In our continued effort to maintain and enhance the quality of the Campus Pond, the Buildings and Grounds Department at the Physical Plant is securing a contractor to hydro-rake the Campus Pond. The work is anticipated to occur in July 2010.
Hydro-raking is an approved technique to clean accumulations of bottom debris (organics, decaying leaves, muck, etc.) from bodies of water. The Hydro-Rake is best described as a floating barge upon which a backhoe is mounted with a rake attachment. The backhoe will move the debris to the shoreline where Physical Plant Construction Services staff will remove the debris. The debris (which has been tested by New England Environmental) can then be screened into the University’s compost and loam used by the Buildings and Grounds Department on campus. The contractor will have a spotter on the barge mindful of the turtles and fish in the pond. We are anticipating 100 cubic yards of debris to be moved.
The fountains will need to be completely removed during this process. They will be installed once the hydro-raking is complete. The work is estimated to take one week.
The Buildings and Grounds Department has secured New England Environmental to secure the necessary permitting and authorization from the Amherst Conservation Committee.
Please call Pamela Monn at 577.3106 at the Physical Plant if you have questions/concerns regarding this project.