Dredging at Carter Lake is removing the lake bottom at what had been a lily-pad wetland. This activity is occurring at a place were according to plans for the lake's alteration, was designated as being off-limits to any dredging.
During a visit on 21 November to the lake and Levi Carter Park, the dredge — which is still operating — was located just west of the east-side pier where the lily-pads grew.
Apparently this design constraint has been ignored, and conveys, once again, the cavalier stance of the people involved with this project, where things are said and indicated, but something entirely different is actually done.
This is a view of the lily-pad growth in autumn of 2009.
Apparently the dredging process was completed a day or two prior to Thanksgiving.
At a pre-bid meeting for the this lake project on May 26, 2011, item 3.a. indicated the park "will not be closed," though a large portion of it has been for now for several weeks. Obviously this was another case where city officials indicated something, but did the opposite.
On the west side of the lake, on the Iowa side, fill dirt is being placed in a low-lying tract next to the lake, apparently for the purpose of building a structure. The area had been sort of unkempt and a bit of a wild haven.