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Greenwood area resident: Marshall Lake a sad sight

Decommissioning of the dam at Marshall Lake is set for late-summer but a local says he doesn't like the way the lake looks right now.
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Marshall Lake as it appears now after being partially drained.

Marshall Lake is a sad sight, says area resident Al Donnelly.

Donnelly is a regular contributor to the paper, writing the Blasts From the Past column. He also sent in a couple of pictures of Marshal Lake taken on April 25.

“I was disheartened with the way the ‘new’ lake looks,” remarked Donnelly in his email. “Really sad. The bald eagles were eating all the dead fish. The lake probably froze all the way to the bottom.

“Maybe we should have a contest to re-name the slough,” he ponders. “Mr. Marshall would not want his name associated with the place. Good thing he is dead. Must be rolling in his grave.”

Donnally’s email prompted the Times to contact the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to inquire about the 2013 work schedule for the lake.

Public Affairs Officer Brennan Clarke said that decommissioning is scheduled to take place in August and September 2013. This will consist of breaching the dam later this summer, he said.

Clarke said that while contracts have not been awarded, the province is in the process of issuing a request for proposals that outlines two decommissioning options.

He said the ministry has dedicated funding to this project.

When asked if the provincial election could alter plans for decommissioning the dam, Clarke replied that it is not appropriate for staff to speculate on the potential impact of the election.

“However, we can reaffirm that the decision to decommission the dam at Marshall Lake was made in the best interest of public safety,” he said. “Without either decommissioning or a major and costly upgrade, the dam at Marshall Lake represents a significant risk to property and people.”

Clarke confirmed that there are ongoing negotiations with neighbouring property owners, but declined to comment further until those discussions have been completed.