Recent rain had Echo Lake on the rise
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
Burlington’s Echo Lake rose to near-normal levels early this week thanks to about three inches of rain that fell on the area this month.
But the rise was short lived as city crews fully opened the floodgate on the lake’s dam Tuesday to keep the level down below the dam’s spillway.
The temporary drawdown is needed to complete repairs to the concrete spillway, according to Aaron DeGrave, an employee with the city’s Department of Public Works.
The lake was originally drawn down following the floods of mid July to allow for inspection and repair of the dam.
While most of the work – which mainly consists of repairing cracks in the concrete spillway – was complete, the recent rains delayed the finishing touches, according to DeGrave.
In the period since July water levels have fluctuated as the city has adjusted the floodgates to keep the water from tumbling over the spillway. At one point during the summer, several sections of the lake’s bottom were exposed and a swampy stench hung over the lake.
City officials then worked to find a happy medium between exposing the lake’s bottom and sending water over the spill way.
The good news, according to DeGrave, is that the work should be completed late this week and the water level can be brought back to normal.
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