A staple attraction at NMSU is finally back up and running.
The pond was drained in August of 2023 after leaks were found in the concrete. It was set to open in June but was delayed because they needed to reevaluate the performance of the pond, said Dan Fitchett, the construction project manager.
"This is one of the gems on the NMSU campus. And it feels really good to be at this stage. As you know, we had some difficulties, some challenges but the cure on this particular project was to get a clay liner installed," he said.
The pond is now lined with Bentonite and a native clay soil blend which will help to reinforce the pond, he said.
“We wanted to make sure that we weren't wasting any water," Fitchett said.
They are working with the New Mexico Game and Fish to re-introduce fish into the pond, but before that can happen, they need to do some testing to see if it can support the fish that would be introduced.
There is not a set time as to when fishing will be allowed again, said Fitchett.
More picnic tables and finishing touches to make it more user-friendly will be installed soon.
"So, at this point with the alumni pond we would like to welcome the community to the pond and soon hopefully they can fish," Fitchett said.
