Dakota County is currently restoring the wetland and shoreline areas surrounding Thompson Lake.
The county planted more than 6,000 native emergent and aquatic plants. This will help restore the wetland to provide much better habitat for a diversity of waterfowl, fish, turtles, frogs, toads, migratory birds and aquatic invertebrates than was there before.
At the north end of the lake, ducks have nested and raised their young, and thousands of tadpoles were seen last spring. A robust shoreline and wetlands surrounding this lake is critical to restoring a healthy-functioning ecosystem.
Tentative project schedule
2021-2022: Remove invasive cattails
2022-2023: Plant and seed native aquatic vegetation
2023-2025: Establish the native vegetation and control invasive species