Don't forget third lake idea

There have been a lot of letters lately regarding Capitol Lake. Half of them espouse the value of keeping the lake, while the other half espouse the value of restoring an estuary. Please keep in mind these opposite viewpoints are not the only options available. There is a third, compromise solution of creating both a lake and an estuary.

This Dual Estuary/Lake Idea (DELI) would build a wall to impound a new, smaller lake in the east half of the north basin while allowing the other 80 percent of the existing lake to restore to estuary. This new impoundment could then be supplied with clean groundwater plus an option for additional inputs from LOTT reclaimed water.

This solution gives both sides of the lake vs. estuary debate most of what they want. The lake people get a clean, swimmable, freshwater lake up against Heritage Park, and the estuary advocates get the vast majority of the currently impounded landscape restored to tidal flows. How is that not a win/win situation?

Now, while both sides should truly consider supporting the DELI alternative, the lake people might have greater need to do so. Trying to maintain the existing Capitol Lake is just not a viable permitting option for the state and federal regulatory agencies that would weigh in on the matter (you need environmental permits to dredge the lake). For perspective, imagine if the 5th Avenue dam didn’t exist and someone proposed building it today to create a reflective pool. That simply wouldn’t happen.

This story was originally published July 11, 2017 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Don't forget third lake idea."