Heritage Park Lake Water Quality & Habitat Improvements

About the Project

Heritage Park Lake is located at the northeast corner of Heritage Park near 159th and Pflumm and is operated by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD). The 41-acre lake is used for both public recreation and irrigation of the park’s golf course and athletic fields.

This project includes the excavation and mechanical dredging of sediments and native earthen materials within Heritage Park Lake and approximately 1,500 feet of stream to restore lake volume. The work will be phased to maintain irrigation water supply within the lake during construction activities. Individual work areas will be dewatered prior to dredging.

Dredged materials will be disposed of on the park property in five disposal areas, each with a water quality treatment train adjacent that will be constructed by the Contractor for use on the project. Lake water quality improvements are also part of this work including the construction of a sediment forebay and wetland area to be planted with native aquatic species, and a water control structure. The project also includes removal of the island and silo within the lake and creation of deep-water cells for water quality and fish habitat.

Other lake improvement-related closures include the parking lot, playground, and fitness area near Shelter 1, as well as Shelter 4, although the restroom near this shelter remains open.

Trail Updates

Effective June 30: The Heritage Trail entrance at the northeast corner of the park has been re-opened. A mowed trail detour provides a connection from the Heritage Trail to the marina parking lot. The walkway across the dam has also been re-opened to provide trail users a connection to the Coffee Creek Trail and other trails in the southern portion of the park. The dam sidewalk will be closed when work commences near the dam in 2024 or if other safety issues arise in the construction zone.

Effective June 20: Trails around the lake were closed to public access for the duration of the project. 

Why is this Project Occurring?

To restore depth to main portion of lake, which improves habitat for fish and wildlife.

• The lake was built in the 1980s and with all the area development, is largely silted in (filled with dirt)

To create a wetland forebay, which will:

• Temporarily retain runoff, slowing down storm water
• Allow sediments to filter out, improving the quality of the water/runoff, ultimately into the Blue River
• Provide additional beneficial habitat for fish and wildlife (wetlands)

What's the Timeline?

The project began on June 5 with the lake drawdown. Earthwork and dredging will commence and operate through the remaining spring, summer, and fall and will shut down in late fall of 2023. The same process will occur over the spring/summer of 2024. The project is anticipated to be substantially complete in the fourth quarter of 2024.

As part of this project, the island and silo will be removed to provide much needed volume for the lake to fulfill its storm water capacity and offset the volume of the new forebay berm.

Project Images

Additional Information

The project is called for in the Johnson County Stormwater Management: Watershed Organization 3 Master Plan

• JCPRD received a grant from Johnson County Stormwater for construction of the wetland forebay
• Heritage Park Lake is the largest body of water in the Blue River Watershed

News / Media Updates

JCPRD Press Release 6/01/2023
Shawnee Mission Post Inside JCPRD Blog 6/14/2023
Blue Valley Post 7/10/2023