Mountain lakes across Western North Carolina are filling with sediment, and 33-acre Mirror Lake in Highlands is no exception.

Development, road construction, stormwater runoff, erosion and poor agricultural practices all contribute to the problem. Removing sediment is a costly, time-consuming project often complicated by governmental regulations and permitting.

The Mirror Lake Improvement Association (MLIA) has been wrestling with sedimentation problems for years. Keith Johnson said the organization has tried several times to get permitting to do some dredging but, to date, all proposals have been rejected at some stage of the process. At last, there may be some help for Mirror Lake and other impoundments in the upper Cullasaja watershed.

The Upper Cullasaja Watershed Association (UCWA) passed a resolution at its March 22 regular meeting to create the “Lakes Restoration Project” (LRP). According to the resolution, UCWA will provide project management, technical expertise and planning coordination for lakes in the watershed that want to work through the LRP. The board also agreed that the Mirror Lake association would be the first partner in the restoration project.

UCWA board member Bob Wright said that surveys had identified at least 20 lakes in the watershed, and that all property owners, community clubs and developments associated with each lake would be contacted and could decide whether or not they wanted to participate in the project. UCWA made it clear that funding for each specific project would be the responsibility of the lake owners or caretakers, but Wright said there could be great economic advantages to “packaging” area restoration projects.

The LRP is an outgrowth of the Mirror Lake assocation’s continued efforts to address the sediment problem in the lake. According to Johnson, MLIA had been in contact with Aquatic Solutions of Newnan, Ga., about the dredging. Johnson said that when MLIA received a proposal from Aquatic Solutions, they approached UCWA seeking guidance.

Aquatic Solution’s proposal differed from other proposals MLIA had received by virtue of the fact that no U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit was required. Buck Trott, MLIA president and mayor of Highlands, told those present at the March 22 meeting that he had met with Aquatic Solutions’ president Ron Gahring and David Baker, project manager for the Corps, in Asheville. Gahring presented a video and described, in detail, Aquatic Solutions’ methods. Baker agreed that no Corps permits were required.

Wright said that dredging was still an expensive undertaking but feasible under Aquatic Solutions’ proposal. The proposal requires that customers pay for the amount of sediment removed at the rate of $12 per cubic yard. Lake owners could determine where and how much sediment to remove, allowing them to get the, “greatest bang for their buck,” Wright said.

During discussion of the resolution, members questioned whether or not UCWA had the resources to take on the responsibility of the Lake Restoration Project and continue other projects it had initiated in the watershed. UCWA treasurer Peter Reitt shared in these concerns.

“My concern is that this project may take time and effort away from our core responsibilities,” Reitt said.

The organization was started to study water availability on the plateau, Reitt said, but it has not yet completed an inventory of water capacity.

“We’ve done some things, but there are several things we haven’t done,” Reitt said.

Lauch Magruder, a UCWA board member, said that while it was important not to overburden the UCWA administration, helping improve area lakes did fit within the group’s broader mission. He feels the watershed association can garner enough volunteer support to continue its ongoing projects during the lake restoration, he said.

“I believe we are the logical organization to provide guidance,” Magruder said.

UCWA director Jody Cook areed, saying that other projects would not be neglected.

“This is the kind of thing that needs to be done. I’m willing to work on it,” Wright said. He said that once a base agreement with MLIA was created, it would serve as a model for all lake restoration projects.

UCWA agreed to place $16,000 received from MLIA in escrow for restoration. Trott said that MLIA had another $25,000 in its coffers and that, “we think we can raise the money.” It is estimated that the Mirror Lake project would cost around $1 million.

While Trott and the MLIA were anxious to start to work on Mirror Lake, Cook and Wright urged patience. They noted that protocols for sampling and disposing of sediment needed to be worked out. Cook said that UCWA needed to be diligent, astute and innovative. We want to create a “template” that can be used for all lake restoration projects, Cook said.

After the discussion, the motion to create the LRP carried with Reitt casting the lone opposing vote. Reitt said that he recognized the value of lakes, such as Mirror Lake, to the watershed but wondered if the LRP resolution was, perhaps, premature.

“I have concerns. I fear it could turn into more work than we have manpower for,” Reitt said.

Hank Ross from Lake Sequoyah said it was a great confidence booster to have an umbrella organization like UCWA to work with.

 

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The Smoky Mountain News