HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/15/2025 Item 7a, Friends of Laguna Lake
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To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Otte, Freddy; Hill, Robert; McDonald, Whitney; Horn, Matt
Subject:Laguna Lake Dredging REf: -7.a 2025-27 STRATEGIC BUDGET DIRECTION AND DRAFT
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Attachments:Public Works Friends of Laguna Lake.pdf
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We are disappointed that funds previously allocated to remove Laguna Lake Sediment have again
disappeared from the proposed budget. We still have no information as to what happened to the
money for a 6,000 cubic yard dredging program that was included in the 2024-25 budget cycle following
the pilot project in 2021. We are convinced that an ongoing dredging program is essential for the
maintenance and improvement of the lake
There are a few statements in the discussion of Laguna Lake Dredging (page 946) that need to be put in
proper perspective.
We supported the city prioritizing the removal of material from the Prefumo Arm that has built up over the
decades to cover and clog the storm drains. We appreciate that the city finally addressed the flooding
problem with the help of Federal Funds and works to never let the situation deteriorate again. The
material removed from the Prefumo Arm was never going to reach Laguna Lake.
The pilot dredging not only proved the concept but also identified a few ways that unit costs could be
reduced. For Example, since bringing in equipment, setting it up and removing it was a large portion of
the project cost, doubling the size could half the unit cost. We supported spacing dredging projects to
achieve economies. We are now 4 years since the pilot project.
The cost of sediment removal from the Lake can be comparable to the cost of removing rocks, debris and
sediment from the Prefumo Arm. Removing material from the arm provides necessary flood prevention
but it does not directly benefit the lake. In fact, it is possible for the straighter channel to increase
sediment into the lake because of the straighter channels.
We received the attached presentation from Matt Horn. It shows dredging options from 2027 to 2032. 6
to 11 years after the pilot project.
Please do not abandon the commitment to address the years of sediment build up in the lake and restore
appropriate funding into the current fiscal plan.
Thank you.
John and Rob
On behalf of Friends of Laguna Lake
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From:
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 11:02 AM
To: emailcouncil@slocity.org
Cc: 'Otte, Freddy' <fotte@slocity.org>; rhill@slocity.org; wmcdonald@slocity.org
Subject: Laguna Lake Dredging
Dear Mayor and Council,
We are writing on behalf of the Friends of Laguna Lake to follow up on the Community Forum setting
budgeting priorities. Our conversations there lead us to believe there is no dredging activity planned
this year even though there has been funding in the last two-year budget plans. We found this is very
disappointing
It very important for our members and the community that the dredging project is a priority and retains
previously allocated funding. We are requesting the project receives funding and gets resources
committment.
For the recently elected council members we recommend the excellent LAGUNA LAKE NATURAL
RESERVE CONSERVATION PLAN written by Bob Hill and Freddy Otte and adopted by Council in
2014.
Link here: Microsoft Word - Laguna Lake Natural Reserve Conservation Plan - Final Approved
A key takeaway of this report is that making the lake the focal point of a truly unique conservation and
recreation area an ongoing dredging program is needed..
The City’s analysis has shown that since 1965 an average of 3,000 cubic yards of sediment has been
deposited in the lake every year. Most of this is attributable to the diversion of Prefumo Creek.
To have any meaningful impact on the lake silting up. at least that amount needs to be removed just
to stay where we are.
It seems to us that the importance regular dredging has been neglected by the Council and Staff
and we ask that you raise its priority.
The pilot program of 2021 proved that the permitting was possible and identified areas of
improvement. Only 2,000 Cubic Yards of sediment were removed but the project identified several
areas for improvements. Because mobilization and demobilizations costs are significant, economics
of scale result from doing larger projects at longer intervals
The Friends of Laguna Lake requests that the council raise the priority of the Dredging and Sediment
Management Program for this year and as an ongoing operation
.
With the hard work of staff and the commitments of previous Councils we now know what needs to be
done and how to do it. Please make it happen.
Rob Davidson and John Smigelski of behalf of Friends of Laguna Lake.
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