Fairfield Mayor Gary Moore says efforts to restore the lake at Lakeside Park are moving forward, with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) authorized to cover 100% of planning costs for flood-reduction improvements, including the reconstruction of the dam and spillway, until final plans are completed.
Mayor Moore said the goal is to restore water to the lake as soon as possible, with a planned depth of up to eight feet at the dam and restocking of fish. The lake has remained a wetland since being drained years ago over concerns that a failing dam could flood a nearby trailer park, which has since been removed.
The NRCS has identified two easement areas necessary for reconstruction: an inundation easement behind the dam, allowing temporary flooding during extreme storms and covering parts of Lakeside Park and the west side of the golf course, and a borrow area north of the city’s septic lagoon, where soil will be used to build the earthen dam. Access easements will be required for this site.
Mayor Moore noted that progress is delayed due to funding being tied up with federal agencies closed during the ongoing government shutdown. The Fairfield Parks Department continues to work with city officials to advance the lake restoration project.
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