Escondido officials are hopeful that the long-delayed Lake Wohlford Dam replacement project will begin next year, though nearly $45 million to $50 million job is woefully shy of being fully funded. “The last I checked,” City Manager Jeff Epp said, “(utilities director Chris McKinney) was collecting aluminum cans and bottles from Lake Wohlford Road in an attempt to raise the necessary funding for the project. He still has $27,999,996.80 left to raise.”