October 17, 2000
Vol. 30 No.322

For further information contact Nancy Rolli, DNREC Office of Information and Education at 302-739-4506 or Randell Greer, DNREC Division of Soil and Water Conservation at 302-739-4411.

Silver Lake Water Quality Project Underway in Dover

Today, Delaware Department of Natural Resources Secretary Nicholas A. DiPasquale announced the start of construction of an innovative Stormwater Forebay at Silver Lake to improve water quality and habitat. Through the efforts of Representative Nancy Wagner and the Silver Lake Commission, this project will provide the first forebay structure in the Silver Lake area to manage stormwater runoff. When completed, in the spring of 2001, the forebay will resemble a shallow wetland with an area of approximately 3 acres.

The forebay construction project is based on recommendations to both the City of Dover and Kent County from a study and analysis detailing the need to protect Silver Lake as a valuable resource. Recommendations in the study entitled, "Options for the Protection and Improvement of Silver Lake," addressed the establishment of traps, or "forebays," at several inflow points to the lake to capture sediment and other pollutants washed in during rainstorms.

The drainage area includes approximately 1.2 miles of Route 13 that is one of the most heavily traveled in the state. The project is designed to manage approximately 150 acres of commercial and institutional lands, which currently discharge into the lake through a 42" concrete pipe across property owned by Delaware State University.

The forebay consists of two excavated sections. The flow from the pipe will initially discharge into the upper section, allowing sediments and attached pollutants to drop out. The water then passes through the lower section, which will be planted with wetland vegetation to enhance pollutant removal to Silver Lake.

Delaware State University provided the site. Funding of $150K was made possible through a variety of sources, including DNREC penalty funds, State 21st Century Funds and DelDot Pavement & Rehabilitation Funds. In addition to these State Funds, the City of Dover, Kent County and Kent Conservation District also contributed funding to the project. DNREC provided design and construction management services while the Kent Conservation District will conduct actual construction. After completion DNREC will monitor the effectiveness of this innovative practice.

In 1994, a similar wetland was created at the Dover Mall providing an important natural area system that filters pollutants and sediments as they run off of parking lots and lawns. This adjoining water project serves multiple purposes that benefit wildlife, water quality to the lake and biodiversity in the entire watershed.

"Once again we have demonstrated an opportunity to pool our resources to preserve the Silver Lake area while improving our quality of life as well as our precious water resources," stated Secretary DiPasquale.

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Doc. no. 40-01/00/20/06
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