PIERRE S.D. – The state Bureau of Administration (BOA), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR), is working to dredge Capitol Lake to improve water quality.
Dredging is a mechanical process used to remove sediment from the bed of a waterbody. Capitol Lake has not been dredged for more than 30 years.
BOA plans to announce a request for proposals for the project in early August with the expectation the work will take place this fall.
The dredging is part of a larger Capitol Lake improvement project authorized by the 2022 legislature via House Bill 1013. The bill appropriated $500,000 in general funds and $3,000,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to develop a master plan for Capitol Lake and the Veterans Memorials, to plug the existing well, and to improve lake water quality.
The master planning process is underway and, as the project develops, will include opportunities for stakeholder engagement.
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