d N v E co as "' w _ C .7m N � d ac w 3 v a z co w Z Z- Z UJ a p Z r a� L W ua it "—; V LU a Y W D W O U U U U Z (3 ¢m 0-t= z /�"' 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 'orth Central Texas Council of Governments P 0 Drawer COG Arlington,Texas 78005-5888 February 7, 1990 Mr. Richard Sawey Director, Fort Worth Water Department P.O. Box 870 1000 Throckmorton Fort Worth, Texas 76101 Dear Mr. Sawey: As you know, the North Central Texas Council of Governments is designated by the Governor of the State of Texas as the areawide water quality management planning agency for the urbanizing portion of the Dallas/Fort Worth region. As part of efforts in water quality management and reservoir protection, NCTCOG's Water Resources Council guided development of the Policy Position on Protection of Water Supply Reservoirs, which was adopted by the NCTCOG Executive Board in January 1988. The Water Resources Council has continued to support regional efforts to protect and manage regional water quality, with special attention to efforts involving water supply reservoirs. op"` In May 1987, the Water Resources Council endorsed the City of Fort Worth's request to the Texas Water Commission for planning grant funds under the Federal Clean Lakes Program. These funds supported the Phase 1 Diagnostic/Feasibility Study which is nearing completion. At its February 1, 1990 meeting, the Water Resources Council considered the City of Fort Worth's request for certification of plans for the Phase 2 application for funding. By a unanimous vote, the Water Resources Council determined that the proposed Phase 2 efforts will continue to compliment and enhance watershed management efforts for Lake Worth and its watershed. The proposed plans will not duplicate work being done under any other 208 planning tasks, and will fit well with NCTCOG's current activities associated with water quality protection and remediation. The City of Fort Worth Is to be commended for continuing to pursue restoration of Lake Worth for enhancement of water supply and recreational uses. We look forward to working with your staff in this ongoing project under the Clean Lakes Program. WATER AID IINIISiRATION Sincerel FXCEIVED BY: AW DATE:A4400 i FILE: Joh e, P.E. COPY TO: Director Environmental Resources SWB: /sl` cc: R. A. "Hos" Evans, TWC Richard McVay, TWC r'.anfarn)fn+Turn A1ASir;:1^niP!nrivp nallas/FortWnrth Matro817f640.3300