Residents and visitors to McKinley Park can once again enjoy the sights and sounds of the pond! Earlier this month, the City of Sacramento completed the pond restoration effort at McKinley Park.
Throughout the project, the City has been dedicated to minimizing impacts to wildlife, and followed all relevant laws, regulations, and best practices. The goal of the renovations is to make the park amenities both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable for generations to come.
In an effort to preserve its natural beauty, the City reminds residents and visitors the following:
- Please do not feed the wildlife and waterfowl. Please watch for the signs posted around the pond.
- Feeding wildlife human food of any kind is against Sacramento City Code. The pond is intended as an aesthetic and natural amenity, and we want the waterfowl that naturally locate to the pond to remain wild and not become domestic pets that rely on routine feeding.
- It is also illegal to release any domestic wildlife into the pond. City staff have been working for several months handling issues related to both Western Pond and Red-Eared Slider turtles. Red-eared Sliders have been designated as an invasive species by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Residents may notice the pond’s current dark murky color. Please note, that the dark color will subside in three to four weeks once the new soil particles settle. As a separate project, the City will improve the landscaping around the McKinley Park pond. Work will begin in July and will include upgrades to irrigation, landscaping, and surrounding amenities.
Update on Land Park Pond Renovation
Renovations at the “Boat Lake Pond” at Land Park is currently on hold. Due to the wet winter, the ground water at Land Park is very high, and it is naturally filling the pond. Given the high ground water and wildlife nesting season from July to August, it is recommended by the City’s project biologist to delay water pumping until early August. During that time, our biologists will continue to monitor nesting in the construction area. Renovations is expected to resume in September. Completion of the renovations is anticipated in October 2017.