Sharon Lake Improvement Project

Yes, there is an observation point at the Sharon Woods Harbor overlook.

Sediment is the buildup of fine soil particles that can reduce water quality and impair aquatic wildlife habitats. It comes from outside the boundaries of the park from erosion in tributaries.

Dredging is the process of removing sediment and other materials built up in a body of water.

Sediment accumulation, excess nutrients and aggressive aquatic vegetation, like duckweed, reached the point of threatening recreational opportunities and some aquatic habitats.

The collection of silt at the bottom of a manmade lake is a natural process in the lifespan of a reservoir. It is accelerated in Sharon Lake due to dense development in the watershed that is outside park district ownership. Sharon Lake has previously been dredged since it was built by the U.S. Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s.

Duckweed is an aquatic plant that loves shallow areas of lakes and takes advantage of the nutrients accumulated in lake sediment. Duckweed blooms are made up of millions of individual plants.

Excessive duckweed floating on Sharon Lake prevented sunlight and oxygen from reaching deeper water, causing harm to the aquatic habitat and fish. It also inhibited recreational use of the lake.

Over the years, the lake collected sediment and nutrients from the surrounding watershed. Due to years of runoff from increased development, sediment accumulated, creating more areas of the lake that are shallow. These shallow areas provided a source of continuous nutrients that fueled duckweed growth.

Duckweed can double its biomass in as few as four days. Even if Great Parks were to skim all the duckweed off the top of Sharon Lake, it would regrow quickly. Herbicides were not an option because they can damage aquatic habitats and harm wildlife.

Dredging Sharon Lake temporarily disturbed lake ecosystems as sediment was removed, but it will result in some improved aquatic habitats and increased recreational opportunities for park guests, including increased educational opportunities through the new wetlands boardwalk.

The boathouse remains closed during the lake improvement project and will not reopen when the lake reopens. However, the playground and snack bar (during seasonal operating hours) remain open. Additional improvements to Sharon Lake Harbor and the boathouse are part of a separate project, with construction beginning after the lake project is complete.

After the new wetlands reconfigure the shape of the lake, future boating opportunities include kayaks, canoes and paddleboats. Motorboats are no longer permitted at Sharon Lake, but they can still be used at Winton Lake and Miami Whitewater Forest Lake.

The focus of this project is on improving the long-term health of Sharon Lake. In its previous condition, the quality of the lake created poor conditions for fish. While some loss of fish life was anticipated during the draining process, many fish presumably exited downstream as the lake was drained. Some were left behind and taken by birds and other predators. Great Parks sought to reduce the number of fish in the lake by working with ODNR to eliminate creel (fishing) limits a year before draining. ODNR does not recommend moving fish between bodies of water. When the lake is refilled, Great Parks is implementing a fish restocking program. Other wildlife, like turtles and birds, presumably moved to other nearby habitats.

Most fish cannot be moved to other waterways due to state regulations that aim to protect fish from the spread of disease. Catching and moving fish and other wildlife is not guaranteed to be successful and can be cost-prohibitive.

The lakebed dried over many months until the silt at the bottom could be accessed and moved with heavy equipment. Contractors used lime, a commonly used soil stabilization substance, so that the soil can be worked with more easily. Great Parks notified neighbors and guests that, for a period of time, there would be an odor from the decomposing organic material on the exposed lakebed.

The soil and silt from the bottom of the lake was repositioned to preselected areas around the lake's edge, doubling its wetland area.

Rainwater is refilling the lake naturally. A heavy rainfall can add several feet to the lake in a matter of hours. It is expected to take several months to refill the lake completely.

The trail will fully reopen in February 2026, at the same time as the full reopening of Sharon Lake. The revised trail alignment includes floating docks that can only be installed after the lake refills. Final construction work will then be needed to complete the project and reopen the trail.

Great Parks added pedestrian-activated rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB), traffic calming features and crosswalk striping. This crossing was thoroughly evaluated by traffic engineers and was built in coordination with the City of Sharonville.

Involved parties include Great Parks, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Great Parks held a widely promoted public open house in June 2023 at Sharon Center, and invited community feedback through direct mail, social media, email distribution and its website. Great Parks is committed to opening Sharon Lake and its trail with safe, high-quality amenities built to serve current and future generations.

To allow the fish to repopulate, fishing is prohibited for several years.

A weir is a low rock structure that can help control the flow of water. In Sharon Lake, weirs provide easier access for dredging work at the bottom of the lake.