Rehabilitated Pond Should Be Just Ducky

The city is about to light up the vacancy sign at its Civic Center duck pond after months of turning away some of its regular guests.

After more than a year and $100,000 in repairs, city crews expect to refill the once murky pond with clear blue water by the end of the year. Once the waterway is full, officials said, ducks will come back to the area naturally.

The pond was drained of its green, odorous water more than a year ago after an apparent outbreak of botulism killed several resident ducks.

Built more than 20 years ago, the pond was not designed for the huge number of ducks that ended up calling it home, city officials said.

The expanding duck population, coupled with an antiquated filtration system and a huge amount of food thrown into the already compromised water, caused the pond to go from clear to deadly.

Dick Conrad, director of public works, said the new pumps, electrical lines and filtration system should work to keep the pond clean after it reopens.

Conrad said the new waterway should be attracting fly-bys by Christmas.