Highland advances Silver Lake sediment control project to protect drinking water

By Editor | April 23, 2026 |

By Brittany Blackwell, Reporter • Officials are advancing the latest sediment control project aimed at protecting Silver Lake, the community’s primary drinking water source for more than 10,000 residents.

The city plans to construct a sediment basin at a key point where runoff from over 400 acres of farm fields, subdivisions and forested areas flows into the lake. The structure will be used to capture sediment — allowing that material to settle and cleaner water to pass through — and will be located near the lake’s emergency boat ramp.

Chris Conrad, city manager, explained how this latest installation is part of ongoing efforts to improve drinking water quality for customers and manage the lake’s capacity.

“Eventually, we want to conduct a dredging project on the north end of the lake to re-establish lost capacity, but you wouldn’t do that until you stop the intrusion of sediment,” he said. “So these types of projects are done first. This is another big stab at catching the sediment.”

The project builds on more than a decade of work with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), including shoreline stabilization and erosion control and HeartLands Conservancy, such as grant submission and payouts. The total project is estimated to cost $310,420 and is part of an IEPA grant for cost-sharing with the city.

Ryan Hummert, the city’s natural resource manager, said the project has been on the radar for about five or six years.

“The project does not have a huge impact on the budget. We’ve taken advantage of this grant a couple of times,” he said.

Hummert explained how several lake studies, as well as the most recent work by Michael Andreas, a retired engineer from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, have been helpful in identifying concerns and prioritizing problem areas.

The IEPA grant also supports private landowners, prompting the city to work with dozens of property owners over the years to implement conservation practices.

The project is expected to go out for bid as a result of city council’s approval on April 20 during its regular meeting on May 4. Construction is expected to take six to 10 weeks, weather permitting and is designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding shoreline.