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Alumni Pond, a popular fishing and recreation spot near the center of New Mexico State University’s Las Cruces campus, will be closed for the next several months as a repair and refurbishment project gets underway the first week of August. Also popularly known as the NMSU Duck Pond, Alumni Pond is named for the Alumni Avenue residence hall, built in the 1960s, which previously stood nearby.
A leak was recently discovered in the pond’s concrete liner, and the pond will need to be drained and repaired – a project that could take up to a year, according to Tim Dobson, executive director of NMSU Facilities and Services. During that time, Dobson said the university will take the opportunity to assess what other repairs and improvements are needed. He said his team is in the early stages of determining the cost and timeline associated with the project.
“We know this pond provides a gathering place for the local community, and we are not eliminating the pond – we’re renovating it,” Dobson said.
Stocked with carp, catfish and bass, the pond is frequented by local families and students who enjoy fishing and picnicking on its perimeter. Dobson said the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish will relocate the fish and other wildlife before the pond is drained. He’s also in contact with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology in NMSU’s College of ACES to explore setting up the refurbished pond as a sustainable living lab that provides research and teaching opportunities for NMSU students.
“This pond provides a natural ecosystem on our campus that we want to preserve and sustain,” Dobson said. “I know it will be missed by our communities while it is offline for these repairs and improvements, but we’re looking forward to restoring its beauty and function for our campus and the Las Cruces community.”
Dobson said the university will provide more details on the project’s timeline when they become available and pledged to keep the community informed about plans for improving the pond.
