13 November 2020
The construction areas have been restored with seed and plantings, and most trails have reopened. The project is mostly done, except for ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the restorations. A new connecting trail is now open south of the pond. Please use designated trails and service lanes, and stay off the fabric erosion control matting that protects the restorations.
29 September 2020
The pond has been dredged and a clay liner installed, and it is once again full of water. The project is moving into the final phase – restoration of project areas with native plantings and seeding.
14 September 2020
The scraped reed canary grass area has been planted with diverse native plants. A clay liner for the pond will be installed this week. Expect heavy dump truck traffic on McCaffrey Drive and construction activity at the work site.
31 August 2020
The pond has been fully dredged. In the coming weeks, a clay liner will be installed to best management design standards to ensure that the pond will hold water. In addition, the “scrape” of invasive reed canary grass patch is finished. The area was first treated with herbicide to kill the grass and its root systems, then the plant material and deposited sediment were removed.
24 July 2020
The main trail in central Curtis Prairie has reopened and the Coyote Pond portion of the project has finished. Dredging continues intermittently when material has dried enough after rains.
29 June 2020
Reed canary grass was treated a second time. Dredging continues intermittently when material has dried enough after rains.
1 June 2020
Rain has delayed most project work. Reed canary grass was treated in Curtis Prairie late the week of May 18. The Coyote Pond pipe was relined over the weekend.
4 May 2020
Work at Coyote Pond has begun. Dredging of Curtis Pond has begun. Additional trails in Curtis Prairie have been closed for a few weeks for the Coyote Pond phase of the project. Please respect all trail closures for the safety of visitors and work crews. (Rain last week held off most project work.)
20 April 2020
Curtis Pond is drained. The service lane from McCaffrey Drive to the pond is being reinforced with gravel to support trucks for dredging the pond. The erosion control area in the Grady Tract has been seeded with native savanna plants for restoration. Additional trails in Curtis Prairie have been closed for a few weeks for the Coyote Pond phase of the project. Please respect all trail closures for the safety of visitors and work crews.
13 April 2020
Underground pipe installation from Beltline area to Curtis Pond is completed. Pond dewatering has begun and dredging will get underway soon. Erosion control and grading in the Grady Tract are nearly complete. The trail will be relocated. Restoration will begin later in spring. The pedestrian tunnel under the Beltline Highway remains closed. Many trails in Curtis Prairie are closed – please respect all trail closures for the safety of visitors and work crews.
6 April 2020
The flume removal and underground pipe installation continues this week and will be completed. Partial dewatering of Curtis Pond will continue. Erosion control and grading is taking place in the northeast corner of the Grady Tract. (The pedestrian tunnel under the Beltline Highway remains closed.) The service lane through central Curtis Prairie is being built up to support equipment that will be needed to reline the stormwater pipe to Coyote Pond.
30 March 2020
This week’s work will include selective tree removal in the northeast corner of the Grady Tract, removal of the broken flume between the Beltline and Curtis Pond, installation of the underground stormwater pipe that will replace the flume, and partial dewatering of Curtis Pond.
23 March 2020
Ground is too muddy for project work.
16 March 2020
Select trees will be removed along the access lane and in the flume area between Curtis Pond and the Beltline.
5 March 2020
The construction fence has been installed. Creation of the project entrance and reinforcement of the service lane has begun. Traffic signs have been placed in both directions near the project entrance, and Curtis Lot has been closed and will be used for staging during the project.
3 March 2020
UW News has published a story about the Curtis Pond rehabilitation project.
10 January 2020
Visitors may notice a black fabric ribbon wending west from Curtis Pond along the south edge of the prairie. This is a silt fence. With one edge buried in the ground, it is designed to allow water to pass through while trapping soil, sediment, and other debris. The silt fence is meant to protect Curtis Prairie during the pond rehabilitation project as trucks haul dredged sediment along the edge of the prairie from the pond to the road.