Park News
Dredging of Bachman Lake in northwest Dallas sets off massive makeover
A lake in northwest Dallas is due for a dredging. In February, the city will initiate dredging activities at Bachman Lake, to remove accumulated sediment and get rid of trash and debris.
The Dallas City Council approved the dredging contract in October. The contractor will begin setting up equipment in late January and begin dredging activities in February.
According to a release, dredging will remove 370,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment from the lake and restore water depth to a minimum of eight feet. This eight-foot depth prevents invasive aquatic vegetation from taking hold and removes debris and trash from the lake bottom. The ultimate goal is to improve water quality and restore the lake to recreational levels.
The dredging will begin once a dredging barge is on site. The contractor will use the machinery to pump silt to an off-site location. That slurry will be "dewatered" to load onto trucks for offsite disposal. After the dewatered sediment is trucked off, the water will be clarified and pumped back into Bachman Lake.
Bachman Reservoir is a 132-acre reservoir on Bachman Branch, a tributary of the Trinity River, located on the north side of Dallas Love Field. It was built in 1903 by the city of Dallas for water supply, but is currently used for recreation only. It has a group that cares about it, called Friends of Bachman Lake.
The last time it was dredged was in 2003.
This dredging is the first phase of the Bachman Lake Dredging and Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation Project.
The next phase of the project includes the rehabilitation of the Bachman dam and spillway. Those are in the final design phase, and will include structural and stability recommendations to ensure dam safety and regulatory compliance, minimize flood risk, and allow recreational activity in the future.
The tentative date for the completion of the final design, as well as the bidding of the Bachman Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation Project, is Winter 2022/2023. Dallas Water Utilities expects the Bachman Lake Dam and Spillway Improvements Project to be completed by Spring 2025.
The city advises that there will be temporary disruptions to park users, primarily the closure of the south parking lot next to the Dallas Rowing Club, to allow dredging crews to perform their work.
Lake users are also advised to steer clear of the barge and floating pipe that will pump out the silt that has settled in Bachman Lake. Boaters should keep a safe distance from the dredging pipe (75 feet) and barge (25 feet).
