Water was filling up the pond at City Park this week following a large dredging project this year. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG – Work has started on filling the City Park Pond.

The pond was drained in January, and contractor RDR Utility Services Group had dredged the muck from the bottom, officials had said.

Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce said the overall project is not completed yet.

“The filling is progressing nicely and we are keeping an eye on the level to make sure the contractor can access the inside of the pond to make the forming and pouring of the sidewalk easier,” Joyce said. “The well pump was replaced last Friday and as of now its producing approximately 30 gallons per minute.”

Officials were estimating taking out around 18 inches of material from the bottom of the pond, possibly more.

Water was filling up the pond at City Park this week. A well pump was replaced last Friday and was producing approximately 30 gallons per minute. The pond has had dredging work done and other work done involving water retention systems and work done on walkways among other things. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

The project also includes a new sidewalk connected to the existing walkway around the pond to allow easier access as well as a new storm water retention system placed at the corner of 23rd Street and Park Avenue to deal with flooding issues.

It will store up to 40,000 gallons of water that will move through aggregate material to filter out materials like hydrocarbons and oil, City Engineer Adam Stout said. Then, it will be pumped back into the pond to make up for water lost to evaporation.

Joyce said the whole project could be finished within 30 days, weather permitting.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

Water was starting to fill up the pond at City Park this week. A dredging project was being done to remove buildup at the bottom of the pond as well as install storm water retention systems nearby and other work to the walkway around the pond. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)