Most people don’t know that Lake
Merritt isn’t actually a lake;
it’s a tidal lagoon which, after 143
years of being cut off,
was reunited with the Bay last February. As part
of a much-needed
restoration effort, the City of Oakland removed
culverts and
widened the channel, doubling the flow of water between the
Bay
and lagoon.
A gem at the heart of Oakland, Lake Merritt has been many things—
the
nation’s first wildlife refuge, beloved waterway, sewage-filled
cesspool, and an Environmental Protection Agency-listed “impaired
water
body.” Today, thanks to these big improvements, Lake Merritt
s finally
getting cleaner and more inviting to people and wildlife alike.
This restoration work was funded by voters’ overwhelming
approval of
Measure DD, passed in 2002, which raised critical
local dollars to
restore Lake Merritt. The revitalization of Lake
Merritt and its
shoreline is one of the most publicly accessible
examples of the
restoration work that’s bringing back wildlife and
improving water
quality all over the Bay Area.
Share this great news on Facebook and help us spread the
word about Lake Merritt’s promising restoration and the
presence of this auspicious creature