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Mill Creek Park officials will investigate dredging of lakes
CANFIELD
The Mill Creek MetroParks staff will begin to investigate options for dredging the park lakes.
The board of park commissioners decided at a meeting Monday night to move forward with exploration of dredging as a way to improve the water quality of the lakes.
Lakes Newport, Cohasset and Glacier have been closed to the public since July 10 after Mahoning County District Board of Health tests determined there were elevated levels of E. coli bacteria in the water. Testing was prompted by a massive fish kill at the end of June, which the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency attributed primarily to sewage overflows from Youngstown’s combined storm and sanitary sewer system.
The park leadership, as well as city, state and federal officials, have been brainstorming solutions to the water-pollution problem since the city’s plan to eliminate overflows into the park will require $47 million – plus an additional $100 million for upgrades to the city’s waste treatment center – and is not slated to be complete until 2033.
The county board of health has since initiated a 12-week water-testing program at Lake Newport, which is in its fourth week.
Park commissioners on Monday expressed support for the dredging option, which would remove built-up sediments from the lakes and therefore increase the lakes’ capacity.
“I certainly would be in favor of looking into this. A complete study needs to be done, [including a] cost analysis,” said Lou Schiavoni, board president. “And I think it definitely needs to be done. It’s something that would create some free-flowing water in these lakes and would oxygenate the water.”
Commissioner Scott Schulick also expressed support and suggested that the park administration team up with Youngstown State University for the study.
“I think it’s important. The three lakes are part of the historic part of the park, and I think they’re definitely the focal points for most of our visitors and most of the history of the park, and if we don’t take care of them, then we’re not doing our part,” Schulick said.
Commissioner Germaine Bennett, while supportive of the option, noted that a previous effort to dredge Lake Newport did not succeed because those leading the effort could not figure out how to dispose of the materials that would come out of the lake.
“I would like any investigation that we do on Mill Creek MetroParks’ behalf to identify several options for, ultimately, the location and final resting point of any of this material that is removed. But I would urge the board to rely on professionals to identify that procedure and what steps need to be taken,” said Executive Director Aaron Young.
Young also told board members that he met Aug. 12 with representatives from the office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who sought more detailed information about the water-pollution issue.
Schiavoni said he has sent letters to Gov. John Kasich and President Barack Obama about the matter.
“I truly am not going to let this water issue rest,” he said. “Our area of Mill Creek Park is our crown jewel.”