Cold Water Carp. Courtesy photo

COUNTY News:

The County’s contractor, RMCI, will begin moving on to Ashley Pond this week after placing construction site and security fencing around the pond last week.

The project superintendent will be moving onto the site with a construction trailer this week. Residents will notice that the water level in Ashley Pond continues to drop, as the contractor works to lower and empty the pond for the renovation work to get underway. A tentative date for initial excavation is June 18.

The County previously announced that the local Duck Buddies had rounded up the ducks and geese for safe housing during the project; however, some ducks are proving to be elusive to catch and still reside at the pond. Efforts to catch the ducks will continue. The geese and two ducks captured last week are residing at the County’s Pajarito Cliffs Site, and will be cared for by Duck Buddies this summer. Irrigation heads on the pond’s perimeter have been removed and all salvageable plants have been transplanted to sites around town.

Park crews will begin fish removal on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the water level. Several citizens asked last week about the fish in the pond and their future – requesting that the County temporarily save and house the fish during the project so that they could be returned to the pond upon completion of the project. The dominate fish species in Ashley Pond is cold water carp. They are a major pollutant in the pond. It would not be appropriate for the County to give away sick fish to the public, transport them elsewhere or offer them for any other uses.

The fish will be removed from the pond by nets, placed in bags and taken to the Eco-station for disposal. The County has no plans to restock the pond with fish upon completion of the project this November.