Dredging Is Complete
Winter 2022/2023
Dear Residents and Project Stakeholders,
Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) is pleased to report that the dredging of Bachman Lake has been completed. Dredging has restored the lake to recreational depths and removed the “sediment islands” and debris in the lake. The lake is now fully open to the public and rowers, kayakers, and other users to enjoy the lake without restrictions. The southern parking area next to the Dallas Rowing Club has also reopened.
Dredging activities began in early 2022, to remove silt and debris that have entered the lake from Bachman Creek and the surrounding area. The contractor, Renda Environmental, used a barge to pump silt to an off-site location, where the slurry was dewatered to load the sediment onto trucks for offsite disposal. The contractor was able to remove 154,441 cubic yards of sediment and 3,125 tons of debris from the lake, resulting in improved water quality, aquatic habitat and restoration of the lake to recreational levels.
The next phase of improvements will include the rehabilitation of the Bachman dam and spillway to address regulatory flood capacity as well as structural and stability recommendations. These improvements will ensure dam safety and regulatory compliance, minimize flood risk, and allow residents to enjoy the lake for years to come. The rehabilitation improvements will significantly reduce the potential of a breach by replacing the existing service spillway to improve capacity along with moving and widening the auxiliary spillway to pass flood events safely. Additional improvements include hardening the earthen embankment to protect the dam and comply with TCEQ dam safety guidelines.
The dam and spillway rehabilitation design is complete and will be advertised for construction bids in late spring/early summer 2023, with construction activities anticipated to start this upcoming winter. The rehabilitation improvements are estimated to cost over $50 million.
The latest information on the Bachman Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation Project and dredging can be found on the project website at www.bachmanlakedam.com. Residents and stakeholders may also follow the project on social media platforms @bachmanlakedam on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Below is an updated timeline for DWU’s work at Bachman Lake.
Timeline | Project Activity |
Winter 2020/2021 |
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Summer 2021 |
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Fall 2021 |
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Winter 2021/2022 |
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Spring 2023 |
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Fall 2023 |
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Late Summer/Early Fall 2023 |
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Winter 2023/2024 |
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Fall 2025 |
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Please let us know if you do not wish to continue receiving updates about this project. Additional project updates will be disseminated as the project moves forward.
For questions or concerns regarding this project, please contact Dallas Water Utilities Project Manager, Mark S. Mihm, P.E., CDT, ENV SP at 214-670-4271 or [email protected].