Dredging of Frances Short Pond will begin during the week of July 10, 2023 and is anticipated to be complete by the beginning of August. During this time, Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) segments near Frances Short Pond will be closed for the safety of the public.
Dredging is required due to the large amount of sedimentation, ash, and debris from post-Pipeline Fire flooding that entered the pond last summer. Dredging removes sediment, ash, and debris that has settled to the bottom of the pond, thereby increasing the capacity of the pond for future post-wildfire flooding runoff. Removing ash from the bottom of the pond also allows a healthy pond ecosystem to develop.
The pond is currently dry after having been drained of water over the spring. Fish stocking will re-commence after the pond has been dredged and post-wildfire flows produce a lower concentration of ash and debris.
