Capitol Lake in Pierre will be dredged for the first time in over 30 years. The state Bureau of Administration expects the work to be completed this fall.
The lake will be completely drained and left to dry. Then, machinery will remove sediment from the lake’s bed.
The project is part of a multi-year effort to revitalize the lake complex, which includes memorials for military veterans. Last year, state legislators approved $500,000 in state money for improvements, in addition to $3 million from the federal government's American Rescue Plan.
In addition to dredging the lake, the Bureau of Administration intends to build a pipeline from the Missouri River. The pipeline will be used to fill the lake and irrigate the surrounding land.
The lake is currently fed by a well that also produced natural gas, which fueled the Flaming Fountain Memorial before the gas supply ran out. That well will be plugged due to the poor quality of water it produces.
