Silver Lake Water Quality Project
Trees growing in gravel beds
What's happening
The Watershed District is working to engage residents who live in Silver Lake's watershed to take action to protect clean water. We hope to install more than 100 trees, educate residents on how they can help protect clean water, and empower residents to make changes to their landscapes.
Where
Located in Shorewood, Silver Lake sits at the edge of the watershed district. It is the only lake in the district that has wild rice, a rare plant to find in metro area lakes!
Why it's happening
As a part of her year-long workplan, MN GreenCorps member Amy Bakkum is focusing on improving water quality in the Silver Lake sub-watershed area. Working with local community members is essential to the success of this project, and to the healthy of Silver Lake. By embarking on this project together we will soak more water into the ground, filter pollution like phosphorus out, and help make Silver Lake healthy.
Silver lake Subwatershed
Not sure if you live in the Silver Lake subwatershed? Check out the subwatershed map below.
How can you get involved?
The Watershed District will be reaching out to all residents in the Silver Lake watershed to get involved. The District will provide tree saplings for interested residents. The district will also provide education, guidance, and support for those looking to get involved in other capacities.
Plant a tree
The District will provide trees to Silver Lake residents interested in having one planted on their property. Planting trees on your property provides a full range of ecosystem services. Trees provide a number of benefits when it comes to minimizing stormwater runoff.
Sign up for a tree
Improve landscape practices
Residential stormwater BMPs are “best management practices” used to minimize stormwater runoff that carries potential pollutants with it—fertilizer, leaf debris, road salt, etc. The water flowing from your yard into the storm drain is rarely treated before it empties into a nearby waterbody. What we do on the landscape directly impacts our water resources.
Adopt a Drain
Adopt a storm drain on your street to keep your neighborhood clean and protect Silver Lake. Adopt-a-Drain asks residents to adopt a storm drain in their neighborhood and keep it clear of leaves, trash, and other debris to reduce water pollution. Volunteer fifteen minutes, twice a month.
Adopt a DrainSilver Lake Project: Tree Sign Up
May 8, 2020
Descriptions of trees available and recommendations for interested residents.
Silver Lake Project Start
May 8, 2020
Trees for this project are currently growing in gravel beds at the District office. Silver Lake watershed residents can sign up now for a tree.