Front Lake Jan 2024 storm damage to stone portion of dam.
NPS
FAQs
FRONT LAKE BRIDGE CLOSURE / DAM FAILURE
What happened to the lake/dam? Does the park inspect the dam? / How did this happen?
Front Lake dam failed in August 2022 due to a corrugated metal pipe installed in the 1980’s, which rusted and decayed, combined with the dam’s original 1850’s construction. The left side of the dam was originally built on sand, not bedrock, and had a history of slow, normal seepage. This seepage was accelerated due to the faulty pipe and undercut the left side of the dam. Corrugated metal pipes are no longer used due to similar issues caused in dams like Front Lake’s.
The dam is inspected regularly. Some seepage is expected and for years the amount of seepage was deemed acceptable. However, over time, water had been undercutting the left side and led to the breach in August 2022.
Why did the park close Front Lake bridge?
In August 2022, the park closed Front Lake bridge for safety. The earthen dam on the left side of the bridge is eroding and unstable. That is why the bridge is closed and blocked off. Do not go into these closed areas.
How will the park fix the dam?
In general, repairs will reinforce washed out areas on the left (park side) of the earthen dam, replace the rusted corrugated metal pipe with a high-density polyethylene pipe, slow down water seepage, and filter out sediment. Once the dam is fixed, a more robust inspection and monitoring process will be implemented to catch small problems early, before they become catastrophic failures
When will the park fix the dam?
In spring 2023, the park received $201,000 for the design portion of repairs. Design was the first step and was complex.
Design engineers balance keeping original historic elements and appearance with adding modern materials to strengthen and enhance the dam. Design should be completed by December 2024.
Over $1 million in repair money will become available in October 2024, which is the start of the new federal fiscal year. The park will then go through required compliance and contracting processes.
After these requirements are met, repairs will tentatively start in mid-2025. Repairs will take 9-12 months to complete. An estimated repair completion date is mid to late 2026.
Why were corrugated metal pipes used to convey water?
Corrugated metal pipes were the industry standard for dams in the 1980’s. They are no longer used due to similar issues created in dams like Front Lake’s.
When was Front Lake dam built? What was it made of?
Front Lake dam was built in the 1850’s. It includes a stone spillway (wall the water flows over, to keep the lake level) and earthen banks on the left and right sides of the spillway. Front Lake bridge is built upon the stone spillway.
When was Front Lake bridge built?
Since Front Lake was dammed in the 1850’s there has been some type of bridge on top of the spillway. The NPS has rebuilt the Front Lake bridge several times since the park was established in 1968. The current bridge was extensively repaired in December 2021.
ACCESS / DETOUR
How will people visit the park during these repairs?
The park will continue to shuttle visitors from Front Lake parking lot into the park via Friends-donated accessible shuttle. Check signs in the main parking lot for times.
Why is the park providing a shuttle from the main parking lot?
The failure of Front Lake dam washed away part of the park’s previous shuttle route, which had been serviced by a golf cart. The park mapped a new shuttle route that involved driving on county roads—something a golf cart can't do.
How much does it cost to take the shuttle? Who is providing the shuttle and driver? What did the shuttle cost?
The shuttle service is free. The park is grateful to the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara for donating the $80,000 accessible shuttle. NPS staff and volunteers drive the shuttle.
Where does the on foot detour go?
The detour goes on the unpaved .4 mile forest tail around Front Lake. Visitors then walk 1/3 mile up a steeply graded hill to the Sandburg Home and farm.
Can I walk through the lakebed to access the park?
No. The lakebed is unstable. Do not walk through the lakebed.
What are my options if I can’t walk the detour or if the shuttle isn’t running?
Visitors are strongly encouraged to visit when the free shuttle is running.
When the Sandburg Home is open – Wednesdays through Sundays—the shuttle picks up from the main parking lot every 20 minutes. The first pick up is at 9:40am. The last pick up is at 4:20pm. The shuttle will stop at the goat barn and at restrooms near the Sandburg home. Please wait at “Shuttle Stop” signs. These signs also list pick up times.
On Mondays and Tuesdays, the shuttle is on-call during business hours. Please call the shuttle phone number posted in the main parking lot if you need assistance.
Hikers Lot: Visitors may drive to the 24-space gravel hikers’ parking lot located 0.5 mile from the main parking lot on Little River Road and then walk .4 mile up a slight slope to access park buildings, restrooms, and hiking trails.
I am able to walk up that steep hill. What are my options?
On foot detour from main parking lot: Walk .4 mile on an unpaved trail around Front Lake. Then, walk 1/3 mile up the steeply graded hill. Follow detour signs. If the main parking lot is full drive to the hikers’ lot.
Hikers Lot: Drive to the 24-space gravel hikers’ parking lot located 0.5 mile from the main parking lot on Little River Road. Then, walk .4 mile up a slight slope to access park buildings, restrooms, and hiking trails.
LAKE HEALTH
What happened to the fish in Front Lake?
The park has been working with an aquatic ecologist since August 2022 due to concerns over the aquatic life. Most aquatic life went dormant or swam up or downstream to other bodies of water. Some became food for other wildlife. Others, unfortunately, died due to poor oxygen levels. Moving the fish wasn’t option, as doing so could spread disease to other bodies of water.
What fish are in the lake(s)? Any threatened or endangered species?
Some common species are blue gill and grass carp. There are no threatened or endangered species in any lake in the park.
Has Front Lake ever been drained before?
The lake has been drained in the past by previous owners, in order to do repairs. The NPS drained Front Lake to repair the dam in the 1980’s and drained the lake again in 2010 when the gate valve was replaced.
REPAIR FAQS
Why did the design portion take so long?
Design is a complex first step in repairing a historic dam. Design engineers had to balance keeping the original historic elements and appearance with adding modern materials to strengthen and enhance the dam. After the failure, some storms caused additional damage which required design adjustments. This lengthened the design process.
When will repairs start? When will repairs end?
Over $1 million in repair money will become available in October 2024, which is the start of the new federal fiscal year. The park will then go through required compliance and contracting processes.
After these requirements are met, repairs will tentatively start in mid-2025. Repairs will take 9-12 months to complete. An estimated repair completion date is mid to late 2026.
When will the lake be back?
Current repairs funds will only focus on the dam itself.
After repairs are completed, we will do a survey of plants in the lakebed, remove large plants and trees, then dredge the lake. Please check our Facebook page for updates, after dam repairs are made.
How will you protect threatened and endangered (T&E) species if you find them in the lakebed?
If any are identified in the lake survey, we will work with regional plant biologists. They will help us determine appropriate options for protecting them. This is all part of the required compliance process.
What is the total cost of project?
Here are the known costs as of August 2024:
Emergency inspection, September 2022: $30,000
Design, 2023-2024: $201,000
Repairs, 2025: Over $1 million
Lake dredging: Unknown as of August 2024.
Why did it take so long to get this funded?
We were given a range of time frames in which to expect funding. The shortest was 2 years; the longest was 10 years. We actually received design money in April 2023, within a year of the August 2022 dam failure. We’ll receive repair money in Oct. 2024, just over 2 years after the failure. It was a long time for all of us here, but actually a short time frame given this range of options. We are grateful.
How did you get the money?
Our proposal was evaluated against other park proposals that have similar infrastructure issues.
Where did the money come from?
Bigger national parks (such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite), charge entrance fees and keep 80% of fees collected. The remaining 20% of this fee money is used for smaller national parks that do not charge entrance fees. All fees collected must go to projects that benefit park visitors.
You charge a fee to go into the Sandburg Home. What is the difference between an entrance fee and a house tour fee?
Entrance fees are paid to enter a national park and use the park’s roads, grounds, trails, etc. Use of the road, grounds, and trails at Sandburg is free. The house tour fees we collect at Sandburg are strictly used to fund interpretive and preservation efforts in the Sandburg Home, including house tours, school programs, and exhibits; as well as curatorial support for the 38,000 museum objects on display in the house.
Do you have any plans to charge an entrance fee at Sandburg?
· No.
Please check www.nps.gov/carl or the park Facebook page for updates.
