$1.6M Mosquito erosion control project adds new stones near dam

$1.6M Mosquito erosion control project adds new stones near dam

BAZETTA -- A monthslong Army Corps of Engineers project to mitigate natural water erosion around the southeast side of Mosquito Creek Lake is nearing completion.

The roughly $1.6 million project is a "proactive" measure that involves installing new rip rap stone, or large boulders, on the lakeside face of the dam and ensuring it properly integrates with the existing stone, Tim Hough, a natural resource manager at the lake, said.

The new stone, added to weathered, darker rip rap that already was in place, stretches from the Lakeview Recreation Area to near the Damsite Recreation Area, covering the entire length of the dam and then some.

Hough said the type of wave and high-wind driven water erosion that is being combated with the rip rap, if left unchecked, would be similar to sandpaper on wood -- wearing away at the shoreline very slowly over time.

"Because this project is a proactive measure to mitigate erosion, the dam and local community are estimated to see benefits from this rip rap installation for the next several decades," Hough said.

The project involved removing and reinstalling the guard rail along state Route 305, among other aspects. Lakeview Recreation Area at 3061 Warren Meadville Road has been closed since mid-October and sections of Route 305 were closed as the project progressed, allowing for heavy equipment and materials to be moved into the area. State Route 305 reopened to traffic at the end of last week.

Hough said the Army Corps of Engineers' missions include flood-risk management, riverway navigation, environmental stewardship, disaster response, water resource development and engineering and technical services. Mosquito Creek Lake is one of 16 flood-control projects in the Pittsburgh District.

"This rip rap project helps the district continue providing flood-risk management and environmental stewardship services to the community," he said.

The dam that formed Mosquito Creek Lake was constructed in 1943 by the Army Corps of Engineers for just under $4 million. The lake provides flood protection for the Mahoning River valley as well as the Beaver and Upper Ohio rivers, according to the corps.

The Army Corps. of Engineers estimates that the lake has prevented flood damages upward of $418 million.

The lake covers about 7,240 acres and has a maximum depth of around 24 feet, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.