A subcontractor crew from Wellert Corp. of Medina surveyed Green Lake in Shaker Heights on Feb. 14 in preparation for the upcoming dredging project. Tom Jewell/Special to cleveland.com
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Work on the $1.5 million Green Lake dredging project could be getting under way as early as next week.
A surveying crew took to the “Duck Pond” in a small boat on Tuesday (Feb. 14), but only as far into the eastern forebay — off Attleboro Road — as they could without running aground in the sediment that has built up since the last dredging in 2006.
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District hosted an informational meeting the night before to update about 20 residents on what to expect in the coming months, with “substantial completion” set for the end of June.
One thing they won’t have to contend with is any of the dredged sediment being piled on-site, after workers found artifacts from an old homestead buried between Andover and Lee roads on the western side of the 6.5-acre pond.
The Shaker Historical Society and Ohio Historic Preservation Office stepped in to protect the “archaeologically sensitive areas,” and plans now call for the sediment to be trucked off immediately to a disposal area in Bedford.
That will likely be 10-12 trucks each making 6-8 runs a day, with Andover and Attleboro roads being closed off. Parkland Drive will be one-way east, with the westbound side closed.
The contractor, Great Lakes Construction Co. of Hinckley, will be paid to remove 25,000 cubic yards of sediment from the pond, constructed in 1911.
Kimberly Colich, NEORSD project manager, said the depth of the pond should go from two feet — or less — to six or more.
Preservation efforts have already included the lake’s turtle population, with more than two dozen rescued and put up for the duration of the project, after which they will be returned to their natural habitat.
The same cannot be said of the fish, namely carp and sunfish, which will be left behind in the remaining sediment.
And as a result, “there may be more birds here than we want once we drain the lake because of all the organic sediment — including fish,” said Great Lakes project manager Jim Sutter.
Much of the work on the $1.5 million dredging project will involve the removal of 25,000 cubic yards of sediment buildup from Green Lake, primarily from the forebay as seen from Attleboro Road.
Residents noted that in addition to ducks and geese, there are also a considerable number of herons that frequent Green Lake.
The eastern forebay will also be expanded, and Great Lakes will add a new “groin,” a fixture designed to reduce turbidity in the water, about 200 feet further than the existing one from 2006.
Residents also expressed concern about a trash rack being removed from the upstream side of Doan Brook at Attleboro Road, which officials have deemed a possible flooding concern due to potential backups caused by the debris rack.
They noted that the recent thaws and rains led to about a dozen large logs and some whole trees being washed into Green Lake, possibly from from the South Branch of Doan Brook running through Shaker Heights Country Club.
In addition to the sights, the smells, and the truck traffic Chief Administrative Officer Jeri Chaikin said noise may also be an issue, with the permit allowing crews to work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
If weekend work is needed, that will require city approval, and residents will be contacted for feedback as well, Chaikin added.
While the dredging project will not disturb “wetlands,” and leave a 5-10 foot buffer from houses along Green Lake, some homeowners would like to have their storm lines into the lake cleared as well.
Throughout the project, it will be important to keep a stormwater channel running through Green Lake, which prompted residents to ask if there would be any long-term effect on Marshall Lake, immediately downstream across Lee Road.
Problems there should be alleviated once NEORSD bids out the dam improvements for Andover Road, as well as Horseshoe and Lower Shaker lakes this summer.
And once the project is completed, residents can expect to have Parkland Drive repaved, once a sewer project between Ingleside Road and Aldersyde Drive is done, City Public Works Director Patti Speese noted.
“What you have to look forward to is a fabulous lake and a new road,” Speese said. “But you have a lot to go through to get there.”
Shaker will contribute a total of $500,000 to the project, spread over five years through its “Community Cost Share” surcharge that is attached to customers’ sewer bills. The city expects to receive about $200,000 a year under the current formula.
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