History of Silver Lake

History of Silver Lake. . Silver Lake is a reservoir that was created in the 1930s by hand-digging a basin to hold water and then constructing a dam to back-up river water. It was built as a work relief project, providing work for over 400 unemployed men., The land on which the Lake now lies was once a combination of small gravel and sand pits, poor pasture land, and marshes. The original 17 acre lake was designed to be a recreational feature for the City of Rochester., Today Silver Lake covers 40 acres and remains a popular destination for recreation. The Silver Lake dam controls water levels of the Zumbro River and Silver Lake., When Zumbro River water enters Silver Lake, it slows down down and sediments like dirt and sand are deposited. Over time accumulated sediments will need to be removed. Sediments can affect plant growth, alter river and lake beds, destroy spawning habitats, and carry phosphorus that fuels algae blooms. Dredging Silver Lake and sections of the Zumbro River to restore storage capacity was found to be necessary as early as 1945 and will continue as needed into the future., Photo captions (lower left to top right): , Aerial Photo of Silver Lake in 2014. , Silver Lake Dam, Manual excavation of Silver Lake circa 1930., The three bridges crossing to the island were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Take a closer look at each bridge to find how the builders left their mark!, Periodic dredging of the Zumbro River upstream of Silver Lake will prevent sedimentation of downstream water bodies., At Home and Work , Prevent sedimentation of nearby rivers by covering bare and loose soils on your property with vegetation, mulch, or tarps. Plant native trees, grasses, and flowers along shorelines to prevent erosion and stabilize soils., Learn more at www.rochesterstormwater.com