Sunset Lake work

Dear all,

As you may have noticed, Sunset Lake has experienced a significant increase in plant growth in recent years. A major factor is sediment buildup over time, which has reduced the lake’s depth and released trapped nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, creating a rich environment for algae to thrive. As the lake grows shallower and invasive plant cover, such as water chestnuts, proliferates, available oxygen is depleted, compromising the fish and wildlife habitat. You can find more information about the impact of sedimentation on the EPA’s website here: samacaluso. 

Over the last year and a half, Facilities has been working with a specialist experienced in sediment removal from ponds and lakes to develop a plan to restore the original water depth. While this sediment removal was planned for this summer, extenuating circumstances have necessitated delaying the work until next year. In the meantime, starting in mid-July, we will begin targeted removal of the water chestnut infestation from the lake. 

The process begins with positioning turbidity curtains in the lake. These floating barriers will contain suspended sediment and plant fragments within the work zone, protecting downstream water quality and preventing the further spread of water chestnuts. 

Then, a trained SCUBA diver will remove each plant by hand at the root and feed it into a suction hose, where the plant material and seed pod will be captured in a mesh basket. The diver will dispose of the extracted plant material off-site when work is complete. This hand-pulling and suction-harvesting process removes the entire plant and its intact nut, preventing the seeds from re-sprouting. This intervention will make next summer’s dredging easier and faster. 

This summer’s work should start the week of July 13th with anticipated completion approximately August 3rd, pending good weather. During this time, you will see the floating dredge and divers working all around and in the lake. We will be sending communications about the larger dredging project as plans evolve. Thank you.

Maxine Coleman
Assistant Vice President for Facilities Operations