The Kansas Water Office (KWO) is pleased to announce 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 our 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.
“Completion of Phase I dredging operations at John Redmond does not signify ‘mission accomplished’ in efforts to restore lost water supply storage to satisfy projected demand into the future,” Streeter said. “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.”
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.
For additional information on the dredging project or the upcoming conference, visit www.kwo.org
