Surface Water Restoration
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

The surface water at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary has become an aquatic environment devoid of oxygen due to the pressence of nutrient rich sediments. The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary retained Foth to develop a plan to improve the water quality and establish a viable fishery in the Sanctuary’s surface water.

Foth developed a multi-phase plan to rehabilitate the water resources at Bay Beach.

Challenges:

• Dredge nutrient rich sediments from the site
• Dispose sediment on a landfill cover to establish natural prairie vegetation and improve cover performance
• Aerate pond water
• Circulate fresh water through ponds to limit nutrient build-up
• Improve shoreline structure and vegetation
• Manage goose population
• Identification of funding mechanism

Benefits:

• Improved water quality will enhance sanctuary fish activities
• Improved fishery will benefit bald eagle and mink activity at the sanctuary
• Enhance community education programs