By Patricia Bogumil
Interim Editor
A report in the April 20 Waterford Post about a navigational dredging project for Tichigan Lake and the Fox River churned up high drama at the April 28 meeting of the Waterford Waterway Management District – complete with insulting comments and a veiled threat to quit the commission.
But things soon settled down afterward.
Several WWMD officials worked together over the weekend to create an explanatory article (see below) to set the record straight and explain the WWMD dredging project to the public.
In the April 20 Post news article, Jennifer Jerich, a water management specialist with the state Department of Natural Resources, was quoted.
When asked about a possible multi-million dollar project on Waterford’s waterways, Jerich acknowledged April 16 that WWMD had submitted a preliminary application designed to give sediment sampling requirements.
She further said it is difficult to say when WWMD will actually be ready to apply for its dredging project permit, but described the planning now in progress as being “on track.”
Jerich said current discussions are centered on “navigational dredging.”
In their follow-up explanation (see below), WWMD commissioners further explain that WWMD has been investigating the possibility of dredging a main navigational channel, spanning from the Iron Bridge to the Waterford Dam, with channels near the shorelines and in the bays, which would improve navigability and improve recreational use at many locations.
Besides Jerich, the Post contacted WWMD commissioners Kelly Cornelius and John Bostrom on multiple occasions for the April 20 article, asking them to explain the dredging project for readers.
Bostrom complained at the April 28 meeting that he and Cornelius had replied with just “two brief emails,” yet the Post prominently ran a long piece on the subject.
At the WWMD April 28 meeting, Commissioner Barb Baron described the author of the Post story as an “uninformed person” and said the navigational dredging story was “published incorrectly.”
She asked whether WWMD should now send a letter to Jerich and her supervisor informing them of Jerich’s incorrect ideas.
Bostrom said he agreed with Baron that the Post news story was “totally lame.”
“It was so negative, it was unbelievable,” Bostrom said. “I’m ready to pack it in right now! ”
But Bostrom also explained to Baron that the DNR “terms this navigational dredging.”
Navigational dredging is something to improve the environment of the navigation of a waterway and dredging is not done unless it is necessary, he said.
The whole point of Waterford’s project is “to remove the silt from areas that are not navigational now,” Bostrom said.
He stressed that before anything commences, many meetings will be held.
Resident Dan Dickinson has been a critic of what he considers to be too much secrecy in WWMD’s dealings and was quoted in the April 20 article.
He later speculated that the commissioners’ strong reaction to Jerich’s “navigational dredging” term might be because WWMD is sort of caught in the middle, with some residents upset because they don’t want dredging in their area and others upset because they want dredging, but might not get it.
A White Oak Lane homeowner spoke at the April 28 meeting and told commissioners that rumors in the community peg the cost of a project at $15,000 per riparian homeowner. She asked that WWMD address this issue.
That matter will be placed on a future meeting agenda, Cornelius assured her.
The WWMD explanatory article addresses the issue of cost by cautioning that, with so many unknowns, a firm projection of overall cost is not possible at this stage.
The next scheduled WWMD regular monthly meeting is Thursday, May 24, 7 p.m., at the Waterford Town Hall.
WWMD EXPLAINS
Our view of proposed dredging project for the Fox-Tichigan waterway
By Andres Peekna, John Bostrom, Kelly Cornelius and Jim Pendel
Waterford Waterway Management District
Much of this waterway is an impoundment created by the dam in Waterford. Over time, impoundments tend to fill in with silt from upstream and from the shores. The silt in our waterway can be described as semi-fluid, sticky muck, and swimmers risk getting stuck in it.
In many areas, boat propellers end up partly or wholly in the muck. At some locations, it is difficult or impossible to get out from shore, due to the silt.
Waterford Waterway Management District (WWMD) has been investigating the possibility of dredging a main navigational channel spanning from the Iron Bridge to the dam, with channels near the shorelines and in the bays, which would improve navigability and improve recreational use at many locations.
The proposed project is large scale and must be done in “stages” or “phases”.
The Eco-System Restoration Committee (ESR) of WWMD, led by John Bostrom, solicited bids from contractors experienced working with dredging projects.
Three bids were received, and the engineering firm Graef was chosen by the WWMD board.
The first stage approaches the permitting process with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR); if the WDNR does not “approve” the permit the project will not be continued.
Drafting of the permit application is an ongoing process, involving negotiations between the Wisconsin DNR, Graef and WWMD. Questions about the volume of silt removal, locations for disposal, and other considerations are ever-changing; therefore, information on a topic may quickly become obsolete.
Once the permitting process is complete, and if a permit is obtained, public hearing(s) and organization of a referendum for all riparian owners will be scheduled in order for the people to determine whether or not to proceed with the project.
WWMD commissioners do not decide the outcome; the will of the people shall prevail.
Going forward, there will be many questions, but in many cases, the information does not yet exist. One question may be the overall cost to district members.
For example, a firm projection of overall cost is not possible at this stage. There are too many unknowns, such as silt removal method, cost to transport, where it would be dewatered or deposited, etc. The overall time is estimated to be in the range of 3 to 5 years.
Overall costs may be defrayed by the availability of grant monies through the DNR, the Army Corps of Engineers, and some local businesses. Applications for grant monies can be pursued once the permitting process is complete.
If dredging were to occur, riparian owners may be charged with consideration to (1) a fixed fee, (2) the dredging volume needed to access the dock, (3) lineal feet of frontage, (4) assessed value of the property, (5) need.
Financing options (outside grant monies), for consideration may be a bond issue, or perhaps by Tax Increment Financing, but these are future decisions occurring at a later stage of the project.
WWMD appreciates the opportunity to set the record straight.
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