Lake Zumbro gets state money for dredging.
NEAR ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Thanks to the state’s bonding bill, one of the most popular lakes in southeastern Minnesota is going to get a face-lift. Homeowners have waited over 10 years for this and now, dredging parts of Lake Zumbro will become a reality.
As we’ve reported, the bonding bill is $500-million dollars and the state is throwing in $3-million dollars towards Lake Zumbro’s restoration. Rochester’s main outdoor attraction for boaters and anglers is in need of major changes, to make sure it stays a place of fun, for future generations.
While we may live in the land of 10,000 lakes…
“It’s very popular lake, it’s the only lake in southeast Minnesota,” stated lake front property owner, Sheldon King.
Lake Zumbro is the go-to lake around here for summer fun.
Sheldon King has called this 600 acre watershed, home for 41 years.
“This lake will always be in my heart, and I want this lake fixed, not for me but for the next generations,” explained King.
It’s been 11 years, since Sheldon and other lake go-ers, like Ron Fuller, began their push to dredge the lake.
“The lake has been here since 1919 and really hasn’t had any real restoration efforts take place and for all those years we’ve taken the lake for granted and now it’s time to give the lake some support,” said Fuller.
It won’t be an easy task, but members of the lakes non-profit organization, Lake Zumbro Forever, are up to the challenge.
“We have to raise another $3-million dollars on our own before the $3-million from the state can be actually dispersed,” explained King.
When project plans were drawn up a few years back, the total cost was estimated at $10-million dollars. Only 120 acres of the 600 needs to be dredged.
“There’s a wide range of depths on the lake, down near the dam it’s almost 40-feet deep, but a lot of the bays on the south end of the lake are only 1 or 2 feet deep,” said Fuller.
So how will the non-profit gather $3-million dollars? Fuller is hoping the counties of Olmsted and Wabasha will pitch-in, as well as Rochester Public Utilities since they also have a stake in the lake as an energy source. Lake Zumbro Forever members said they have 4 years to raise their $3-million dollar contribution.
Another potential source of funding could come from lake-front taxpayers as both Wasbasha and Olmsted counties have passed a resolution to form a lake improvement district.
They hope to begin dredging in the Spring of 2013 or 2014.
