Draining of 15-acre Chadwick Lake began last weekend and it is expected to be emptied by late this week. After the lake bed has dried sufficiently and debris and overgrown vegetation removed, work will be done to better define the shoreline and prevent excessive algae growth in the future.
The planned $19 million Joe Frank Sanderson Center, a student and faculty indoor recreation center, is to be built adjacent to the lake's shallower south end, the portion most in need of clean-up, said Dr. Gene Tice, chair of the Campus Planning and Development Committee.
Construction of the Sanderson Center is expected to begin this fall. Another major new structure, the $4.3 million Bryan Athletic Administration Building, already is nearing completion on the west shore of the lake. The repair work planned for this summer should allow the lake to be restored by the time the Bryan Building goes into use next fall, Tice said.
This summer's planned work will include shorelining to achieve a depth of about two-and-one-half feet around the perimeter of the lake. Elimination of very shallow shoreline areas should prevent sunlight from reaching the bottom and reduce unsightly aquatic vegetation, said Dr. Randy Robinette, head of the university's wildlife and fisheries department, who is providing consultation on the management of the lake.
A new drainage pipe system also will be installed to allow better control of water levels, Tice said. Some dredging may also be needed to remove accumulated silt, although the scope of the work that may be needed will not be known until the lake bed is fully exposed.
The presence of the lake will feature prominently in landscaping plans for the new buildings in the area. A proposed major campus entranceway from U.S. Highway 82 north of the site also will pass just to the east of the lake.
This World Wide Web version of MSU Memo was modified and updated by Chris Brown.
For information about Mississippi State University, contact msuinfo@ur.msstate.edu
Last modified: Friday, 14-Jun-2002 15:59:04 CDT.
URL: http://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/msu_memo/1995/5-29-95/lake.htm
Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution.