City of Burlington: Capturing Sediment

Acting Entity: City of Burlington
Contact Person: Steve Shoaf
Cost: $30,000
Population Served: 50,834

Water Supply: Reservoir, Lake Cammack City of Burlington
PWS ID:0201010

Helping Organizations:
· Soil and Water Conservation Service


Funding Sources:
· City of Burlington budget allocation
 

Features:
· City of Burlington's source water reservoir was protected from sedimentation.
· Annual funding for this source water protection project was built into City of Burlington's budget.
· Initial agreement was for twenty years but City of Burlington has continued funding for over thirty years due to the success of the project.


Summary:
Summary: In 1961, the City of Burlington completed construction of its new reservoir, Lake Cammack. Engineers on the project recommended constructing several sediment ponds in the major drainage basins of the reservoir to mitigate sedimentation and erosion problems. City planners met with area landowners and decided to build twenty-six sediment ponds, to be completed in two phases.

These ponds were constructed on private land, but financed and maintained by the City of Burlington. A cost share program between the City of Burlington and the Soil and Water Conservation Service (SWCS) funded initial construction costs. The SWCS helped fund the construction of the sediment ponds where the landowners involved were willing to use best management practices as outlined by the SWCS. The landowners, most of whom were farmers, were asked to perform small maintenance tasks, such as mowing and keeping the banks clear. In return, the farmers were permitted to use the ponds to irrigate their crops and livestock, as well as for recreational purposes.

The City allocated money for this project under capital improvements in the budget. Currently maintenance costs for the ponds are paid by the city at an annual budget allotment of $30,000. This amount could repair between two and six ponds a year, depending on what type of work needed to be done

Initially this plan provided a twenty-year agreement between the city and the landowners. The twenty-year agreement expired over ten years ago but the city has continued the arrangement as a gesture of good will, as well as to protect the city's drinking water source. City officials still inspect the ponds yearly.