Construction on a large retention pond being nicknamed “Lake Fargo” continues, and is on track to be completed next summer.
Fargo assistant city engineer Nathan Boerboom says the project is also known as the Southwest Regional Metro Pond, and it will provide storm water retention needs for future neighborhood development on about 2,300 acres of land south of 52nd Avenue South in Fargo. Boerboom says neighborhoods across the metro area utilize localized storm retention ponds, but this centralized pond will cover 160 acres, with a permanent water area of 60 acres. There is no other system like this in the city. Boerboom says this is expected to benefit the future developments of this area.
"What we have determined through our analysis when we were initially contemplating this concept was that, if we had historically served this future development area as we have in the past with storm sewer, we anticipated about $16 million in additional costs. Whereas, providing this centralized, large pond system, it will instead save $16 million for those future taxpayers of Fargo."
The project began back in 2021. Boerboom says the city is also working on amenities around the pond to give residents a rural, nature focused experience.
"Between those rainfall events, there will be various amenities the park district is working on that residents will be able to go in and enjoy and use a natural setting; since, Fargo, the overall project includes native grass planting. So it uses a native prairie mixture. There will be a bike trail going all the way around the pond that residents will be able to come out and enjoy. It's a unique opportunity for people to come out and enjoy a rural area within an urban setting."
Boerboom says the city will have excavated 2 million cubic yards of clay for the project, which amounts to about 16 million basketballs. He says that clay is being stockpiled nearby for future use in road construction and other infrastructure projects, contributing to more cost savings.