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Questions Surround Creedmoor's Lake Dredging Project

Creedmoor's new water restrictions went into effect Thursday. But some residents are wondering what happened to a project to dredge Lake Rogers, which is low due to the drought.

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CREEDMOOR — Creedmoor's new water restrictions went into effect Thursday. But some residents are wondering what happened to the project to dredge Lake Rogers, which is low due to the drought.

For nearly five years, the city charged water customers an extra $10 a month to pay for the project, but the job still hasn't been done.

The money was going toward a study to look at dredging Lake Rogers to increase the capacity of the lake and improve water quality.

“For one reason or another, it just continues to get delayed,” said Deuard Bowden, a Creedmoor mayoral candidate.

The city said the $146,000 generated by the surcharge paid for a Corps of Engineers study on the lake's water quality. The town also bought land on which to deposit sediment if the lake is dredged.

“Why hasn’t it been done?” asked Gene Crosser, a Creedmoor taxpayer. “I understand they were supposed to do it at no cost to the public here at one time.”

It just takes some time to get the dredging project finished, according to Creedmoor City Manager Bob Schaumleffel.

“You have to do the plans, you have to get the environmental approvals from the state,” he said.

Creedmoor officials also maintain that dredging the lake will only improve water quality, not quantity.

“We’re not going to have much more water in Lake Rogers after the dredging project, which is roughly an 800,000 gallon-a-day yield,” said Creedmoor Mayor Darryl Moss.

City leaders said they expect the dredging project to begin sometime around January. They are still waiting for EPA approval. Leaders said a $1.9 million grant will pay for the project.

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