Tides In

After being drained


for almost a year for "dredging", Hamilton Lake is almost full again.



Though still half-a-foot or so below the dam spillway, the level fills the lake to the banks in most places. The dredging wasn't nearly as extensive as I thought it would be. Jim King Pond and Lake Euphemia looked like there was a fair amount of material removed, but around Hamilton Lake, they dug for what seemed like two weeks on the northern neck of the lake and barely made a dent in the mud. I think it was much more difficult and expensive than they thought. There was some clean-up done near the Starmount Drive/Keeling Road intersection, and in the area along the Henderson Road side of the western part of the lake a large amount of material was dug from the lake and put on the bank area. That material has been spread out and grass planted, and it is a significant improvement in the appearance of that part of the lake.

I was surprised at how shallow the lakes are. Except for the very middle of Lakes Hamilton and Euphemia, you could wade across and around all the lakes. It seem impossible that a car could have been lost in Jim King Pond, as it was several years ago.

(This post was edited on May 20 to add the photos.)