Great Parks says it's addressing dust issue caused by the draining of Sharon Lake

The draining of Sharon Lake has kicked up a dust storm.

Specifically, an ingredient in concrete known as lime has floated over the lake area and coated some houses and cars nearby, according to officials from Great Parks of Hamilton County .

The construction crews who drained Sharon Lake used lime to stabilize the marshy lakebed. It's part of an $11.4 million restoration effort to dredge and ultimately preserve the popular fishing and boating destination in the heart of Sharon Woods park north of Cincinnati in Sharonville.

Great Parks of Hamilton County, in a press release Tuesday, assured neighboring properties the lime is nontoxic and said they have halted any use of lime until project managers figure out a way to control dust or find an alternative to lime.

The park district received multiple calls on Aug. 1 from residents who live just north of the lake saying that the lime dust coated their homes, cars and trees, said Todd Palmeter, chief executive officers of Great Parks of Hamilton County.

The lime being used on the lakebed is naturally occurring and designed to mix with the soil, Palmeter said.

"Some residents talked about it being on properties," Palmeter said about the residents who called the park district. "Some talked about concerns of health or with breathing. Obviously, the safety and wellness of the neighbors, park staff, volunteers, people in the parks, is all very important to us, which is why as soon as we were notified, we stopped."

The Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency has contacted the residents and worked with them on any concerns they may have, Palmeter said. The agency, which monitors and regulates air quality in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren counties, received two complaints from residents regarding the dust from the Sharon Lake project, said Bridget Doherty, a spokesperson for Hamilton County, which is a member of the agency.

The air quality agency requested the construction company submit a plan on how to contain the stray dust, Doherty said in an email to The Enquirer. The agency also contacted Hamilton County Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman, who told the county he wasn't aware of any "immediate health concerns" the dust might cause, Doherty said in the email.

"If a citizen has specific health concerns, they should contact their physician," Doherty said.

Work that doesn't require lime will continue on the 35-acre lake. Palmeter said the project is still on track for a fall 2025 completion. Park officials will build a boardwalk, remove the excess sediment and use it to build wetlands, and put in a drainage system that will make future dredging unnecessary.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Great Parks says it's addressing dust issue caused by the draining of Sharon Lake