Pre-holiday, after-hours release sets Lake Peachtree dredging completion in January 2015; no plans for ‘alternative uses’ of lake site
The following is an emailed news release sent by Fayette County after office hours Thursday just before the July 4th holiday. All city and county offices were closed.
Peachtree City, Georgia, July 3, 2014 — Elected officials from the Fayette County Board of Commissioners met Wednesday at City Hall in Peachtree City with elected officials from the City Council of Peachtree City to discuss the plans and timetables for returning Lake Peachtree to a state of good repair.
Both the city and county governments agree that the Georgia Environmental Protection’s classification of Lake Peachtree as a “Category I” structure should be appealed. Discussions are underway on how to proceed.
Both governments are working on creating a joint resolution, advancing communication, project structure and obligations.
The county government is prepared to begin the dry dredging process at the lake, but both the city and county acknowledge the process, following state and federal regulations, will take time to complete. The county has requested permission to proceed with the dredging, using a dry dredging process , awaiting approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The county is providing copies of all proposals, contracts and reports to the city government for their review and approval as the owner of the lake. The timetable, as it currently exists, has a completion date for the dredging process around January of 2015.
Since the dam and spillway issue will take longer to resolve than that dredging process, residents can expect the lake bed to grass-over again after the dredging. The grass will have no impact on water quality and will die out once the lake is refilled.
Both the county and city governments want to see the lake restored and there are no plans for alternative uses of the lake bed site.
Local officials will provide project details and timelines to the news media once they become available and both governments have had a chance to review the plans.
[Released via email Thursday, July 3, at 6:47 p.m.]
