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Fairfield obtains permit to draw down Walton Lake
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved the City of Fairfield’s request to draw down Walton Lake.
The Fairfield City Council learned at its meeting Monday, Aug. 25 that the DNR had approved the drawdown permit the city had filed in the spring, part of a plan to replace the golf cart bridge at the Walton Club. The city plans to lower the water level 11.5 feet.
The bridge was determined to be structurally unsafe, and because the lease between the city and Walton Club says the city is responsible for all bridges on the property, the city devised a plan to replace it.
However, the city’s original plan has changed slightly. The city had initially planned to replace the bridge with a series of eight 42-inch culverts, but the council approved a change order Monday to instead install single large box culvert at the base of what will be an earthen causeway. The box culvert would have an opening measuring 8 feet by 10 feet, and would allow wildlife to pass from one section of the lake to the other at a lower depth, which Fairfield City Engineer and Public Works Director Melanie Carlson said was appreciated by the DNR since it’s better for fish. She said some fish will not swim near the surface of the water because it’s too warm.
This change from the original plan is being done at no extra cost. However, since this has changed the project from the one proposed, the city will need to obtain a separate permit from the DNR. French-Reneker-Associates Project Manager Marcus Clark said he’s spoken to Casey Welty, senior dam safety engineer at the DNR, who was open to this change in the project, and expected the new permit would be approved in a week or two.
Carlson said that letters about the impending drawdown will be sent to residents who own property abutting the lake or downstream of the discharge, and that 46 property owners met these criteria. She expected the drawdown to begin as early as Thursday, Aug. 28, and if not then, likely Tuesday, Sept. 2 because of Labor Day.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
