The ducks, turtles, swans and other wildlife in El Dorado Duck Pond will be relocated in the next year to make way for a pond restoration project that’s been in the works since 2020. The project is currently on hold due to nesting season.
“This isn’t just a replacement project. When I was elected “We talked about ‘the pond needs to be fixed’ and fixing the pond. That is one thing,” Councilmember Stacy Mungo-Flanigan said. “We’re substantially changing the way that the pond functions and serves residents.”
The El Dorado Duck Pond is in “critical need” of repairs to failed pumps, a new pond lining and upgrades to buckling sidewalks, according to Public Works Director Eric Lopez.
When the pond’s construction contract was first awarded by the city council in December 2021, the project was underfunded by approximately $2.01 million. The total cost of the program is estimated at $9 million.
On Tuesday, April 12, the Long Beach City Council approved a grant application that will seek up to $3 million from the California Department of Parks and Recreation to help fill the funding gap.
The City will have to match the amount it’s granted, estimated at $1 to $3 million. The City has already secured $2.2 million in Measure A funds, $2.8 million in Measure W funds, grant funding, general capital funds and $1.1 million of reimbursable funds from the Water Department for the project.
The pond restoration will restore the pond’s liner, enlarge the wetlands and forebay, remove invasive species, increase the area’s native plants and implement ADA parking upgrades, according to a City staff report.
The pond will also be updated with a new water circulation system as well as a new filtration and disinfection system. The reclaimed water from the pond will be used to irrigate the adjacent 18-hole El Dorado Golf Course.
“We are looking forward to learning from it so that we can use this as a model potentially for other areas of the city where we have similar issues,” Lopez said.
Additional funds are still needed for additional park improvements, such as roadway repaving, educational and informational signs, and restroom upgrades.
In order to restore the pond, the City will remove existing wildlife, including both native and non-native or invasive species and migratory birds, Lopez said.
Several wildlife species will be relocated to nearby bodies of water, including those within El Dorado Park.
Parks, Recreation and Marine Director Brent Dennis said he’s in discussions with neighbors of the pond to create a Friends of the Duck Pond organization that would designate docents to give guided tours of the pond and point out the different wildlife in the area.
He’s also working with Animal Care Services on the relocation of certain wildlife. He hinted that there may be an opportunity for residents to adopt one of the many water turtles in the pond.
A temporary fence will be set up around the pond to prevent visitors from throwing bread and food into the water.
“As a kid, I didn’t know that you shouldn’t feed bread to the ducks because when you do that, you’re really ruining the liner and all the components of the pond,” Mungo said, emphasizing that residents shouldn’t feed pond ducks anything but duck food.
The fencing will also, Lopez said, “induce waterfowl to leave the site,” thereby reducing the number that need to be relocated.
Project biologists from LSA Associates, an environmental consulting firm based in Irvine, will monitor the project with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Construction is expected to begin in September of this year and continue through November 2023.
