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Lake Restoration
Photos
Welcome
to our lake restoration photo blog. As restoration proceeds, we
will continue to add more pictures to show
progress to date.
Sign Announcing the Project
May
13, 2009 A "before" view from the
path around the lake.
May
13, 2009 A "before" view of the
gazebo.
May 13, 2009 Another "before" view of the lake.
May 15, 2009
The crew starting work.
May 15, 2009
Equipment ready to work.
Next week they will begin the "dewatering" process (drain the water
from the lake) and the lake will officially be a construction area.
**NOTE ** The contractor is setting up
weirs to try to catch as many of the fish as he can so he can
release them below the dam! He is also on the lookout for turtles.
May 19, 2009
Building a temporary road for heavy equipment.
May 19, 2009
Equipment for Surveying
May
26, 2009 More Equipment Ready to Go
June 9, 2009
Looking at the Bench after Dewatering
June 9, 2009
Another View as Dewatering Proceeds
July 14, 2009
Life Goes On for this Great Blue Heron
August 11, 2009 Latest View
from the Bench
David Hathcock, the
photographer, had this to say:
"Probably about
55-60% completed with the dredging, and the project is
really moving
ahead. The old stone walls around the historic lake are
beginning to
be uncovered, and the gazebo is being rescued. There are
bull frogs
still in the wet areas, and fresh deer tracks. Still some
(trespassing) walkers. Looking ahead, the contours will be restored,
stone walls resurrected or restored, a new bridge constructed at the
south end across Reedy Creek, new/replica lights restored,
new/restored
benches and shelters. I propose hot chocolate in the
gazebo in
January/February."
August 18, 2009 Looking towards the Gazebo
September 8, 2009 The Lake Is Starting to Come Back
September 15, 2009 Getting Rid of Stumps
David Hathcock, the
photographer, says, "Almost finished with the hauling out.
Engineers are completing the
retention basins that will prevent the lake from re-silting in the
future and make maintenance easier. When that is complete,
residents
will see trucks bringing in large rocks to rebuild the lake and its
borders. Meanwhile the Vermeer SC 60 TX, a large
remotely-controlled
stump grinder, is grinding stumps in the upper end,
as it is supposed to do."
October 13, 2009 The Lake Is Filling Up
David Hathcock has this to say:
"Forest Hill Lake is slowly, quietly filling, one good rain away from
full pool. The great yellow machines that have snorted and growled
through the summer have moved away from the lake, their work finished,
and soon will be hauled away to another job. The mound of black silt,
40,000 yards of it, is gone.
There's still work to be done, grading and clearing brush, cutting grass
and weeds, planting marsh plants and upland trees. The Parks
Department
has benches to repair and replace, new lights to line the shoreline.
The roads need repairing from the summer of construction, but we can
see, ahead of schedule, the results of the time and forethought by Parks
planners and engineers, contractors and workmen."
October 16, 2009 Wetlands Area Being Planted with
Native Plants
David Hathcock says:
"The past two days have been good only for ducks and tree planters,
and we had both at Forest Hill Lake. Contractors are planting
about 400
native specie trees, including spice bush and river birch at the
wetlands area at the south end of the park. Water grasses have
been
planted on the shelf that will be under water shortly.
Forest Hill Lake is within a foot of being at its
optimum level,
thanks to the rains of October. By Friday, at least five ducks
have
returned, and you may be able to pick out in one photo the tracks of a
moderately large deer. For all those who waited with anticipation, the
result is going to be worthy of the effort.
October 16, 2009 Mallards Swimming in the New Lake
October 29, 2009 The Lake is finished
October 29, 2009 Another View of the Finished Lake
Click here
to read the Times Dispatch article about the lake restoration.
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