Rochester City Council to vote on Silver Lake Dam bid

The Rochester City Council is scheduled to vote on a bid for the Silver Lake Dam modification project. Following previous delays caused by state and federal permitting issues, the project's costs have risen significantly compared to the $15.1 million estimate presented last year.

Public Works Department staff are recommending the approval of a bid from St. Michael-based Rachel Contracting, LLC, totaling approximately $18.9 million. This bid is the lowest of four received and includes alternative dredging options. However, a new estimate from the city engineer places the total project cost at roughly $20.9 million, with the city budgeting over $21 million to account for contingencies.

The project involves replacing the existing dam with a series of cascading pools and modifying the shoreline. Funding for the initiative will be drawn from several sources, including state funding, Rochester Public Utilities, the Stormwater Utility, and flood control funds from 1982 and 1989.