By Jason Arndt
Editor
The City of Burlington could receive the necessary permits related to the Echo Lake Dam modification project by spring based on a report from a city official.
Recently appointed Public Works Director Howard Moser made the announcement during a Dec. 17 Common Council meeting as part of various reports from department leaders.
Ayres Associates Inc., the engineering consultant contracted by the city for the project, submitted the permit application to the state Department of Natural Resources in early December.
“They are cautiously optimistic that maybe we will get the permit by April,” Moser said. “In the meantime, staff will continue to work with Ayres designing the open space.”
The submission from Ayres marked the latest step in the long-awaited project for the non-compliant dam, which cannot withstand a 500-year flood without overtopping the Echo Veterans Memorial Park embankment, and initially required DNR satisfaction by this year.
Ayres Associates, which previously delivered 30% drawings laying the groundwork for the project last year, is working on completing the 90% final design phase for the job stemming from a report last fall given by City Administrator Carina Walters.
Lengthy process
In 2015, the DNR ordered the city to complete a Dam Failure Analysis, which revealed the structure did not meet regulatory compliance.
The city had two options to achieve compliance – demolishing the structure or making modifications. Numerous meetings and public involvement sessions were held, leading up to a November 2022 advisory referendum presented to taxpayers.
Voters supported repairing the dam by a 60% to 40% margin, which included keeping and dredging Echo Lake, and expanding existing park amenities, at an $8.1 million cost to taxpayers, accounting for a $1 million Municipal Dam Grant awarded to Burlington.
However, based on the 30% drawings submitted by Ayres, the total estimated cost without dredging Echo Lake would be about $7.2 million and drew some concerns from Common Council members about expenses once all components have been completed.
In response, the Council decided to refocus on priorities, including scaling back on some park improvements and taking a sharper look at dredging, which in 2018 was estimated to cost $2 million.
In addition to the Municipal Dam grant, the city also received about $700,000 in grants, specifically related to enhancements at the park.
The Common Council also approved a civil engineering service contract with Kapur and Associates for $15,350 for the initial dredging phase.
According to the task order from Kapur, the firm plans to provide engineering services, including evaluation of dewatering and final placement sites for the removal of 115,000 cubic yards of dredged material from Echo Lake.
Burlington has identified three potential disposal sites – the Burlington Municipal Airport, the existing and closed municipally owned landfill, and private farmland north of Echo Lake – and will receive two other options through the contract.
“The sites will be evaluated for possible dewatering and final placement of dredged sediment from Echo Lake in accordance with WDNR requirements for land disturbance, dredging, low hazard exemptions, discharge into waterways, carriage and/or interstitial water from dredging operations and erosion control,” the task order states.
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