Project addresses silt, other pollution in Richland lake

By this morning, the bed of Cary Lake should be completely exposed to stumps and trash. The mud that’s washed there over the years will be starting to dry.

And in a few weeks, trucks will be able to drive on the lake bed without sinking.

Then, contractors will start to excavate 15 acres of the privately owned lake, “highly polluted” with silt from nearby construction sites, fecal matter and toxic metals.

Clearing out the 56-acre lake is Richland County’s first, large-scale effort to reclaim the Gills Creek Watershed — after years of discussion, hand-wringing and planning.