Lake Koshkonong Dredging Weather and Water Levels

We met yesterday with Badgerland on-site and walked with them on the ice as they traversed from the launch ramp to the fill area using the smaller of the two tracked excavators that they have on-site.  This excavator ways around 45,000 pounds, similar to the weight of the partly-full haul trucks that they will use to haul stone and dredge spoil.  Water levels on the lake were approximately gage 6.85 feet (786.85 in the old NGVD 1929 elevation system).  This elevation puts water on the lake bed all the way to the shore protection.

The excavator traversed down to the fill site without problem, although it did break through the ice and encountered soft bottom conditions at perhaps a half-dozen places along the way, mainly where the artesian wells discharge along the lake shore, and at the end of the two "points" on the twin island gun club property where water is somewhat deeper and the ice is not big enough to support the weight of the excavator.  Mainly, the excavator was traversing through areas where the water depth was 1 foot, or less.

It is clear that Badgerland will not be able to drive quad axle dump trucks across frozen lake bed and thick ice, which was their original plan.  The combination of warmer weather and the warm rain that we got two weeks ago have made their original plan unworkable.  It was Badgerland's opinion that they could not complete the work using off-road haul trucks, because they thought they would eventually churn through the lakebed.  They repeatedly said they were worried about with DNR would let them do.  They said that they would prefer to use Lamp Road and traverse through the gun club wetland, or do the work next winter.  My response was that they haven’t even tried to get the job done using the haul along the lakeshore.

Rick Gerke joined us after I called him and the gun club has been very accommodating in allowing several alternative haul routes for crossing through their property, for either access across the points along the lakeshore or for entering the property if we somehow come to an agreement for access on Lamp Road.

I told Badgerland repeatedly that they were contracted to conduct the work and we needed them to accomplish the work they were contracted to do.  I pointed out that they had not yet even tried an alternative method from that that they planned for originally.  I kept hearing the response "what you want us to do?".  I kept telling them that they are under contract and I expect them to tell us how they will accomplish the work.  I suggested repeatedly that timber mats could help in the soft ground areas.  It was not a heated exchange but it was a very direct conversation.

At the end of the afternoon, Badgerland agreed to get a haul truck on-site on Friday morning and we will traverse the haul route and see how they do.  I contacted DNR while we were on site and I have not yet heard from them.  In my opinion the issues with DNR come down to the types of siltation barriers that might be required if the bottom gets churned up, and not whether or not work would be allowed to continue.

The weather that we have experienced over the last three weeks has certainly made this project much more difficult.  However, my position is that Badgerland needs tell us how they propose to accomplish the work they've been contracted for, and not ask us "what you want us to do?"