Mountain Lake restoration underway in San Francisco

A team of scientists are working to restore a California lake once fraught with pollution, SFGate reported.

Led by graduate student Jonathan Young at San Francisco State University, the scientists will transplant pond turtles, water plants and various invertebrates into San Francisco’s Mountain Lake.

Mountain Lake was once heavily contaminated by toxic car exhaust, and populated by a variety of invasive animals, including abandoned pets. Scientists have since relocated many of the invasive species and drained the lake of its polluted sediment, providing an opportunity to restart the ecosystem.

Starting in 2014 or 2015, the scientists will reintroduce one native organism at a time, starting with aquatic vegetation.