03/07/2026
I just came from the TRWD Stakeholders Meeting concerning the new Watershed Protection Plan. The presentation today was led by Kate Zielke, Rural Programs Supervisor with TRWD, and Aaron Hoff, Watershed Programs Manager with TRWD. It was a robust meeting with residents from around Eagle Mountain Lake in attendance. Former SEML President Don Sanderson was there, representatives from the Lake Country Homeowner’s Association, SEML Vice President Tom Micallef (also representing Lakeview Marina and West Bay Marina), and many others who care deeply about this lake.
The focus of the meeting was the upcoming Watershed Protection Program that will soon be submitted for approval. TRWD invited stakeholders to share concerns and feedback about where efforts and funding should be directed. Topics included education programs, septic system repairs, pet waste reduction, and other ways to protect the watershed.
But of course, when you get Eagle Mountain Lake residents in the same room with TRWD, the conversation eventually lands on the same topic it always does. Sediment and dredging.
For many of us, especially those on the north end of the lake, the ever-shallowing depths are hard to ignore. That was not the main focus of today’s meeting, but it is an issue that always finds its way into the discussion. At times the conversation was direct and passionate, and a good amount of time was spent talking about sediment control and the idea of dredging the lake.
I mostly sat and listened. There were moments I wanted to jump in, but sometimes listening is the better path.
Truthfully, the subject of dredging has been on my mind since I first moved to Eagle Mountain Lake in 2008 and learned the hard way just how shallow the north end of the lake really is. I have even seen that part of the lake without water during drought years and remember thinking, “Why don’t we just bulldoze it while it’s dry?”
Over the years, serving on the SEML board and interacting regularly with TRWD, I have learned a lot I did not know back then. One of the biggest lessons is that dredging a lake is far more complicated and far more expensive than most of us realize.
Still, that has not changed the desire many of us have to see the north end of the lake deeper and more usable. On the surface it seems logical. More depth equals more water volume, and more water volume would seem like a good thing for one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Sure, it might cost something like $100 million, just a ballpark guess, but in my mind it always seemed simple. Ask the state to write a check.
But the reality is more complicated.
Even if you spend that kind of money dredging the lake, the sediment will eventually come back. That is the nature of reservoirs.
Today Aaron Hoff made another point that deserves serious consideration. Legacy pollutants.
Eagle Mountain Lake is approaching its 100-year mark. For generations before environmental regulations existed, ranching and farming upstream used pesticides and fertilizers that contained chemicals we now know can be harmful. Those substances can settle deep within sediment layers over decades.
Disturbing those layers could potentially release contaminants back into the water column. In extreme cases at other lakes, that kind of disturbance has contributed to fish kills and other serious water quality problems that are very difficult to correct once they occur.
That certainly gives you pause.
When you weigh the environmental risks and the enormous cost, the cost to benefit ratio of dredging the entire lake (or even just the north end) simply does not make sense.
Of course, that does not stop most of us from still wishing it could happen.
Anyone who lives here understands the frustration. It is something SEML board members have wrestled with for years. We bring it up with TRWD every chance we get, even knowing it is easier said than done.
Over time our relationship with TRWD has grown and we have developed a real appreciation for the talented people working there. They have been great to work with, and their responsibilities extend far beyond Eagle Mountain Lake alone. They are tasked with managing water resources that affect the future of Tarrant County and surrounding communities. That is no small job.
But like any lake community, we still want what we want.
A deeper Eagle Mountain Lake is something many of us dream about, especially those living on the north end where boats often struggle to reach deeper water, but also in areas like Dosier Slough and Secret Harbor where increased development has contributed to sediment buildup.
So after leaving the meeting, I kept asking myself what we can realistically do.
I have spent a lot of time researching this over the years. I looked at the idea of expanding the lake north into the floodplain, but that area plays a critical role in flood control and sediment capture. Flooding it permanently would create bigger problems than it solves.
I have studied different dredging techniques including hydraulic dredging, mechanical dredging, sediment pumping, sediment flushing, sediment traps, agitation systems, bio-remediation, and even a few ideas that sounded closer to science fiction than engineering.
The only solution that makes practical sense to me is some form of compromise.
Maybe the answer is not dredging the entire lake. Maybe it is identifying smaller, targeted areas where dredging could help restore access without disturbing deeper sediment layers.
Lakefront property owners already have the ability to apply for permits to dredge around docks. Marinas dredge their canals when necessary. Perhaps communities in areas like the north end or Dosier Cove could work together to develop small-scale dredging projects that create navigational channels back to deeper water.
Before doing anything, experts could map depths and take sediment samples to determine how deep dredging could occur safely without disturbing older contaminated layers. That kind of data-driven approach could help identify areas where dredging might be both environmentally responsible and financially achievable.
Funding could potentially come from a mix of sources such as property owner participation, grants, partnerships, or even companies interested in using the dredged material for construction fill or soil.
But dredging alone is not the full answer.
Protecting the lake also requires responsibility from those of us who live here.
That means being mindful of the fertilizers we use on our lawns, picking up pet waste, properly maintaining septic systems, and understanding that what washes off our yards eventually ends up in the lake.
TRWD is offering incentives to help replace failing septic systems upstream, and while some may question whether that is fair, the reality is that fixing pollution sources is often cheaper than trying to clean them up after the damage is done.
If we want to protect this lake, it is going to take a community effort.
Living on or around Eagle Mountain Lake is a privilege, and with that privilege comes responsibility.
So while our desire to remove sediment probably will not change anytime soon, maybe our perspective can.
Some things really are easier said than done. Moving dirt may sound simple, but as we learned today there is often more beneath the surface than we realize.
In the end, the solution will likely come through compromise, understanding, cooperation, and maybe finding creative ways to fund improvements without robbing a bank.
Those are just my thoughts for what they are worth.
I would love to hear what others think as we continue searching for solutions to a conversation that, one way or another, will always be part of life at Eagle Mountain Lake.
Cary Lewis
President
Save Eagle Mountain Lake
