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Council hears review of Lake 8 and 9 dredging; staff, engineers and residents disagree on further work
Summary
After staff confirmed post‑dredge surveys met the permit removal targets for Lake 8, neighbors and an independent reviewer urged further analysis before final closeout. Council asked staff to review contractual and permitting records and return with next steps.
The City Council on Sept. 24 heard extended public and expert testimony about recent dredging work at Lakes 8 and 9, part of the city’s stormwater/lake‑restoration program tied to Gulf Shore Boulevard outfall improvements. The discussion followed a Sept. 3 council decision that authorized a contract amendment to cover additional hauling costs after contractors reported higher than‑expected hauling expenses.
What staff said: Public Works Director Bob Middleton and consultant WSP project manager Greg Corning told council the project’s post‑dredge bathymetric surveys for North Lake matched the previously permitted target elevations and that the volume removed closely matched the volume estimate in the city’s permit from the South Florida Water Management District. Corning explained the survey methodology used in the design (a USACE manual‑probe style bathymetry that seeks consolidated bottom) and said hydrographic soundings can overstate unconsolidated, recently‑disturbed surface material. He said the primary project objective — restore lake sediment profile to improve nitrogen and phosphorus removal and re‑establish littoral/management structures for long‑term water‑quality performance — had been achieved and that littoral shelves, inlet filters and revised outfall structures remain to be completed as part of the broader program.
Resident and independent review concerns: Several South Lake residents — who said the dredging work had been noisy and disruptive at times — urged additional checks before council accepted final closeout. The residents and an independent reviewer (EcoStasis LLC of Palm Beach) argued that the city should verify that permit bottom elevations and side‑slope specifications were uniformly met and that the post‑dredge as‑built surveys used an appropriate, consistent bathymetric methodology. EcoStasis principal Ansley Tilley, a licensed engineer, said the ERP permit relies on target bottom elevations and stage–storage calculations rather than a single volumetric estimate, and asked the city to confirm the as‑built elevations in a way that directly demonstrates the design goals in the permit were satisfied. Petitioner/contractor Energy Resources’ owner Paul Reinhardt told council the contractor encountered larger volumes than initially indicated and that a powerplant failure and other equipment issues had delayed work; he said the contractor did not request change orders for additional time but had reported higher hauling quantities.
Action and next steps: Council did not vote to re‑open or alter the ERP permit. Members asked staff to: (a) review contract records and permit materials, (b) confirm whether the as‑built bottom elevations called for in the approved ERP drawings have been achieved across the permitted lake footprints, (c) evaluate whether any additional technical work is required, and (d) return to council with recommendations. Public Works said equipment was kept on site and the contractor had been asked not to demobilize while the outstanding questions were resolved. Council asked the city attorney and staff to check legal and procurement options (including whether liquidated‑damages or other remedies are appropriate) and to report back with a recommended approach.
Why it matters: The dredging work is intended to restore lake treatment capacity and reduce nutrient loads into Naples Bay by removing organic muck and restoring designed stage‑storage and littoral treatment areas. The work also connects to the larger Gulf Shore Boulevard outfall project; delays or permit reopeners for the lakes could affect scheduling and grant/timing assumptions for the broader regional effort.
Speakers and sources: Staff — Bob Middleton (Public Works director), Greg Corning (WSP senior engineer); Deputy Fire Chief/others who spoke on logistics; contractor — Paul Reinhardt (Energy Resources); independent reviewer — Ansley Tilley (EcoStasis LLC); property representative Norman Trebelcock; resident liaisons Fred Scholte, John Ray.
Outcome: No final council vote to re‑open the permit or require further dredging. Council directed staff to gather records, confirm as‑built elevations relative to the permit drawings, and return with legal and technical recommendations for whether additional testing or corrective work is required.
