Commissioners approve WRC work plan

LAKE ADGER — The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission has put out a plan to dredge the channel at the marina of Lake Adger.

Dredging is scheduled to begin this fall/winter.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Monday, and heard from Gary Gardner with the WRC about the project.

Commissioners approved the state’s plan, which will include dredging the channel and using the material to create a wetland.

WRC is responsible for maintaining adequate water depths for public access from the boat ramp and marina through an agreement with Polk County. The sedimentation over the years has restricted channel access, so dredging is required, Gardner said.

The project includes dredging approximately 6,800 cubic yards to maintain a depth of 7 to 8 feet below normal full level.

Gardner said another option of hauling the sediment off-site was not a viable option, and would have added additional time to the project, as well as require the use of public land for staging and the use of public roads for hauling.

The in-water placement option WRC plans to use could create an opportunity for habitat enhancement and eliminates the need for staging, dewatering and hauling. The option also provides a placement option for future dredging events.

The dredging will begin sometime this fall or winter to minimize the impacts to recreational users of the lake.

Gardner said the intent is not to draw the lake down very far during the dredging, with WRC planning to keep the marina and the channel open for recreation and homeowners.

Commissioner Vice Chair Myron Yoder, who has been working with WRC to get the dredging done, said the in-water placement option is the only and best option to move forward.

Yoder also said WRC really needs to bring the Lake Adger Homeowner’s Association into the conversation.

Commissioner Chair Jake Johnson said he would like to see a question and answer session as the state moves forward with the project.

County Manager Marche Pittman said it would make sense to bring WRC back to a county meeting during the site design so the public will be involved in the process.

Commissioner Tommy Melton thanked Yoder for all his work on the project, saying he and Pittman have been awesome getting the project to this point.

Lake Adger was created in 1925 with the construction of the Turner Shoals Dam on the Green River.

Polk County purchased the lake and dam in 2009 in order to create a future drinking water source for the county.

An agreement was approved in 2004 between the Lake Adger Property Owner’s Association, Lake Adger Developers, the Polk County Board of Commissioners, Northbrook Carolina Hydro and WRC to provide public access to the lake.

WRC then agreed to pay an annual fee and to be responsible for maintaining the access channel from the Lake Adger Marina and Marina Boat Ramp facility to the main body of Lake Adger so watercraft can access the water from the boat ramp.

“Such responsibility will include the obligation to dredge the channel as necessary to maintain access to the waters of Lake Adger for watercraft,” states the agreement.