Nielsen Pond undergoes upgrade

The pond adjacent to Rennebohm Hall is being dredged and upgraded for good reasons, says Gary Brown, director of planning at Facilities Planning and Management.

Nielsen Pond (the sign erroneously calls it Nelson Pond) was originally constructed when UW Hospital was built in the late 1970s. It serves as a storm water retention basin, providing a place for sand and sediment to be deposited before the storm water moves into Lake Mendota.

Brown says a local engineering firm did a complete analysis of west campus storm water facilities in 2004 and recommended that the pond be dredged and its banks reconstructed to allow for improved sediment disposition and greater storm water capacity.

This is the first time the pond has been cleaned. Typically retention ponds are cleaned about every 10 years.

Native vegetation will be planted at the pond’s edges in an attempt to deter the local goose population from entering the water so easily.

Several benches and native trees and shrubs also will be added to the site along with a new sidewalk on the Highland Avenue side.

Brown says the project should be completed by early this summer.