Published: August 31, 2009 08:49 am      

Official: No drawdown at Prince Gallitzin

PATTON — Changes in design of a shoreline erosion-control project at Prince Gallitzin State Park have eliminated the need to draw down the water level at Glendale Lake by five feet, a state official has confirmed.

“The original plan was to draw down the lake, but we’ve decided they’ll be able to do the work on the shoreline without the drawdown,” park Manager Dennis Miller told about two dozen people attending a public meeting on the project Thursday.

The news was welcomed by some who had concerns about the time needed to allow the lake waters to return to their original depth.

But for Hastings resident Mark Westrick, who said he grew up around the lake, the plans to curtail what is said to be serious erosion of the shoreline are worth the effort.

“We will be able to fish sooner, but you couldn’t ask for a better project for the lake and the fishermen,” Westrick said after the meeting.

Plans are to place rocks on the shoreline to slow the erosion, with some of the rocks extended in a triangle shape out into the water to provide aquatic habitat. Coupled with logs, the rock formations will provide cover and food sources for fish.

“It will mean more fish on the shoreline, and we’ll have happier fishermen,” said Phil Thomas, assistant habitat manager of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

About 2,000 feet of the lake’s shoreline will be improved. Attention will be given to areas determined to have the greatest erosion, much of it caused by winds, officials said.

Materials will be covered through a $43,000 grant from the state Growing Greener Program, awarded to the Cambria County Conservation District.

The work, estimated to cost $25,000, will be done by the fish and boat commission.

“It’s a partnership that will get this project done. We can’t do it by ourselves,” said Mark Stockley, resource conservation supervisor with the county conservation district. “We applied for the grant and we’ll see it through to the end.”

The work will be done in February when the ground is frozen and should be done before spring, Miller said.

While on a much smaller scale, Thomas said a similar project is being undertaken at Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County. Other shoreline work has been or will be done in Lebanon, Crawford, Warren and Fayette counties.