Council greenlights $5.34 million dredging of Joe Pool Lake intake; council approves one-time cash funding

Midlothian City Council on Tuesday approved a contract with Renda Environmental Inc. to remove sediment from the city’s Joe Pool Lake intake structure and channel, authorizing a base contract amount of $3.8 million plus alternatives and contingency for a total project allowance of $5,342,500.

Council voted 7-0 to award the work and to fund the contract using available utility fund balance rather than issuing debt. Staff said survey work shows roughly 20,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment that is affecting pump performance and that removing the material is needed to protect pumps and intake reliability.

Why it matters: City staff reported pumps were drawing silt, causing wear and operational problems. The work includes dredging, on-site dewatering using a centrifuge, and transport and placement of dewatered material on a city property. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told the city that “side-casting” within the lake would face regulatory hurdles; staff therefore planned for removal and off-site placement.

Contract details and funding: The contract package awarded to Renda includes a base price and alternatives; the total approved project authority is $5,342,500 (including a $200,000 contingency). Staff proposed paying the cost out of the utility fund balance; finance staff told council that paying from fund balance would reduce available days of reserves but remain above policy minimums. Council approved using cash from the utility fund rather than issuing debt, 7-0.

Next steps: Staff will begin dredging and dewatering work according to the contractor’s schedule; surveys will be repeated periodically in future years to monitor sediment accumulation.