What’s happening in the Humboldt Park Lagoon?

The following information is from Jim Ciha, a landscape architect with
Milwaukee County Parks Engineering and Architecture Department. Jim
had plenty of information to share about this project. The Humboldt
Park Lagoon project is a Milwaukee County Board Initiative being
undertaken by the environmental section of the engineering and
architecture apartment. Humboldt Park was just one of the targeted
areas for this type of work. There was an informational session held
this past February on the project.

This project is a demonstration project used to show the public and
park users how we are able to control land erosion through various
landscape design techniques and improved engineering.

The north edge of the lagoon was severely worn down and eroded due to
human and animal activity (we’re talking about those active geese
here). Humboldt Lagoon is a popular fishing area, and many people
will walk the banks as they fish. The design will include “nodes”,
or “fishing node outcroppings” to direct where the human activity
will go. In addition, the use of native plant material along the
shoreline will not only control erosion, but control the goose
population. They have learned that geese will not go in or near tall
grasses, so the use of grasses in designated areas will keep the
geese away.

Using these tools, they can then stabilize the shore and lagoon,
thereby becoming better managers of our lagoons. Once they have been
able to stabilize the lagoon, the stocking of fish by the House of
Corrections can begin again (though I think this typically happens in
the spring).

They hope to have the work completed by July 1.