Vegetation Removal to Begin Today at Lake Gerar in Rehoboth Beach

Image courtesy City of Rehoboth Beach

Work will begin Tuesday afternoon to remove over 700 cubic yards of floating vegetation from the western prong of Lake Gerar – near Cranberry Park. City officials say that during site work, a 1 to 2-foot thick mass of floating vegetation was seen – and has grown more than 50-feet channel ward of the shoreline in some areas and is obstructing the water column. This also impacts not only the water quality, but prevents water from reaching the stormwater management pond. Envirotech will be doing the work – using a Truxor amphibious machine to remove the vegetation.

The removal of the over growth vegetation will:

• Decrease the total amount of spoils generated during the eventual dredging (estimated a year from now)
• Vegetation material will be disposed at significantly cheaper rate than sediment
• Services will be completed without permitting and no time restrictions
• Have a direct impact to the water quality by removing vegetation and exposing 2,500ft of Lake Gerar water surface
• Removing the material (+/- 700 cubic yards) will allow stormwater to reach the stormwater pond easier, reducing ponded/stagnant water 
• Removing invasive/nuisance vegetation will allow native vegetation to rebound
• Construction of onsite dewatering chamber is not needed

Lake Gerar’s substrate (lake bottom) will not be impacted during this recommended work.  Approximately 710 cubic yards of vegetation will be cut from the shoreline and removed from Lake Gerar. Organic material will be dewatered onsite (if necessary) and hauled offsite for proper disposal. Any disturbed areas or shoreline will be restabilized with straw matting and grass seed.