Dredging activity is in full swing as a part of North Pond’s restoration. Work began last week around the historic casting pier and progressed this week mid-way through the Pond. Sediment is currently staged on the shorelines to dry and, next week, will be condensed and shaped to soften the shoreline slope in certain spots and extend it to create new submergent and emergent plant zones. These areas will add new habitat around the pond while reducing erosion and trapping and filtering runoff before it enters the Pond (see diagram above). As the pond’s south banks are shaped, the pond bottom will also be smoothed and once dredging is complete, stockpiled trees that were removed to facilitate shoreline stability will be placed in the pond as habitat snags and basking logs for birds and turtles. A turbidity curtain was also installed just north of the casting pier to filter water and stop sediment from entering the sewer outlet at the Pond’s south end during the dredging process.
A temporary ‘dam’ structure has also been created to keep this newly dredged part of the pond separated from the northern section that will be dredged much deeper–to at least 8 feet–to allow for optimal oxygen turnover. Stay tuned next week for an update on the dredging of the northern section and a timeframe for upcoming stages of North Pond’s restoration. At this pace we are on track with the projected timeline and can already see the end-result in sight—a comprehensive pond and ecosystem restoration to ensure the North Pond Nature Sanctuary remains a vibrant, healthy natural area for generations to come.
We welcome questions and dialogue during the restoration process. As always, the latest information and project visuals are available on our website. You can also email info@lincolnparkconservancy.org with questions or to set up a time to discuss the project.
