Posted on August 24, 2017
By Mark Smith, The Cross Timbers Gazette
The town of Flower Mound has begun a major project to improve ponds at three town parks.
The town will work to remove odor and restore aquatic health with pond dredging at the three parks, according to the town. Pond dredging at Cortadera Park began in early August, and once crews are finished there, the same process will begin at Rheudasil Park, followed by Wilkerson Park.
The town is using mechanical dredging where fish are relocated, the pond is drained, silt is removed via the use of an excavator, and then hauled away. Rainwater will refill the ponds, at which time the ponds will be restocked with fish.
Over time, sediment from development, litter, runoff, and other factors begins to settle on the bottom of any pond, according to the town. As this sediment continues to build upward, the aquatic health of the pond can become threatened, thus mechanical or hydraulic dredging is needed to restore the pond’s natural bottom.
Rheudasil Park will also undergo bank stabilization, which will keep the shoreline from eroding outward into the park and more sediment from the unstable edge filling up the pond. Crews will install slope revetment structures around the entire pond, along with a retaining wall at the northern end of the pond where the bank is the steepest. It will also increase accessibility for residents utilizing the shores of the pond for fishing or other activities.
The three park upgrades are expected to be complete by fall 2018. Residents should pay close attention when traveling around each of the parks during construction, the town said, as lane closures, and trail closures may be required from time to time.
Source: The Cross Timbers Gazette
