Visitors already are seeing a changed landscape as the draining of North Park Lake continues.

The shallow arms of the horseshoe-shaped body of water are turning into temporary marshes, with just trickles of water running through them.

At the other end of the lake -- closest to the dam that created it -- the water level appears to have dropped 3 to 4 feet.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Allegheny County launched a joint effort on Sept. 8 to restore the lake to its original depth, reduce shoreline erosion, encourage wetland plants and improve its suitability for more species of fish.

Plans call for slowly emptying the lake, letting the sediment on the exposed bottom dry out for several weeks, then scooping the material up and hauling it away.

Bob Ryberg, of Bellevue, a regular visitor to the park, was exploring the newly exposed portions of the shoreline last week.

"It's always interesting for kids to come here," he said. "But now there are some new things to see."

Three-inch crayfish abounded in the shallow water, he said. And the shore was lined with both empty shells from, and living examples of, freshwater clams.

Larger, more unusual items are starting to turn up as the level continues to drop. Visible last week was a long-submerged picnic table and what looked like a metal cot.

The almost $13 million "aquatic ecosystem restoration" project will take about 20 months to complete.

The lake will be empty for all of 2010. Plans call for refilling it and restocking it with fish in time for Memorial Day 2011.

The Corps of Engineers recently announced that it had selected a Cambria County company to remove silt from the northern arm of the lake. Charles J. Merlo Inc., of Mineral Point, won the $4 million contract.

The lake draining also offers opportunities for anglers. Daily catch, season and size limits within the lake have been suspended by the state Fish and Boat Commission for the next several weeks. Any remaining fish will be moved to lakes in another county park.

Before that happens, though, Mr. Ryberg plans to return to North Park with a fishing rod. "There have got to be some big fish left in here," he said.