WBRZ - Baton Rouge

NEW ROADS - A dredging and drawdown on False River could begin within the next two years.

State Representative Major Thibaut, D-Oscar, updated the Baton Rouge Press Club about a comprehensive plan involving the oxbow lake. Thibaut says it utilizes local, state and federal resources.

One of the first targets is silt. A ten year old, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report indicates False River is being choked by 28 thousand tons of silt.

Representative Thibaut says a new report should be available within the next six months. Thibaut says there is already a push to maintain a silt catch near the lake, which could remove about 8 to 10 thousand pounds of silt per year.

By 2014, dredging should begin along with a drawdown. A comprehensive lake plan involves using the silt to make islands. The goal is to save money during the dredging process while creating more habitat for fish.