Over the years, the waterfall has deteriorated and has ceased working
As of July 2014, the Lagoon was noted to be in a state of despair
The aerator is no longer working and moss is floating on the water
The natural waterfall on the north side is not working properly
The water is a dark green color and looks very unhealthy for the fish
Many of the fish have died and only a few ducks and geese remain
In December 2014, City Council approved a Lagoon restoration project that will include construction and rehabilitation of the waterfall that previously existed in the northeast corner
Part of the project also includes dredging out and cleaning the existing lagoon trying to deepen it a little bit and taking out loose silt that has accumulated over the last several years
As of March 2015, it was discovered to contain silt of a depth of 2.5 to 3 feet which will be removed allowing the lagoon to have a finished water depth of 6 feet
The limestone walls along the shoreline will be stabilized and improved and the island refuge for wildlife also will be rebuilt
Plans for the project also included adding a new hiking trail connecting the sidewalk near the amphitheater to the roundabout sidewalk
In December 2014, the St. Joseph City Council approved a work order to drain and dredge the Lagoon with Snyder & Associates Inc., not to exceed $67,500
The Lagoon project should be done by Fall 2015 at a cost of $867,000
In February 2015, several hundred fish were caught and transferred to Corby Pond. The ducks and geese were caught and stored in a safe area
In February 2015, draining of the Lagoon began since the weather was above freezing
The last time the lagoon was dredged and cleaned out was 30 years ago, so this project is overdue and will help with water quality in the lagoon and re-establish the shoreline and waterfall
The project also will improve the quality of life of the fish and wildlife in the park
Photos will be posted in this section as the work progresses
Since the Lagoon draining, a frequent visitor has been an American Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle has been nicknamed Kreagle, people visit the Lagoon just to see him
|