Mobile will provide a free opportunity to go kayaking on the lake at Langan Municipal Park this Saturday.

The lake is about to undergo a long-planned restoration involving 18 months of dredging work that will cost more than $15 million. As previously reported, $14.2 million has been allocated from Deepwater Horizon Disaster funds via the federal RESTORE Act. The state is putting up $712,000 for stormwater system improvements and the city is spending around $368,000.

The work will remove an estimated 225,000 cubic yards of sediment and return the lake to a depth of 3 to 5 feet, improving both its ecological health and its suitability for recreational use. On Thursday, councilwoman Gina Gregory, Mayor Sandy Stimpson and representatives of partner organizations in the project celebrated the long-awaited start of work.

According to information provided by the city, the project also will “convert a concrete drainage channel on the northeast side of the park to a naturalized stream featuring stones and native plant material that will help prevent sediment from re-entering the lake.” The Alabama Department of Environmental Management was a partner on this portion of the project.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 7, Mobile’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a Paddle in the Park event. Through a partnership with Mobile Kayak Rental and Mobile Baykeeper, the event will provide a free opportunity for Mobilians to kayak and canoe the lake.

According to information provided by the city, the event “will include an educational component highlighting the science behind hydraulic dredging” as part of a series presented by the Parks and Recreation Department.

RELATED: Mobile’s Langan Park restoration: $15.2 million lake dredging to begin in August