A dredge of one of the ponds at Lakeview Cemetery is wrapping up, a project designed to improve aesthetics and to clear out muck that could lead to green algal blooms.
The pond at Lakeview, with dewatering bags visible to the left of the image. Contributed
Launched in response to findings of excessive sedimentation and invasive species in the pond, the dredge represents an eco-friendly investment by the Cemetery Association itself in a property that is deeply important to residents.
“Overall, the whole process was very smooth,” Lakeview Cemetery Superintendent Peter Passaro said. “It was a good experience.”
Approved by the town’s Inland Wetlands officials, the project saw in its first stage “suction dredging,” which involves pumping out sediment from the pond and now involves “geotextile tubes,” which replaces water that had been removed.
According to the project proposal from Ridgefield-based Pristine Waters LLC: “We believe that [the Lakeview Cemetery] pond is a very good candidate for suction draining … to prevent the buildup of decomposed organic sediment (muck), which would overload the pond with phosphates that lead to greater algae growth.
The pond that underwent dredging is in the southeast part of the property—past the veterans’ gravesite area.
The total work zone for dredging was about 20,600 square feet, with an average 1.6-foot layer of sediment throughout the pond, yielding about 1,220 cubic yards of both organic and inorganic sediment. This sediment has been sucked out of the pond via diver-assisted suction dredging before being deposited into the geotextile tubes, or dewatering bags, which is taking place now. The dredged material will either be re-used onsite at Lakeview as fill or off-site by a third party.
“The applicant prepared and planned accordingly allowing for the dredging to go very smoothly, resulting in a successful project,” said Kathleen Holland, director of Inland Wetlands and Watercourses.
What were the “invasive species”? Not baby crocodiles or other former pets, I trust!