EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County commissioners are taking public feedback today on proposed improvements at Ascarate Park, including what comes next for the park’s duck pond.
Commissioners are expected to take a closer look at the duck pond’s future and discuss renovation options during a presentation that follows earlier public pushback to previous ideas for the pond.
RELATED: County seeks more input as Ascarate Park redesign considers removing duck pond
The two options in today’s presentation would keep the duck pond, but they differ significantly in cost and scope.
One option, estimated at $1.6 million, would focus on improving water quality by adding aerators and a new pump station.
It also includes repairing the shoreline and adding a walking trail.
A second option, estimated at $7.2 million, would involve a major renovation of the pond.
That plan would drain the pond, install a new liner and remove built-up sediment, with plans to eventually refill it.
FULL PRESENTATION:
PowerPoint Presentation – 7e95091f-b487-43c7-a76e-711226283af8PDF previewPreview PDF
The presentation also estimates that water is leaving both the main lake and the duck pond, though it does not show where the water is going.
After accounting for rain and evaporation, the presentation estimates about 365,000 gallons a day could be leaving the main lake and about 63,000 gallons a day from the duck pond.
Those figures are based on one week of measurements.
A meeting in August included residents urging the county to keep the duck pond, but no decision was made about its future.
Today’s presentation asks commissioners to give direction to staff before county officials return to the public with another community meeting.
RELATED: County delays Ascarate duck pond decision, extends timeline for residents to weigh in
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