Partly Cloudy / 82° F
County approves Lightning Lake pump
Published 11:14am Wednesday, May 23, 2012The Otter Tail County Board approved an easement on Tuesday that will give the Department of Natural Resources the authority to construct and maintain a pump system on the south side of Upper Lightning Lake.
The water level in the lake, located in Western Township about 12 miles southwest of Fergus Falls, has been higher than typical levels in recent years, according to DNR area wildlife specialist Don Shultz.
The system will allow the DNR to control the water level of the lake. This will improve the water quality and habitats for wildlife, he said, since sediment has been entering the lake due to eroding banks.
David Stock, who farms on the northeast side of Upper Lightning Lake, said the new system will allow him to put more of his land into production.
“I have lost around 100 acres of farmland in the last 20 years because of the steady water level increase,” he said. “If the system can bring the water level down, I will be able to retain a lot of that land.”
The water from the pump system will leave the lake and enter the Bois de Sioux Watershead, Stock said.
