MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District Board of Directors approved a $30,000 contract for a study exploring dredging options Tuesday night.

Cardno Entrix, an environmental and natural resource management consulting firm, will carry out the third-party study over the next few months.

Board chairman Mick Hansen moved to approve the Cardno Entrix contract proposal at the meeting, and board director Rich Archer seconded the motion. Hansen and Archer both voted in favor of the motion, while board director Ron Covey voted against awarding the contract to the firm.

The motion passed two to one, and MLIRD General Manager Curt Carpenter said that the contract should be signed within the next couple of weeks.

Carpenter said Cardno Entrix will spend about two to three months collecting information on the dredge operation. They will then provide options and conclusions as to what they consider to be the best project for the district to pursue to remove sediment from the lake.

Carpenter said the district's next step regarding dredging efforts depends on the results from the study.

However, Carpenter said he is hopeful the study will reaffirm that using a hydraulic dredge is the most economical and environmentally sound way to remove excess sediment from the lake.

He said that the hydraulic dredge was only operating at 30 percent last year, but repairs and improvements were made since then.

"It should be operating at almost double that, if not better this time," he said.

Carpenter added that if the study reveals better ways to dredge the lake, he is open to making sure those alternatives happen.

"Whatever is the more efficient way, then that needs to be done," Carpenter said.

Although dredging took place last July, no dredging has been done this year after the board voted against reinstating the hydraulic dredge earlier this year.

Hansen said he doesn't think running the hydraulic dredge is the best way to solve the lake's problem of excess sediment. Instead, he hopes the study will explore the option of bringing in heavy equipment to work in the dry.

Dredging would take place in December, January and February under that option, he said.

Hansen said if the study reveals that the hydraulic dredge is the best option to remove sediment, he wants the board to sit down and decide if they want to continue going that route.

"Do we dredge for 20, 30 or 40 more years with the hydraulic dredge, or should we just forget that idea?" he said.

Running the hydraulic dredge will take longer than if they were to work in the dry and use heavy equipment to remove sediment. Hansen said the sediment can be removed in about a year, if they were allowed to bring in heavy equipment.

"I'll have to be honest with people, that if we do anything other than work in the dry, it will be a waste of their money," Hansen said.

He added that he is hopeful the district can get the right permits to work in the dry,

"That's the goal, that's why we hired the firm, to pursue getting permits to work in the dry," said Hansen.

According to Covey, MLIRD has been turned down twice for permits that would allow them to work with heavy equipment and dredge in the dry.

"It's a waste of the district's money, and the ratepayer's money," Covey said of the study during the meeting.