A week before HDR Engineering presents its dredging feasibility studies in a June 30 public meeting, the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority (RWSA) took a long, cool drink during its board meeting yesterday afternoon.
Project manager Casey Burch shared with RWSA the results of HDR’s Dredging Feasibility Study. All told, Burch estimated that a one-time dredge of the South Fork Reservoir could cost between $34 million and $40.2 million. Asked by board member and Albemarle County Supervisor Ken Boyd for a time estimate, Burch said seven years—one or two for final designs and permits, three or so for dredging, and the remainder to "reclaim" dewatering sites used to capture reusable sediment.
The cost, Burch said, does not factor in possible recovery through the sale of fill, topsoil and sand, the last a likely means to recovering the cost of dredging. (HDR estimated sand dredged, dewatered and sold could potentially generate between $4.8 million and $9.5 million.) Additionally, Burch told RWSA that estimated costs and timelines apply to a one-time dredge of the reservoir.
RWSA Chair Mike Gaffney told Burch his assumption was that, given the one-time-use nature of potential dewatering spots such as portions of Panorama Farms, any future dredging projects after a first would likely be more expensive. Burch responded, "That’s correct."
Maurice Jones, acting City Manager, asked about the quality of life for those residents located near dredging and dewatering sites. Burch responded that the sound of a diesel motor would accompany both dredging and dewatering, along with the sound of trucks hauling dewatered materials to storage sites.
