The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers next week will begin dredging an area of Lake Lanier between Lula Park boat ramp and the Chattahoochee River.

Dredging silt from the area should restore public use of the boat ramp during lower lake levels and also will maintain the water storage capacity in the lake.

The current lake level, 1,058.03 as of Monday night, provides an ideal opportunity for the work since the silt is exposed. Removing dry silt is easier and avoids clouding the water, according to a release from the corps.

The first phase of the project will take two weeks and a second phase will start in mid-December or early January and also take two weeks.

The corps has been dredging silt from the Chattahoochee River since February 2001 and the work is part of that ongoing contract.

The park will remain open but a small area will be restricted for workers and their equipment.