Lake Zumbro drawdown

The lake is slowly being brought back up to winter pool after the big fall drawdown. It has another couple feet to go fill before it hits that mark. This brings to question whether ice formation along the shorelines will be even “walking safe” until the lake level has stabilized. I haven’t been by the lake yet to see if it has begun to ice up but will be driving by there this afternoon later. In any area that has set ice I guess I’d be very leery of the ice at the shoreline out to ten feet or so as this will all be very young ice.

Why the draw down in the first place?

They draw the lake down 18″ every fall. I guess its to eliminate surprises if we get rain or a heavy mid-winter run-off event….allows for the extra water to stay in the lake without causing problems. This year the water was dropped about 4 feet to allow shoreline homeowners to do water-line maintenance and clean-up.

The south end has some ice today but certainly not anything a person is going to walk. Lots of open water running into the lake basin yet at that end. The deeper portions of the pond I didn’t see but ice there is likely not good yet if there is any.

any idea when its gonna lock up?

It looks to be at winter pool level now. With our current cold and little snow I’d say about a week and it could be walked on.

Thanks Tom

about an inch of ice along the edges, looks like someone drilled a hole and ponderosa too

35 degrees and melting today might not do it any good either. A week yet.