Posted on October 28, 2026
By Morgan James
Silver Lake is looking a little empty as the lake was drained down to just the flow of the Zumbro River this month. Rochester’s long-planned dam modification and dredging project began earlier this month. Residents who frequent the park say it’s strange to see it drained — but a cleaner lake will be worth the wait.
“I’ve walked around this lake for several years now and it’s definitely different,” said Trish Hanson, who walks Silver Lake regularly.
The city started the drawdown Oct. 12, lowering the lake over about a week. Deputy Public Works Director Aaron Luckstein said crews will now remove sediment from the lake all the way up to Third Avenue by the Government Center.
“We’ll be removing a little over 200,000 cubic yards of material,” Luckstein said.
That sediment will be dried out, hauled to the west side of town, and reused for future construction when possible. Dredging will make the lake four feet deeper on average — up to nine feet in the deepest spots.
