The discussion by the Peachtree City Council on what approach to take to remove vegetation from a large portion of Lake Peachtree will continue on Sept. 3. City staff is recommending paying Estate Management Services (EMS) $50,000 to cut and remove tall vegetation on 101 acres of often boggy lake bed.
Removal of the vegetation is in areas not being removed by Fayette County’s dredging activities.
Interim City Manager Jon Rorie said the initial conversation with EMS dealt with up to 150 acres of tall vegetation cutting and mulching and the use of a harvester to skim off the dried vegetation that will float to the surface once the lake is filled.
Rorie on Monday said a follow-up discussion with EMS to address 101 acres of the 200-acre lake, including the use of the harvester, would cost no more than $50,000. The original price for the 150-acre job would have been $69,000, Rorie said.
The vegetation needing to be cut, some of which is 7-8 feet in height, totals 101 acres.
Once the lake is full the debris will float to the top and will be skimmed off using a special harvester, the council was told in August.
The work will also remove a number of black willow trees now growing out of the water near the shore.
Put in perspective, Rorie said the cost to hand-cut 40 acres in the often marshy lake bed would cost approximately $180,000.
Previous attempts to negotiate the soggy area has resulted in tractors partially sinking in the mud, Rorie said.
