Waukesha panel approves recommendation to hire consultant for Saratoga Lake study

Waukesha City Public Works on Thursday voted to recommend that the City Council hire Ayers Associates to conduct a feasibility and master‑planning study of the water impoundment locally called Saratoga Lake, at a proposed cost of $138,437.

The study will analyze alternatives including dredging the impoundment, removing the Barstow Street dam that creates the impoundment, and other options to address vegetation, recreation access and long‑term management. A consultant recommendation came after the city solicited proposals from 14 firms and received three responses.

City staff told the Public Works panel the study is intended to give a single, up‑to‑date technical picture of options so the council can make informed decisions. A staff member summarized the recommendation to move forward with Ayers Associates “at the cost of $138,437.” The panel then discussed environmental risk, likely costs of dredging, permitting and community preferences before approving the recommendation to the council.

Why it matters: the impoundment between the Barstow Street dam and the Morland/Moreland Bridge — referred to in city materials as Saratoga Lake — has seen declining recreational use and heavy vegetation,…