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Cleaner water coming to FD pond

Natural filtering to be used at Armstrong Park

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
The pond at Armstrong Park in Fort Dodge was a tranquil setting enjoyed by a handful of people and a greater number of Canada geese Monday afternoon. A project authorized by the City Council Monday evening is intended to improve the water quality of the pond.

The dozens of Canada geese paddling around the pond at Armstrong Park on Monday may find that body of water even more inviting in a few months.

That’s because a soon-to-begin project will naturally filter out many of the pollutants that get washed into the pond near the intersection of Exposition Drive and North Seventh Street.

“The water in the pond will be much cleaner,” Fort Dodge City Engineer Tony Trotter said Monday afternoon. “It will be filtered through natural sources.”

He said the storm water that currently flows into the pond, bringing with it pollutants, will be channeled into a new sedimentation pool to be created between the pond and the Lions Den building. Dirt and debris will settle to the bottom of that pool, and the cleaner water will trickle into the pond.

Trotter said when the project is done, the pond will be a little bit smaller and deeper.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Some Canada geese paddled around the pond at Armstrong Park Monday afternoon. The pond will be the site of a water quality improvement project this summer and fall.

The project includes excavating, installing new storm sewers, installing interlocking pavers that water can seep through, pavement patching and erosion control. The entrance to the park that is closest to North Seventh Street will be closed, leaving the park with one entrance.

The City Council on Monday evening voted unanimously to hire Crow River Construction, of New London, Minnesota, to do the work at a cost of $423,355.50.

“This is something that has been needed for a long time,” Councilman Kim Alstott said.

The work is to be done by Nov. 1.

Trotter said the park will be closed to visitors while the work is underway.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A family of Canada geese grazes in the grass next to the pond at Armstrong Park Monday afternoon.

Rasch Construction Inc., of Fort Dodge, submitted the only other bid of $440,428.

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