Parks & Recreation

Hartley Pond & Dam Feasibility Study

Project Status: Planning

Project Overview:

The City of Duluth and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are collaborating to conduct a Feasibility Study of Hartley Pond and Tischer Creek. A feasibility study is an evaluation, usually done by engineers, that establishes if the conditions are right to implement a particular project.

The purpose of this Study is to evaluate the proposed options to improve the aesthetics, aquatic habitat, and recreational values of Hartley Pond, while also mitigating the temperature and sediment impairments that are negatively impacting Tischer Creek, one of Duluth’s designated trout streams. The hydrologic storage capacity of the pond is also a consideration in the Study.

The findings of the Study and input from the public will be used by the Parks and Recreation Commission, Natural Resources Commission, and Duluth City Council to determine future actions regarding Tischer Creek and Hartley Pond.

Conducting a Feasibility Study for Hartley Pond is identified in the 2014 Hartley Park Master Plan, the 2019 Hartley Natural Area Management Plan under the Duluth Natural Areas Program, and the 2022 Essential Spaces: Duluth Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan.

Project Update:

**A short public survey is available regarding next steps for Hartley Pond. Please share your thoughts using either the comment form below or the survey. **

Hartley Pond and Dam Feasibility Study Public Survey (surveymonkey.com)

A public meeting will be held on Thursday, May 23 from 6-7:30 PM at Hartley Nature Center, located at 3001 Woodland Ave to present the preferred alternative and detail next steps for the project.

Presentations about the Feasibility Study were provided at the May Natural Resources Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission meetings. In June, the Commissions may make motions to recommend that the Duluth City Council approve moving forward with the design phase of the preferred alternative. Public comment is welcome at these meetings. The June meeting dates for the Natural Resources Commission is June 5 and Parks and Recreation Commission is June 12. The next phase o this project, if approved by City Council, is for design only. The design process will be 100% grant funded, will likely last through 2027, and does not require future construction.