This is my home lake where the Fishiding idea came to reality. Our sportsman’s club is a large part of this long awaited cleanup of our “Gem”

By JOSEPH BUSTOS – jbustos@nwherald.com

WONDER LAKE – It might be another year before any sediment comes out of Wonder Lake, as the $5.9 million lake dredging project remains in the permitting and design stage.

Permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources still need to be approved.

Lake manager Randy Stowe said the best-case scenario for dredging to begin is next summer, depending on the permitting process.

However, the Master Property Owners Association is looking to make a change to the project – the location of a sediment drying facility.

The MPOA is proposing an area to the west of the lake to be an area for sediment to dry. The property is 120 acres on the east side of Greenwood Road, south of Galt Airport, which is planned to eventually become Phase 2 of the Meadows of West Bay subdivision.

The area has yet to be developed because of the down economy.

The Village Board would need to approve an easement for a pipe to move water and sediment to the Meadows of West Bay area.

The MPOA is considering leaving a permanent facility to help with any future dredging.

Previously, the MPOA wanted to use 80 acres southeast of the lake, on the east side of East Wonder Lake Road, north of Route 120, as the sediment drying area. However, T.P. Mathews, who is owner of the land between the lake and the 80-acre parcel, has filed for bankruptcy. The MPOA planned to move sediment through Mathews’ land.

“We’re probably a year behind because of the issues that arose with the southeast side,” Stowe said. “Landowner issues … stalled the permitting process because we couldn’t complete the designs.”

“We have to keep things moving forward,” Stowe added.

If the new sediment site is approved, Stowe estimates that the dredging project could last three to four years rather than the original 10-year estimate.

Even though dredging isn’t expected to take place this year, residents will see some work on the lake in the fall.

Restoration work will take place on three islands. Those projects would be paid for with the help of state grants.

“These islands are literally washing away,” Stowe said.

Also, seven residents received shoreline restoration grants from the state.

Last summer, the MPOA surveyed the lake and determined how much sediment would need to be removed from the lake to help it become navigable again.

Originally the MPOA estimated that it would need to remove 1 million cubic yards of sediment, but now that estimate is 500,000 to 600,000 cubic yards, Stowe said.

He said the cost of the project has not decreased because construction costs continue to rise.

“Every delay we have, the cost goes up. But this will give us much more assurance we could get everything done,” Stowe said. “Once we get the critical area, there could be additional areas we could do additional enhancements to.”

The village took out $5.9 million in bonds last year to pay for the project. Part of the bond money is federal stimulus money.

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