Columbia officials agreed Thursday to spend another $1.2 million to complete the dredging of Columbia's largest lake, bringing the total cost of the project to $6.5 million, according to two Columbia Association board members. Dredging of the town's two other lakes, Kittamaqundi, and Wilde lake, are soon to get underway.

The Columbia Association board approved shifting $700,000 in excess funds from the Wilde Lake project to Elkhorn, and added $488,000 more. Consultants had reported that far more sediment had washed into Elkhorn and Kittamaqundi since 2006 ,when original measurements for the work were taken, so the cost to reach the desired depths rose.

The board is to meet next Thursday night to discuss the entire dredging situation. Work on Elkhorn began in March and is to conclude around December. Dredging all three lakes will cost $14.8 million, mainly because the two largest had never been completely dredged before. In addition, a pond used to trap sediment before it entered Elkhorn had not been maintained and is not functioning, a consultant has told the board. The pond is to be partially dredged as part of the overall project.

larry.carson@baltsun.com