TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — The well-known, man made water structure also known as Lake Lagoona, will look different next year.

The lagoon is something students and staff, past and present, have passed by for years.

”I know they used to train and do courses out there with canoeing and sailing back in the 80’s,” said Brian Helms, an associate professor of Biology at Troy University that’s very familiar with the lagoon and its purposes.

To many, the lagoon is a murky body of water with even murkier residents.

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”[It has] really increased nutrients, really increased sediments, suspended solids are really high, electrical conductivity is really high,” Helms said. “It has all the hallmarks of an impaired system.”

The lagoon used to be a swimmable body of water. However, over the years, the lagoon received its water, nutrients and residents from sources including a stream from Janice Hawkins Park, a creek from McKinley Drive, storm sewers and city sewage.

This meant the lagoon was not meant for people to swim and fish in.

”Definitely don’t want to swim, definitely would not want to eat anything out of it,” Helms agreed.

According to the University, the dredging of the lagoon is the final phase to restore and beautify the area. It’s a project Helms says could help the water and the organisms that call it home.

”Draining that and dredging it and getting rid of all those legacy sediments that are there and everything they’ve carried with them over the decades, if properly disposed, would be a good thing,” Helms explained. “It would kind of be like a hard reset.”

The lagoon isn’t the only area getting a facelift. A small wetland located above the lagoon is seeing some change as well.

The wetland served as a filter between Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park and the lagoon.

”By slowing that water down and getting into the wetland, it really would help absorb anything that’s potentially being carried,” Helms further explained.

The wetland area is now expected to receive an enhanced down-stream water flow system, new walking trails and improved lighting.

Helms says this is a project that has pros and cons, but it could help reset an area that was biologically disturbed.

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”It’s important to realize these environments aren’t necessarily static. They’re always kind of changing. They can get out of whack and they take constant tweaking,” Helms told TrojanVision.

The project began over the summer break and will take months to complete. The University says the project should be completed by the end of Spring 2025.