The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources has authorized the Lake Mitchell Restoration Project to move forward.
Mayor Jordan Hanson said the word came down Wednesday. “It was up for a vote to pass the city’s variance to basically go to a 23% PMF instead of a 50%, which basically just gives us a variance to help move along the lake project,” said Hanson. “So now there’s no more roadblocks and we’re back on schedule.”
He says the City has reengaged Barr Engineering to resume preparations. “So we’re still working on the permitting phase and the current expectation is to bid the drawdown project starting this fall,” said Hanson.
The Mayor said Barr is working on a project timeline. “So then we can see every step along the way in the light at the end of the tunnel, so we should be releasing that soon,” he said.
The project involves drawing down the lake level and mechanically dredging bottom material containing phosphorus which caused water quality issues over the decades.