By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council is going to vote on a project to stabilize part of the shoreline at Lake Bloomington at Monday night’s meeting.

If approved, the city is going to spend about $129,220 to line 1,750 feet of shoreline with large rocks.

Assistant City Manager Steve Rasmussen said the large rocks, or riprap, will keep phosphates in the soil from getting into the city’s water supply.

“It’s not so bad that we’re in a dangerous situation but it is increasing to the point where we know that we want to do something about it before it becomes dangerous,” Rasmussen said. “This is a preventative measure.”

The rocks will also keep soil from taking up space in the lake so there’s more room for water. Rasmussen said that’s important in case there’s a drought.

The project would have been done last year, but the conditions were too wet and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wanted to wait until after the nesting period for a certain species of bat that lives within range of the lake.

The agency is providing an additional $20,000 for the project through the Friends of Everbloom.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].