Investigatio n t o includ e 8 0 hole s bo r e d i n an d aroun d lake ( download here )

Janua r y 9 , 201 4 (BALTIMORE , MD ) —Baltimor e Cit y Departmen t o f Publi c Work s (DPW) Directo r Alfre d H . Fox x ann o un c e d tha t geotechnica l studie s wil l b egi n late r thi s mont h a t Druid Hil l Lake . Th e wor k i s necessar y fo r th e engineer i n g desig n wor k leadin g t o th e constructio n of tw o burie d tank s i n th e wester n sid e o f th e l a ke , a s wel l a s a comprehensi v e pla n t o enhance th e lake’ s recreationa l an d aestheti c value.

Plan s cal l fo r 8 0 tes t boring s t o b e taken . Thes e wil l b e i n th e footprin t o f th e tanks , alon g the shoreline, and elsewhere near t h e wester n en d o f th e lake . Testin g o n th e wate r an d shoreline wil l b e don e i n accordanc e wit h industry standards in order to preserv e th e environmental integrit y an d wate r qualit y o f th e lake.

DP W i s in s t alli ng buri ed tank s a s par t o f it s plan s t o secur e – l on g int o th e futur e – th e water suppl y o f 1. 8 milli on p e opl e i n th e Cit y an d surround i n g c ounties . I t ha s install ed burie d tank s at reservoir s i n Towso n an d Montebello , an d i s beginnin g constructio n soo n o n burie d tan k s a t the Guilfor d Reservoir . Burie d wate r tan k project s a t Drui d Lak e an d Lak e Ashburto n ar e just enterin g th e detaile d engi n eerin g desig n phase.

T o tak e th e boring s i n th e water , th e DPW’ s contracto r wil l b e usi n g a barg e tha t i s outfitte d and operatin g i n accordanc e wit h p r ecautionar y measures , includin g usin g a floatin g boo m around th e vessel . Th e barg e wil l b e towe d b y a smal l boa t wi t h a n electri c motor . Bot h vessel s wil l be thoroughl y cleane d an d dis i nfecte d befor e goin g int o th e wate r an d wil l b e ope r ate d withi n strict healt h an d safet y guideli n es . DP W wil l monito r th e qualit y o f th e lake’ s wate r throughou t the testin g period.

Testin g o n th e wate r an d shorelin e wil l las t abou t fou r months . Engineerin g desig n wor k will tak e abou t tw o years , an d constructio n wil l b e complete d i n th e firs t hal f o f 2018.