Construction Underway At Pickle Pond Remediation And Restoration Site
Information provided by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Construction Underway At Pickle Pond Remediation And Restoration Site
Community Use And Benefits Survey Available To Provide Input
Construction is underway to clean up polluted sediment and restore fish and wildlife habitat at Pickle Pond, a nine-acre urban pond that was created by the construction of a railroad embankment that cut off part of Barker's Bay in Superior. This project is part of a large-scale effort to address historical pollution and habitat loss in the St. Louis River Area of Concern and funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) construction contractor, White Lake Dock & Dredge, Inc., has mobilized equipment and crews to begin site preparation and set up for dredging the pond. A dock for unloading sediment from barges into trucks and a pad for the wastewater pretreatment system will be built first. Dredging to remove contamination and deepen the pond to enhance fish habitat will begin later in May and continue throughout the summer.
A section of Marina Drive is closed during construction; however, access to Barker’s Island will remain open. Trucks will be hauling dredged material to a landfill daily during work hours, so please observe all traffic signs and watch out for workers. The Osaugie Trail will also remain open and available for recreation. Please stay on the designated trail route and follow the posted safety signs.
Updates will be posted on the Pickle Pond Restoration Project website as milestones are reached.
After dredging is completed, there will be better water flow between the pond and the lower St. Louis River Estuary. Fish and wildlife habitat will be restored by controlling invasive species, planting native vegetation, and adding structures for shelter and nesting sites. Recreational access will also be improved so people can better enjoy this unique area.
Help Shape the Future of Pickle Pond by Taking the Community Use and Benefits Survey
Project partners are conducting a survey to learn how people use the Pickle Pond area and gather input from people on ways to improve recreational opportunities, public access and other community benefits. Please share your insights and experiences throughout the project by taking the survey on the Pickle Pond Restoration Project website.
Project partners include the City of Superior, Wisconsin DNR, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wisconsin DNR, the City of Superior and BNSF Railway Company are parties to an environmental repair contract under the authority of Wis. Stat. § 292.31.
