Posted on October 6, 2025
MOBILE, Ala. — A $15.1 million dredging project is now underway at Langan Lake in Mobile, marking the beginning of a long-anticipated effort to improve water quality and expand recreation.
The project, which has been in the planning stages for more than seven years, will remove more than 225,000 cubic yards of sediment from the lakebed.
“Which is several football stadiums worth. So, it’s a really exciting day for the city,” said Jennifer Greene, the director of programs and project management.
Officials say the work will help restore water flow, eliminate invasive species, and eventually open the lake to activities like kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding.
“We will now have the ability for people who live right within the city to come to Langan Park and get on the water, and that’s just really unusual for most cities,” said Gina Gregory, City Councilwoman for District 7 in the City of Mobile.
The sediment removed from the lake will be transported to a disposal site in Mobile County. Greene said the plan was designed with the invasive species in mind to prevent them from spreading elsewhere.
“There’s both plants and there’s animals in the lake that we are getting rid of on purpose. Apple snails are a really good example of that. That’s an invasive snail that causes a lot of problems and damage,” Greene said.
While construction is underway, parts of the park will be closed to traffic. Flournoy Drive and sections of North Drive will shut down to make way for heavy equipment, but amenities such as the playground, amphitheater, walking trails, and disc golf course will remain accessible through alternate routes.
Traffic and parking will be affected at Langan Park starting next week due to the lake dredging project. (Courtesy of the City of Mobile)
“We just ask that citizens drive really slowly and just watch out for our trucks, because there will be people working. Our goal is to keep the park open as much as possible for people to use it while we’re getting the work done,” said Greene.
The funding for the project comes from the RESTORE Act, which directs money from the 2010 BP oil spill settlement toward restoration projects across the Gulf Coast.
