Echo Lake dam: Burlington voters to voice support, opposition
BURLINGTON, Wis. - Some Wisconsin voters this fall will weigh referendum questions on guns, marijuana, abortion – and even the future of a lake.
These are advisory referenda, meaning the votes won't change law but will tell elected officials what voters think of the topics.
Burlington voters will weigh the future of Echo Lake. The question is whether to save Echo Lake by modifying the dam to state flood standards, or remove the dam, lose the lake and thus bring back the stream of the White River.
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Echo Lake was created in 1835 and has hosted generations of people since 1835, including for small boat races, hockey, ice skating and fishing.
"It’s been there for a long time, but the river was there before the dam," said Jack Simenson, who backs removing the dam and restoring the river.
Echo Lake in Burlington
Since this referendum on the ballot is advisory, the Burlington Common Council ultimately will decide what to do.
"It would break my heart. It would suck," said Anthony Sibo, who wants to save the lake. "This is my go-to lake. I live four minutes away from here."
Anthony Sibo fishing (Courtesy: Anthony Sibo)
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In 2015, an inspection found Echo Lake's dam was not capable of holding a 500-year flood without overtopping. The city had to meet the state requirements in 10 years, which is 2025.
The city is considering two options. It has shared renderings depicting what the site would look like without the dam and lake. It would make a path for the White River. The city estimates this option would cost local taxpayers $7.7 million. For the average homeowner with a property of $236,000, that would come out to $119.09 a year.
"A dam blocks sediment from a river coming down, so when you have a concrete barrier, and you have rivers coming through there, the sediment stops and continuously backs up," said Simenson, who lives in Burlington and works on erosion and sediment control.
"I understand why people want to keep it, it’s a focal point of the town, but purely from an economical standpoint, it just doesn’t make sense to continuously throw money at this and kick the can down to a future generation that may have to re-dredge this lake."
Echo Lake in Burlington
Proponents of saving the lake disagree. The Save Echo Lake & Dam Facebook group has roughly 1,700 members. Organizer of the group, Matthew Snorek, said, "The city has never continuously thrown money at it. In fact, they have never done anything that we can find records of as far as dredging. The lake has been neglected."
A Facebook group for the other side, the White River Renewal WRR, has about 350 members. Emails to the group requesting an interview were not returned.
The renderings of a modified Echo Lake dam also show updates to the lake. The $8.1 million dollar price tag includes dredging the sediment from the lake. It would come out to $125.29 a year for the average home of $236,000.
"The big fish like to chill in places like this. This is a great set up for fishing," said Sibo. "The biggest pike I’ve caught out of here is 44 inches and the thrill out of that is breathtaking. That’s why I’m so addicted to this lake."
"I really think from an ecological standpoint, removing the dam is kind of a no-brainer," said Simenson.
Voters will soon decide: restore the river or save the lake.