Johnson Lake Sanitary Improvement

Johnson Lake is approximately 2,500 acres, and its 11-mile shoreline is occupied by a mix of private residential homes and weekend/seasonal-use recreational homes. In the past five years, lake conditions have come into question. Routine sampling and testing by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has showed that, on occasion, Johnson Lake has contained significant quantities of pathogenic bacteria. Sanitary Improvement District No. 1 (SID #1) of Gosper and Dawson County, Nebraska, selected the team of Olsson Associates and Olmsted & Perry Consulting Engineers to create the Johnson Lake Engineering Team (JLET) and help improve the lake community.

Olsson Associates led the team responsible for conducting the sanitary sewer and wastewater treatment system study. The team collected data, analyzed the alternative facilities, and made calculations to determine the Johnson Lake area's current and future needs, with respect to the wastewater collection and treatment facilities.

To ensure the public was heard, a proactive public involvement plan was implemented to collect and share information with lake residents and business owners. Using a project Web site, a questionnaire, mailings, newsletters, and phone calls, project team members set a precedent early on that the public's opinion mattered and that the team would share their findings throughout the study process.

Olsson provided recommendations for alternative solutions to the existing sanitary sewer system and treatment facility. The recommended plan was based on the ability to protect the overall public health by eliminating the use of septic tanks and leach fields around the lake and in the proximity of private and public water supplies. The new system provides efficient service to the current and future lake community, while protecting the investment of current residences.