The Mitchell City Council last night approved an agreement with Barr Engineering of Minnesota for $339,000 for a preliminary design for the Lake Mitchell Development Project.
Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson: “A lot of people in the community think that this is the study again. This is not. This is actually getting us on the way to beginning our design to dredge the lake. Part of the reason we need to do this is we need to know how much this is going to cost us. This will get us there.”
Mitchell Parks and Recreation Director Nathan Powell went into the details, saying “it would be an investigation to clarify our water quality goals and our objectives in the project. It would also look at drawdown feasibility….three approaches to dredging…if it’s mechanical, hydraulic, or a combination of both. We’ll look at all three approaches to see what the best option is. The preliminary design will look at dredge volumes, disposal site layout, beneficial uses of dredge material, cost opinion, and finalizing the scope.”
In about nine months, Powell said there will be a public meeting held with a presentation of the findings by Barr Engineering.
Mayor Everson stressed that the lake restoration is a lengthy process and “nothing happens instantly.”
The vote to approve the Lake Mitchell agreement was unanimous.