Mecklenburg County Schedules Dredging of Park Road Park Pond

Mecklenburg County will begin to dredge the pond at Park Road Park on April 16, weather permitting. Dredging will remove sediment, trash and debris from the pond to improve water quality and public safety.

Sediment impacts a pond’s functionality and the health of the aquatic ecosystem. It exacerbates blue-green algae growth and negatively affects pond depth and volume. A 2022 study of the ponds at Park Road Park and Freedom Park indicated excessive nutrients and significant volumes of sediment. In response to these findings, the County funded dredging at both parks as part of the Fiscal Years 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan.  

“Park Road Park is one of our community’s most loved and used parks, and we are pleased to actively restore the pond’s health and functionality,” said Nick Walker, director of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. “We look forward to seeing residents enjoy this renewed and refreshed park amenity.”  

A hydraulic pump will remove and transfer the sediment from the pond to large bags in the adjacent parking lot, where it will dry before being removed from the park. The parking lot has been closed to accommodate the construction of a new indoor pavilion, and it will remain closed until both the pavilion and pond dredging projects are complete. The County scheduled the pavilion and dredging projects to take place simultaneously to minimize impacts to park users. Both projects are expected to conclude this summer.

Hydraulic dredging does not require the pond to be drained, but fishing will be limited during the project. Park users may smell a mild odor in the area as the sediment is disturbed, dried and removed. Any odors that result from the project are not harmful to park users and should dissipate quickly after dredging is complete.

Equipment will be mobilized on-site in late March and early April, ahead of the first day of dredging on April 16. The park will remain open through the duration of the dredging project, and parking will be available on the north side. Park users are asked to avoid areas of active construction and dredging operations.  

The County may close some trails sporadically to accommodate the pavilion and pond dredging projects. No greenways will be closed because of the projects.  

Additional information on dredging the pond at Park Road Park can be found on Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s Public Input site. The schedule for dredging the pond at Freedom Park is still being finalized; the project will likely take place in 2026.