JEWEL LAKE STUDY: Restoration and Public Access Feasibility for the Jewel Lake Reach of Wildcat Creek

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The Park District recognizes Jewel Lake’s long history and its place in the landscape. Currently the District is studying periodic dredging and other sustainable long-term strategies to maintain a destination for public enjoyment and protect and enhance habitat for native species.
The purpose of this study is to develop a preferred concept to move forward into design and construction, depending on available funding. The concepts will be evaluated in relation to the following project goals along with other considerations:

• Enhance Native Species Habitat
• Provide Salmonid Passage
• Provide Sediment Continuity
• Maintain Level of Public Access
• Maintain / Provide a “destination” for public
• Maintain lake as open water

The Jewel Lake Study is focused on two futures that include:

REMOVE DAM & LAKE, RESTORE WILDCAT CREEK (Concept 3):

• Remove the dam and spillway
• Restore Wildcat Creek as a naturalized ecosystem
• Create reliable fish habitat and fish passage
• Potentially provide new bridges and creek overlook opportunities
• Retain and expand the riparian boardwalk
• Include interpretive opportunities and elements

MODIFY LAKE, CREATE FISH PASSAGE CHANNEL (Concept 4)

• Preserve open water habitat
• Construct diversion structure to manage sediment and flow
• Modify Jewel Lake to create a bypass channel
• Need to operate diversion structure indefinitely for fish passage operation
• Retain and expand the riparian boardwalk