Exall Lake remains a tranquil getaway for Highland Park residents. The serene location is both a stop for cyclists and home to a diverse array of aquatic wildlife.
From mallards, Chinese geese, and turtles floating in the water to skittering squirrels atop trees, the lake is a haven of flora and fauna alike. Highland Park has restored the lake and aims to preserve its wildlife with the completion of a $2.5 million dredging project.
About 35,000 cubic yards of sediment were removed from the lake during the project, which was completed Aug. 1. The process opened the waterway, improved the quality of the water for aquatic life, and helped remove and prevent the regrowth of invasive plants, explained Highland Park Department of Public Safety Lt. Lance Koppa.
Up to three barges circled the lake to pump 130 years of sediment into geotextile bags during dredging operations that began in March. In addition to acting as a home for wildlife, Exall Lake serves as a stormwater conveyance. The dredging was undertaken to both protect nature and prevent stormwater from flooding Riverside Drive.
“If 40% of this waterway is silt, that water that’s coming down starts not to have a place to go,” said Lt. Koppa.
The Town relied on a hydraulic method that ensured aquatic life remained unharmed and could still inhabit the space. Based on the Canadian geese chomping on bread, and catfish, largemouth bass, and bream swimming through the water one day in August, those efforts worked.
“If you have the waterfowl that are saying this is suitable for us to raise a family, then we’re doing the right thing,” Lt. Koppa said.
Highland Park residents continued enjoying the lake, which accounts for about 20% of the town’s real estate, during the dredging process.
According to Koppa, the project may be complete, but the town won’t stop caring for the lake. To maintain its health, Highland Park will conduct a yearly assessment of the lake’s condition. It will monitor factors including the amount of sediment that has accumulated since the project and whether future dredging is necessary to protect aquatic life.
“This is not a one-and-done project,” said Lt. Koppa.
Highland Park hopes the lake will continue to bring families together. Now is the perfect time to get your feet wet and make some memories at Exall Lake.
“We’re extremely conscientious of the wildlife out here, as you can get the feel for the park. It’s so important,” said Lt. Koppa. “Anything that we can do to not intrude on the quiet wildlife, but improve what’s here, the town can invest in that.”
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