More than £1million will be spent safeguarding the future of Aqualate Mere in Newport amid fears it will disappear.
A pioneering scheme will dredge 165,000 tonnes of silt from the famous landmark to ensure its survival.
Silt from the mere, which at 1.5 kilometres long is the largest of its kind in the Midlands, will be scattered over four nearby plots, under revolutionary plans drawn up by Natural England.
Tim Coleshaw from Natural England, said they will be submitting a planning application for the work within the next few months.
He said: “This is going to be the largest operation of its kind in England, it’s going to be quite pioneering stuff and we have never done anything quite like this before.
“We want to carry on the work we are doing but one of our concerns is that the mere has silted up and we want to preserve the lake.
“If we don’t do anything it will disappear and we will lose all of the wildlife there. It’s only about a meter deep.”
The plan is expected to take around four years to complete and will see the silt pulled from the mere by a machine and transported to fields by a pipe, to avoid any need for trucks at the mere.
Mr Coleshaw added people would be able to notice a difference to the landscape from the A518.
He said: “On the A518 there will be some visual impact, adding eight inches to the field when it settles, but in terms of the neighbourhood, we think it will be minimal and there will be no road usage, it will all be brought by a pipe.”
The operation attracted criticism from Forton Parish Councillor John Perks who said Aqualate Mere needs to be more accessibile to the public, to justify the cash outlay.
He said: “A lot of people ask me if you can go down to the lake and I say ‘no you can’t.’
“I disagree with spending a great deal of public money and then not letting the public look at it.
“It looks like we are doing it for Aqualate.”
But Mr Coleshaw said he was hopeful that the public would soon be able to visit the area.
He said: “In the past Aqualate Mere had quite a reputation as a private place but I’m pleased to report in the 20 years we have been there the additions to the estate are significant.
“We are renewing the lease with the owners so we have an opportunity to revisit the whole access issue.
“They said they are prepared to give access to the natural reserve but the south shore should remain sacrament, and we have to respect that.”
Planning is due to start at the site next year.
By Jason Lavan