Intuition & Logic was the project civil engineer teamed with Planning Design Studio Landscape Architects for renovations to Walker Lake, one of the feature amenities in Kirkwood Park. The Walker Lake Phase 1 & 2 projects were intended to renovate the pedestrian bridge area and the lake edge as part of the 2005 Community Wide Master Plan for updating Kirkwood Park.  Walker Lake was originally constructed in the early 90s and this project was the first major update to the lake since construction.  The original flagstone retaining walls were in poor condition, with failures occurring in several locations that threatened the pedestrian bridge abutments.  The existing lake edge was lined with riprap and visually obtrusive for park patrons. Additionally, the lake had water quality issues, with trash and other floatable debris as well as algae issues requiring chemical treatments.  

 


The lake renovations replaced the failing retaining walls with a natural stone channel and waterfall with recirculating pump.  The lake bottom was drained, dredged and reshaped. The revisions removed the island, restored the deep thread of the lake and created spawning beds in several locations for fish habitat.  The riprap lake edge protection was removed and replaced with boulder outcroppings for fishing access or shallow aquatic benches planted in monoculture stands.  The aquatic benches in combination with the plantings were designed to eliminate the need for hard armor by arresting wave development prior to reaching the shoreline. 

 

I&L prepared final design and construction documents for the lake renovations including the retaining walls, lake grading, spawning beds, aquatic benches, shoreline protection, and waterfall channel. I&L also provided construction services for this phase of construction beginning in 2010 and subsequent master plan construction phases continuing through 2015.