DALLAS — The City of Dallas has finished the first phase to rehabilitate Bachman Lake with the completion of dredging the lake in late April.
Dredging means to remove sediment and debris from the lake, and the city said this dredging has restored the lake to recreational depths, as well as removing "sediment islands" and debris.
The lake is open to the public without restriction, including rowers and kayakers, and the southern parking area near the Dallas Rowing Club has also reopened.
The dredging was approved by council members in October of 2021 and dredging began early in 2022 to remove debris that entered from Bachman Creek. About 154,441 cubic yards of sediment and 3,125 tons of debris were removed, which improved the water quality and the aquatic habitat.
The next phase will be to rehabilitate the Bachman dam and spillway, addressing flood capacity and structural and stability recommendations, the city said.
"These improvements will ensure dam safety and regulatory compliance, minimize flood risk, and allow residents to enjoy the lake for years to come," the city said in a news release. "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."
Design for the dam and spillway rehabilitation are both complete, the city said, and the project is being advertised for construction. Bids are expected to be sent early this summer, with construction expected to begin in the winter following city council approval.
