Lake Ceva Improvements to Begin Late Fall

Due to a New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection mandate, one of the two lakes bordering TCNJ's campus, Lake Ceva, is set to be drained this fall so that necessary repairs can be made to the lake’s dam.

The College has scheduled a meeting to review the project, and all members of the campus and local communities are welcome to attend. The meeting will take place Tuesday, October 17 from 7:30-8:30pm in Paul Loser Hall room 123. (Parking available behind the security booth next to Loser as well as lots 2A through 6.)

“The dam is aged, and as part of a state-wide dam replacement initiative, this dam was identified as one that needs to be upgraded,” said William Rudeau, director of campus construction.

Within the next few weeks, an eight-foot chain-link safety fence will be erected around Lake Ceva, restricting access to the surrounding area.  The draining is expected to begin on or around November 1, which will bring the lake’s current depth of a eight feet to a maximum of two feet in the lake’s center.  Once the lake reaches the appropriate level, construction on the dam will commence, with construction hours falling in between 8 am and 5 pm. 

Construction access will be located on Ewing’s Lake Blvd., not on Metzger Drive, and the walkway that runs below the Lake Ceva dam will remain open. 

The indigenous fish and other wildlife that call Ceva home will be temporarily relocated to its sister lake, Lake Sylva, whose dam was “redone just a few years ago,” said Rudeau. 

Once construction begins, biology and environmental science classes that typically use Ceva as a source for research and testing will use Sylva instead, added Rudeau.

Additionally, the results of the dam construction should not drastically change the face of Lake Ceva, a favorite study and relaxation spot for students looking to get some sunshine on warm days.

"There is some [ground] removal in order to repair some outflows around the lake," said Rudeau, "But, in general, there isn’t a lot of additional landscaping included in the project." 

And yes, the gazebo on the Lake Blvd. shore should be around for years to come.

Preliminary estimates indicate that construction will last approximately four months, and the College hopes to have the lake back to its normal depth by late spring or early summer.