The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1935-06-20
S17,5OO For
Birch Lake
Park Project
Part of $5,000,000 Reclama.
ton Plan to Enhance
Minnesota's Lakes
EXTENSIVE PROGRAM
Build Dam To Raise The
Water Levels of All
Lakes in Chain

Authorization for the expendi-
ture of $17,5OO on the Birch Lake
chain, IL miles east Of Sank Cen
tire, was made recently in the So
100000 program of reclamation
work carried on In Minnesota I'M
der the ERA. This money will be
used partly in the acquisition OF
$50 acres Of land to be used for
park purposes. The object OF the
expenditure Is to beautify and en-
nance the land in the vicinity OF
the lakes. Other work on the
Birch Lake chain is now under
construction.
Water levels Of the three beauti-
full lakes on the north boundary OF
Stearns county will be raised from
two to three feet, and large fish
propagation reservoir will be es-
tablished at Melrose upon compile
ton of two major federal ERA
projects now in full swing under
the supervision Of c. j. Knutson,
ERA engineer for the Stearns-
Benton relief area.
The three lakes, Big Birch, Little
Birch and Lake Sylvia, lie in a
glacial morraine, partially in Todd
county and partially in Stearns.
The area surrounding them is
comprised of rough, billy country,
covered over for the most part
with dense deciduous wood tracts.
1t Is one of the beauty spots OF
central Minnesota and has state
park possibilities.
At the lower end Of Lake Sylvia
a retention dam and dyke are un-
der construction which will close
the outlet Of the lake and make
possible a high water condition In
the three bodies Of water. Lake Syl-
via has been lowered considerably
the past five years, its natural out
let draining all the surplus water
to Sank River about Is to 20 miles
to the south.
With the dam and dyke in place,
a large surplus Of water content
can be maintained and controlled.
Big Birch lake lies about third
of a mile to the northeast Of Lit
tie Birch and it has been found
necessary to dig long channel
connecting the two. About half OF
this channel has been completed,
and 1t is estimated that another
month will be needed to finish the
work. There is also 300 foot
channel already cut between Little
Birch lake and the upper end OF
Lake Sylvia.
Work on the channels necessi-
tated connecting between Little
creeks connecting between Little
Birch and the two other bodies Of
water. Recent rains in the mean
time have raised Little Birch
about three feet, water level 1t
has not known in many years.
Three feet water elevation Is con-
sidered a lot in lake Of this
size. Most of the lakes former
shore-line, exposing broad stretches
of beach, and sand bars, now lies
under water. Reeds which usually
stood high out Of water now bare
ly show their tips. The clear blue
waves Of the lake now splash
against the trunks Of trees and
bushes q hundred feet from the
edge OF the lake proper. It is
hardly believable that trees last
year starved by drought should
this year be drowned by water that
is part of the body Of the lake.
I'm another month everything
will be set for a connecting Of the
three lakes. Then it is up to rain
fan and the dam on Lake Sylvia to
do the rest.
The channel connections are
wide and deep enough to afford
from eight to ten miles Of ideal
canoeing and boating in the lake
chain.
Arthur Des Marais is foreman
Of the crew of Al relief laborers at
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