The Kansas Water Office (KWO) announced yesterday that the first phase of dredging at John Redmond Reservoir is complete.
Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD) began dredging operations this past May.
The project is the first of its kind in the nation with a non-federal entity dredging sediment from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reservoir.
Three million cubic yards of sediment was removed from the reservoir and placed in confined disposal facilities on USACE land and private property. These disposal sites will be returned to the preferred use of the respective landowners after dewatering.
“ In 2012, we started the planning process to conduct this large-scale dredging project to restore water supply storage at John Redmond ,” said Director of KWO, Tracy Streeter . “ This project was vital for the area. The reservoir is a supply source to 19 communities and six industrial users, including Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Station. ”
The removal of sediment has helped to ensure an adequate water supply to meet the citizens’ demand in the future. Unfortunately past drought has shown the removal of three million yards will not solve all of the problems with the aging reservoir to help restore water supply storage lost to sedimentation.
“ Additional work in the watershed above John Redmond to reduce the sedimentation rate, evaluation of other waters supplies as well as future restoration work to remove sediment within the reservoir is still necessary to ensure future water supply demand is met through the year 2045 in the Neosho River basin, ” Streeter said.
More information and details about the project will be shared at the upcoming Governor’s Water Conference on November 14-15 in Manhattan, Kansas including a panel discussion involving Bryan Taylor, USACE –Tulsa District, Stan Ekren – GLDD and Matt Unruh – KWO Dredging Project Manager.
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