Gernatt has several locations where aggregate reserves are recovered from below the water. As mining ceases, shorelines are graded to minimize steep slopes. Material from the excavation is normally placed in a way to create uneven shoreline, increasing shallow water habitat, and accessibility. The many shallow-to-deeper water transitional areas increase the diversity of plants and animals that will utilize the site. After shoreline soil replacement, seed is sown to ensure that robust vegetative cover quickly establishes itself over newly graded areas.
Reclaimed water bodies serve many purposes, including habitat for aquatic organisms, reservoirs for groundwater and floodwater/stormwater storage. Non-aquatic species that rely on aquatic resources to survive, such as bald eagles, mink and muskrat, often find these reclaimed lakes to their liking. It is not unusual for species such as these, and many others, to quickly colonize a reclaimed site. There are many instances of aquatic and non-aquatic creatures taking up residence in and around mine lakes even while mining is ongoing.
