Group advancing Silver Lake improvements

Although there are four Silver Lakes in Iowa -- in Dickinson, Worth, Delaware and Palo Alto counties -- a group interested in the 640-acre body of water in Palo Alto County formally organized this week, with intentions of making more improvements around their recently-developed lake. The group met until the late hours of Monday night, deciding it's time to incorporate as a nonprofit organization in order to see this goal through.

The 45-acre Silver Lake Shores development in Palo Alto County, which lies west of the town of Ayrshire, sports 31 new lots on the lake's southern shore. Secluded Land Company of De Soto, Wis., the project developer, sold all of the development's one-acre or larger lakeside lots between February and May.

Curt Parks of Spencer is among the Silver Lake property owners. He volunteered to attend the regional REAP assembly held Tuesday night in Spencer. He did so as a fact finder for the newly-formed SLIP-PA (Silver Lake Improvement Project for Palo Alto County) group.

While informing those from the nine-county area who'd gathered at the REAP meeting about SLIP-PA, Parks also revealed that the group's goals include learning what their options are as far as making improvements to Silver Lake, and then pursuing funding to assist with said efforts.

WHAT ISSUES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AT SILVER LAKE?

As their new lots were being developed, interest in the condition of the prairie pothole region lake was piqued among the 31 new property owners.

Studies show that Silver Lake originally had an average 10-foot depth, with maximum depths up to 14 or 15 feet.

"Right now, the average depth of that lake is 4 feet, with a maximum depth of 6 feet," Parks said. "It's all due to sediment that's been washed into the lake over years of a lot of early-farming practices that weren't near as conscious about the environment and water quality as they are today."

The introduction of carp, a rough fish that grows and multiplies quickly, often ruining vegetation and other fish habitat in a lake, has also impacted Silver Lake's beauty.

WHY SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN THIS?

These issues are not isolated to the Palo Alto County natural lake created when the Wisconsin glacier retreated. Water quality and watershed management practices also affect other bodies of water throughout the state.

Individuals interested in participating in recreation opportunities -- whether it be swimming, boating, fishing or enjoying wildlife -- also experience the impact of muted rivers, lakes and streams.

HOW CAN YOU BECOME INVOLVED?

The SLIP-PA group elected officers, who will also serve on the pending nonprofit association's board of directors, this week. They include: Monty Leu, president; Ed Noonan, vice president; Terry Klooster, treasurer; and Rachelle Cafourek, secretary. For more information on SLIP-PA, to become a member or to make a donation toward its goals, contact one of these individuals.

"You don't have to necessarily be a Silver Lake property owner," Parks added. "Anyone interested in doing something with this lake and would like to see things improved around it is (encouraged to give a call or a donation)."