Project Updates
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Tree Clearing Complete and Basins Taking Shape 2/2/2012 Tree clearing for the lake project is complete with the debris being recycled into mulch. Work has started on the first of two basins for the dredge spoils. Contractor is building the first basin in the NE corner of park.
Pump Project on Track- Update 2/2/2012 The contractor has installed the pump house and is installing the supply pipe. The project is slated to be complete near March 1, 2012.
Tree clearing has started in Levi Carter Park 1/24/12
Clearing trees near the polo field for the dredge spoil site.
Tree clearing on the north shore for an off shore breakwater. Highlights from the Public Information Meeting Jan. 19th Thank you to the 47 people who signed in at the public information meeting held at MAPA on Thursday January 19th. Sara Mechtenberg from the engineering firm Tetra Tech shared the construction map and timeline with the audience and spent time detailing the types of structures which will be installed. Maps are available at Carter Lake city hall and will also be posted at the Carter Lake library. Dredging and all construction should be accomplished by the end of September . Western Contracting Corporation was awarded the bid from the City of Omaha. Vegetation management in the lake was presented by Chris Larson from the Iowa DNR. The goal is to use a tool box approach in dealing with vegetation in the lake if necessary. Some of those methods may include mechanical, biological and chemical. More information will be available as we get closer to the spring season and plans are worked out. Removal of all vegetation in the lake is not an option nor is it desirable. We will be holding a vegetation workshop in March or April. The contractor will begin mobilizing and starting work on Monday, January 23rd. Public Information Meeting January 19th The public is invited to an informational meeting on the construction plans for Carter Lake in 2012. A short presentation will outline the goals and timeline for the 2012 season. Agency representatives from Iowa and Nebraska will be available to take written comments. The meeting will be held at MAPA located in Omaha at 2222 Cuming Street on January 19th at 7 P.M. The Community Based Water Quality Management Plan for Carter Lake was instigated in response to a desire from watershed stakeholders to protect the water quality of Carter Lake for the support of aesthetic benefits, recreational use, aquatic and littoral wildlife and economic benefits. Carter lake is on Nebraska’s Section 303(d) list of impaired waters for phosphorus, nitrogen, algae and pH.. Iowa has determined Carter Lake is impaired for excess algae and turbidity. The primary water quality issue is high nutrient levels. Check out the complete history of the watershed plan at the link below http://www.carterlakepreservation.org/id42.html Well Update 12/21/2011 Contractors are working on the water supply well for the lake. The well house and piping on the wet side of the levy are being worked on. The electrical poles are complete. Carter Lake featured in EPA success story Restoration efforts of Carter Lake were featured in a story on the EPA website. Thank you to all the great community volunteers who helped make this possible! The communities of Carter Lake and Omaha should be proud of the success so far. http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/success319/ne_carter.cfm
Channel Catfish Fish stocking on September 15, 2011
2200 8-11 inch Channel catfish stocked at Mabrey Park
Carter Lake is open for all types of boating starting on September 13th. Update on vegetation harvester
The Harvester has been on the lake a few days. Most of the time has been spent working around the pumps on the north shore trying to keep them free of the floating vegetation. The vegetation has been packing the fence around the pump and forcing material under the fence and then clogging the pumps so they do not run. Keeping those pumps working is the first priority so we do not damage homes or infrastructure in the community. The lake level during this flood event has remained within about 7-8 inches. If you travel over to Council Bluffs check on Lake Manawa they have not been so lucky. During last months council meeting information was shared on the amount of water pumped out of the lake so far. If those pumps had not been running the lake level would be significantly higher. The pumps we have take out 10,000 gallons per minute. The water coming into the lake is groundwater filtered through the sand, part of the clarity issue. Since the pumps have been running we have pumped out the entire volume of lake!
Vegetation in the lake is making a strong comeback. The Tech advisory team met on July 13th to discuss construction issues and the best way to control the vegetation. Staff from both Iowa and Nebraska have looked at the lake and are formulating an action plan. Please remember improving the lake is not an easy process and the final outcome is a great lake for everyone. It is illegal for anyone to add fish to the lake. Only the State of Iowa and Nebraska can stock Carter Lake. Cutting and raking weaken plants and is still the best way to reduce the vegetation near your docks. Please try to remove as much from the lake as possible. The flood control pumps on the lake are vital to homes and businesses in the community, keeping them free of floating vegetation is critical. 2011 Carter Lake work plan has been put on hold due to high water. Well construction, shoreline renovation and dredging will happen, just not when the river is high. Carter Lake recieved an additional 21,000 Largemouth Bass on June 29th, 2011 from the Iowa DNR. 2013 will be a great fishing year!
Water Clarity May 19, 2011 The water in the lake is clear all the way to the bottom! Now is a great time to visit the lake and see what the bottom looks like. 2011 Work Plan for Carter Lake (Put on hold until 2012) The shores of Carter lake will be a busy place this summer during the construction season. Planning is underway to provide shorline armoring and offshore breakwaters to many parts of the lake. Work will also be completed on the stormwater pond in Levi Carter Park. Carter Lake will not be drained during the work. Boaters may need to be more aware during the summer to buoys and markers placed in the water to protect workers and equipment. Work will begin in the spring and should be complete early in the fall. Weather and water levels may add delays to the project. Dredging some areas of the lake may begin in 2011. Details on the total 2011 work plan will be released in late spring during a public meeting.
Fish Renovation
The fish renovation is complete! New fish will be stocked during the first part of October. Largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill will be stocked first. No Wake Buoys Installed Please be sure to remind your friends and neighbors to follow safe boating practices while on the lake. The no wake buoys are in on the east arm of the lake, the entire east arm is a no wake zone. Speeds must be below no wake speed. Alum Treatment Completed All lake activity can resume on May 25th. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a success.
Public Meeting January 12, 2010 Click here to view slides from the meeting Public comments from the meeting What is the impact of geese on the phosphorus load? Geese can have a big impact on water quality. The extent of the impact is obviously based on the numbers of geese present at any particular time of year. On average, a Canada goose can produce about 0.86 pounds of phosphorus per year. If we have 100 resident geese that would generate around 86 pounds of phosphorus per year. If all 86 pounds of phosphorus reached the lake, it would constitute approximately 2.7 percent of the total phosphorus load to the lake. Controlling waterfowl is a difficult task, particularly given their migratory nature. Feeding geese should be discouraged as this adds to the problem. Was goose hunting a considered option? Given the urban nature of Carter Lake, hunting was not considered as an option. How long will it be before you know if plan A needs improvement and you have to move to plan B? An extensive amount of water quality monitoring has been conducted to document current conditions. This monitoring will continue through the course of the project to track changes in water quality and evaluate our plan. Lake management is an ongoing process with no end. It is the goal of the Technical Advisory Team (TAT) to develop a long term management plan for Carter Lake and not just provide some quick fixes and walk away. In doing so, the TAT will continually evaluate what has been done, what has worked and what has not worked along with social and economic costs. Big improvements in water quality are expected once the first alum treatment and fish renovation take place but it will take several years to determine the longevity of these management actions. The public will continue to be involved in the decisions regarding the management of Carter Lake. Will the drain tubes in the cannels be removed so no road runoff will go in the lake? The water that Carter Lake receives through these storm drains contributes toward the maintenance of appropriate water levels for the lake. Instead of removing these drain tubes our plan is to improve the quality of water coming off the land. Reducing commercial fertilizers and pet waste are two activities that will help improve the quality of runoff water entering Carter Lake. I am very concerned about the no wake zones and the fish kill. Please do not stop skiing and boating for all types of boats. Boating season is from April-October. In scheduling different treatments (e.g. fish renovation), the Technical Advisory Team will try to minimize impacts to any recreational activities that take place at the lake. Unfortunately certain treatments are most effective when done during certain times of the year.
We do not want to put no wake on this lake- Have Omaha open up some of their lakes to help in boating activities and lesson the traffic on this lake. The Technical Advisory Team has received numerous comments on the no-wake areas, both positive and negative. The benefits of these no-wake areas will be evaluated along with all the other activities that are completed. Our other lakes in the area are Corps of Engineers flood control structures. It is a Corps requirement that there be no-wake on these lakes. I think the no wake zone is too large can it be reduced? At this time there are no plans to reduce the size of the no-wake areas. The benefits of these areas will be evaluated along with all the other activities that are completed. Once the quality and clarity is achieved will the NO WAKE area be reduced? At this time there are no plans to reduce the size of the no-wake areas. The benefits of these areas will be evaluated along with all the other activities that are completed. If desired quality and clarity is achieved, and if the no-wake areas are critical to maintaining good quality and clarity, the size will not be reduced. Once the alum floc is in place will there be an indvcement (spelling?) to anaerobic activity in the lowest levels of the lake to force phosphorus hydrolysis into re-suspending phosphorus . In essence continued phosphorus release? It is most likely that the alum treatment will result in less anaerobic activity at the bottom of the lake. Less algae in the water column results in less organic matter being deposited on the bottom; resulting in less bacterial activity and consumption of oxygen. In any event, the alum floc binds tightly to phosphorus in both the presence and absence of oxygen. This makes alum a highly effective means of decreasing phosphorus release, even when low or no oxygen conditions exist. Creighton rowing is in competitive season March 1-May 4 and we cannot be off the water for 3 weeks. April 12 is a good date we could be off for a few days. In scheduling different treatments (e.g. Alum treatment, fish renovation), the Technical Advisory Team will try to minimize impacts to any recreational/competitive activities that take place at the lake. Unfortunately certain treatments are most effective when done during certain times of the year. Why will the Alum be applied first instead of after dredging? It is important to conduct the first alum treatment soon to allow adequate time to monitor the performance of the treatment, measure the amount of phosphorus “tied up” in the lake sediments, and accurately design the second treatment (which will be based on the performance of the first treatment). Only a small percentage of the lake will be dredged. Any floc removal/disturbance that may occur during dredging can be compensated for in the second alum treatment, if necessary. The advantages of conducting the first alum treatment first outweigh any potential minor impacts of dredging. Is the power point available on line? Yes, it is one the City of Carter Lake website and the Carter Lake Restoration website. carterlakewaterquality.com What reason for not dredging first? As mentioned in the presentation, it was determined that dredging is the least cost-effective alternative investigated. In order to prevent resuspension from boat wakes and achieve pollutant load reductions, the lake would need to reach depths of at least 10 ft, possibly greater (dependent upon motor size). Currently the lake has an average depth of 7.6 ft (when at the desired elevation of 970.3 ft above mean sea level), and the sheer volume of material that would need to be dredged to reach the necessary depths makes this a very expensive alternative; so great that the cost of this one alternative would likely be greater than the total cost developed for all the alternatives in this plan ($6 million). The calculated load reductions associated with this alternative did not warrant the high cost. The design of the wetland on northwest corner of the lake by the brick peninsula is close to the rowing start line. Can we talk about the design of that structure? During final design, the consultant can work with the row team to ensure the structure does not cause interference. What about low water Levels? Your presentation does not address the real lake problem at all. The focus of the January 12th talk was about Carter Lake water quality. A separate project has been completed that designed a well and conveyance system to pump water into the Carter Lake when levels need to be raised. The well has been bid and the City of Omaha is currently working on the Notice to Proceed. When figuring the no wake totals were the canals included? No they were not. The canals are currently no-wake areas and to improve upon existing conditions, the 100 acres had to target current boating area. I am very concerned about the no wake zones and the fish kill. Please do not stop skiing and boating for all types of boats. Boating season is from April-October. TAT response; the 100 acre no wake zone is necessary to meet water quality goals. There will still be 200 acres available to power boating with no restriction on boat size. The common carp and bullheads that currently inhabit Carter Lake stir lake bottom sediments and associated phosphorus with their feeding behavior. This has a negative impact on water quality. There are currently no treatments that would eliminate just carp, so a total fish renovation is necessary. When can promiscuous fishing start? TAT response; the Iowa DNR and NE Game & Parks are currently working on an agreement to allow liberalized fishing at Carter Lake in the near future. Can the ice fisherman start now? TAT response; see response above. Currently all fishing regulations are in effect. Why is a fish kill so important and how would it effect the plan if you do not do a fish kill? TAT response; The common carp and black bullheads that currently inhabit Carter Lake stir lake bottom sediments and associated phosphorus with their feeding behavior. This has a negative impact on water quality. There are currently no treatments that would eliminate just carp or bullheads, so a total fish renovation is necessary. If the carp and bullheads are not eliminated from the lake water quality goals will not be met. Can the water quality be met without a fish kill? TAT response; no - see response above. Will the eagles or the cranes be harmed by the fish kill? TAT response; no. The chemical used to kill the fish only affects gill breathing organisms. Boating Response (Group) I really think more boat regulation is needed. I look forward to the increase in policing. I am very concerned about the no wake zones and the fish kill. Please do not stop skiing and boating for all types of boats. Boating season is from April-October. I see this lake as the opportunity to promote water activities and bring a lot of funds to the community. Boat races, ski tournaments etc. Please do no not limit the size of boats on the lake What reason for not dregging first and how will we ever enforce the wake issue and boat size. By a no wake zone like you have proposed you are opening up more chances for boating accidents. Who will police the no wake zone? TAT Response- Boating has many forms on Carter Lake. The traditional view brings forth images of powerboats and jet ski’s zooming across crystal blue water next to white sand beaches. But in reality “boating” also includes activities for canoes, sailboats, pontoons, kayaks, rowing, skullers and a wide range of fishing craft from high powered jet boats to bass buggies and float tubers! All these “watercraft” and their users will benefit from the improvement in water quality through the restoration project. Not only will the boating community benefit, but everybody who lives around or visits the lake. A 2007 survey counted the people at Carter Lake from April through September and found that 88% of visitors were enjoying the area (beach combing, fishing, hiking, picnicking etc.) and were not in any type of “watercraft”. Less than 3% were engaged in “wake boating”. Wake boating is when a watercraft moves at a speed in which a wave produces a "white cap" by rolling water outward onto itself. It is at that speed (between 8 and 10 mph) that most boats can stir the lake bottom in 10 feet of water, regardless of the size of the boat or horsepower of the motor. Regulations designed to prevent boat generated waves or propeller displacement of sediments are often called a 5 mph speed limit or are "no-wake" zone. There will be no boat or motor size limits on Carter Lake, but on a small portion all watercraft will be prohibited from exceeding 5 mph in the no-wake zone. The benefit of a no-wake zone in Carter Lake is to prevent sediments that are very nutrient rich from being stirred up and rekindling the water quality problems seen over the last decade (see related responses on this page for more information). By reducing the stirring of lake bottom with a “no-wake” zone, we are directly preventing nutrients from being released from the sediments in that area. This reduction in nutrient input within the no-wake zone is a key component towards meeting the water quality goals for Carter Lake. Without the nutrient suppression benefits of a no-wake zone, the water quality goals could not be meet and therefore the cities of Carter Lake and Omaha would not be eligible for the essential funding that will be needed to undertake this restoration project. After the lake and watershed have been "treated" (alum application, no-wake zone, fish renovation, shoreline stabilization, creation of wetland areas etc.) it will critical to keep these features functioning properly to maintain the improved water quality for as long as possible. Proper upkeep and abidance of these management actions will protect the water quality in Carter Lake for years to come. Enforcement of the no-wake zone regulation will be just like any other aspect of the restoration project involving change (no phosphorus fertilizer, pet waste pickup, new fishing regulations), it will take a commitment by the entire community to be involved in the active management, enforcement and preservation of Carter lake and its watershed. Education on the benefits of beneficial water quality practices is the first step in getting the community committed to the change. Similar to the carrot & stick analogy, education is the carrot and enforcement is the stick. The proper application of carrots usually results in not having to resort to the stick. This is the desired outcome from the perspective of both the community and the agencies providing law enforcement support. As a boundary water, Carter Lake has jurisdictional overlap into both the states of Iowa and Nebraska, the counties of Douglas and Pottawattamie, and the cities of Carter Lake and Omaha. So there are plenty of entities that have authority to provide enforcement on Carter Lake. Violations of fish and game, boating, littering and public safety rules and statutes can be enforced by all officers including City police and sheriff departments, state patrols, federal authorities (Coast Guard, Fish & Wildlife Service) and the conservation officers for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. But the most important authority will be you, members of the community and visitors to Carter Lake. The use of cell phones is a huge component in the reporting of suspected violations and providing peer pressure on potential violators. Your active presence combined with an informed and active community will be the most effective form of enforcement. The mission statement for the CLEAR Watershed Council eloquently states the desire to have Carter Lake become the crown jewel of the metropolitan area. Based on the community responses to past restoration projects, it is likely that visitation to Carter Lake will increase. People like to recreate around clean water and in park like settings. A proactive approach to addressing problems that may arise from the associated growth of interest in the new lake setting would be to assemble a group of community members from both cities to serve as public representatives to local governments and elected officials. Additional questions or concerns should be directed to: Brad Richardson, Project Coordinator (712) 847-0542 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Currently, TetraTech is under contract with project sponsors to thoroughly evaluate each of the identified alternatives and complete a final plan detailing which alternatives will be implemented at Carter Lake, at which time the project can move into a design and permitting phase. During these engineering planning phases of the project, information and education (I/E) activities will be occurring throughout the watershed. Information on past and upcoming lake project events will be posted to the website soon! Contact the Project Coordinator for information on how you can get involved with I/E activities.
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