(Wahpeton)– The city of Wahpeton will contribute toward a canal dredging project, but not the extent of what the Wahpeton Canals Protective Association was requesting. The association was requesting the city chip in 30-thousand dollars toward the project, with the remainder coming from property owners. Concerned over the possibility of setting a precedence, the council Monday voted unanimously to contribute 11,500-dollars toward the project. Several council members were concerned over the likelihood of getting a similar request from the Turtle Lake Association.
Larry Metge, Chairman of the Canals Protective Association, told the council 100 of 126 property owners have signed up so far for the project and that nearly 142-thousand dollars has been pledged by dock owners so far for the project.
Metge says the association has already contacted a dredging company to do the work, and directed them to start getting the necessary permits. He says they plan to start in September, 2005 with completion in the spring of 2006.
Metge says they still need a site on which to temporarily store silt tubes until they could be hauled to a disposal site.
Metge added the project consists of dredging only the middle of the canals–property owners could have the full width of the canal dredged in front of their place, but they’d have to pay the additional amount.
Many of the canals in Wahpeton haven’t been dredged since the early 1960’s. Some say the canals will soon become un-navigable as they’re gradually filling in with silt.
