Water Levels Being Drastically Reduced To Save A Minnesota Lake

Sometimes, drastic measures need to be taken now to create a healthier situation later on. That can be true in our personal and professional lives, and it's also true in other things, including nature.

An example would be when a lake becomes unhealthy, also known as impaired. Experts say that waters are assessed as impaired when the water quality standard is no longer being attained. This can be caused by several factors, with the most common being nutrients, pathogens, and sediment.

That has happened to a 697-acre Minnesota lake and drastic action is being taken to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat.

Minnesota DNR Discovers A Lake In Trouble

Silver Lake is located on the west side of Silver Lake Road, just south of 45th Avenue N.E. in Sibley County. The DNR stocks the 697-acre lake with 63,000 walleye fry annually.

Silver Lake does have boat access suitable for smaller boats and outdoor enthusiasts can also rent canoes and kayaks on the north side of the lake. Shore fishing is available from the city beach located in the northeast corner of the lake and from a public fishing pier within Silverwood Regional Park, operated by the Three Rivers Park District.

However, recently the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources notified the public that a 2022 survey of Silver Lake found the lake was nearly devoid of submerged aquatic vegetation, which plays a key role in maintaining water clarity and fish and wildlife habitat. These two indicators were a significant decline from a survey in 2015.

The DNR believes Silver Lake is in trouble because it has been overwhelmed by large populations of common carp, which can harm water quality when they uproot native plants and disturb phosphorous-rich bottom sediments through their feeding habits.

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Another alarming fact is that Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizen Lake monitoring data from June 2008 to September 2017 found that Silver Lake had phosphorus levels more than four times the acceptable level.

The DNR Announces It Is Ready To Take Action At Silver Lake

To get Silver Lake out of its current impaired status, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced it will begin to temporarily lower the water levels to a depth of about 2 feet to create conditions for winterkill and reduce common carp populations.

The water level reduction will also allow sediments to consolidate, permitting new growth of submerged and emergent vegetation.

The DNR notes that unless future rainfall keeps water levels too high, the drawdown will begin in the current open water season and continue into 2025.

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Following the drawdown, the DNR will stock walleye fry in Silver Lake in alternate years and continue to assess winterkill severity from either managed drawdowns or natural winterkill events.