Unofficial Marion County Lake update

By Chazz

I recently had the opportunity to view the work going on at the Marion County Lake in Hamilton through the assistance of Jonathan Brown, the public fishing lake supervisor for the entire state.
The project was bid out last year, but negotiations on the contract took several months, with work actually starting near the end of January.
Cornerstone Civil Contractors LLC of Tuscaloosa was awarded the bid, which came in at $2,077,774.20. The project consists of clearing and grubbing, demolition, relocating a manufactured building, earthwork, storm drainage, erosion control and site stabilization.
Initially, a lot of work was done just to clear the area and build access roads. Two of the major projects already completed include the new dam and the new sediment pond.
The new dam is massive. You may be able to get some idea from the photos, but being on site and walking around on top and near the dam, I was overwhelmed at the size of the gigantic barrier.
The construction around the new sediment pond is also substantial. New drains were added in both the sediment pond and the dam. These drains were working hard when we visited, not long after more than five inches of rain fell in some parts of the county. It was extremely muddy, to say the least.
I’d invited a few people along, and we were all excited to see the progress. Hamilton City Councilor Sherry Armstrong and her husband, Hollis, seemed to have some of the best questions. Hollis has built ponds and helped to build lakes, so he was already knowledgeable about the process. Jonathan answered all of his questions the best he could, and they are sprinkled throughout this column.
Marion County Engineer Wesley Hallman also had some good questions, as well as seeming well informed to me, although he said he’d only studied the plans for awhile to get an idea.
Other guests included city councilors Scott Robertson and Frankie Kerr, county commissioner Larry Akers, assistant county engineer Lynn Mitchell and county administrator Scott Hunt.
This was a very unofficial visit—we just all wanted to look and see. So, this is also a fairly unofficial column.
The lake is 48 acres and should be at least that size when rebuilt. The new dam had a significant elevation change (higher) because there was so much sedimentation in the lake.
Now, the idea is for the sediment pond to fill first, so the water in the lake will be of a better quality. There is still a lot of clearing to be done in the lake itself, and some parts may be deepened due to the sedimentation buildup.
Jonathan noted there were three additional allowances added to the project, which are deeper edges around the lake, adding back the fishing pier and adding a riprap skirt on the back of the dam.
He did not have details on the fishing pier size, but said it would be built back in the same location as the previous pier. There will not be a road on top of the dam. There will be a grassy area. The road around the lake will be rebuilt.
With funding for the lake improvements coming from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and with the project being under the umbrella of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, for which Jonathan has worked 12 years, most of the focus right now is on preparing the lake for fishing use.
Depending on when construction is completed, and when the lake is ready, pre-stocking will take place. After that, it’s another two years before opening to allow for fish growth. Pre-stocking is usually done with minnows, bluegill and shellcracker, then later stocked with bass. Crappie usually come in naturally through creeks in the area, Jonathan said.
Regarding the lake’s future, previous discussions have included the City of Hamilton possibly entering into a long-term lease agreement with the state to provide oversight and handle daily operations.
Concerning camping use, generally, there is no camping at state fishing lakes. But there is one lake in the state that allows camping and has a manager on site who is contracted with the state.
Several of the state’s lakes are also leased out. Regarding the possibility of a trail being built around or near the lake, he noted one county is currently in talks for a trail project.
Regarding the completion of the project, Jonathan could not give a specific date, but said everything is moving along as it should be.
We had all met near the front right side of the lake, but I really wanted to see the dam. After the other guests left, Jonathan agreed to take me around to the dam in his four-wheel drive. We mud-hopped and slip-slided our way along the deeply rutted road. It was a bit treacherous in places, and although I nearly bounced off the seat a few times, Jonathan steered into all the slides, and we got in and out safely. He was so kind and patient, going everywhere I wanted to go and explore, and stopping everywhere I wanted to stop at to take closer looks.
As I’ve already said, the size of the dam was breathtaking. And the beauty of the lake, even under construction, was staggering. We are so fortunate to have this awe-inspiring natural resource in our county. However the lake is developed in the future, many generations will benefit from being able to fish and play there, just like generations have done since the lake was first opened many decades ago.
While taking more than a hundred photos, my shoes got bogged down in the mud several times. After the trip, I stopped on the way back to the office and visited a few water puddles. I splashed around like a toddler to get most of the mud off and then changed shoes. This was a day when work turned into a little adventure, and those are my favorite days.
Thanks again to Jonathan for traveling from Montgomery to meet me. Thanks to those who accompanied us on our peek at the lake. Thank you to our great state for funding these improvements. Thank you to the construction crews and everyone else who is involved with the Marion County Lake project. I am very grateful. May our Good Lord continue to bless this project.