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Lake at Minnesota state park goes dry: What happened?
Lake Alice at William O'Brien State Park has dried up after a mechanical failure of the water control structure. FOX 9?s Corin Hoggard has the story.
MARINE ON ST. CROIX, Minn. (FOX) - William O'Brien State Park will be the sight of a $325,000 project that will include replacing the 1960-era water control structure and dredging the St. Croix River in response to Lake Alice nearly drying up in August 2025.
The DNR says there will be no public recreation allowed on Lake Alice until the project is completed, which is estimated to be in the fall of 2027.
READ MORE: Lake at William O'Brien State Park is nearly dried up. Here's why.
Lake Alice reconstruction plan at William O'Brien State Park
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William O'Brien State Park lake dries up
Officials say that Lake Alice at William O'Brien State Park dried up this week after a valve failed while state parks employees tried to drain a foot of water. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the details.
Big picture view:
The Minnesota DNR said it will replace the water control system that dates back to the 1960s.
The structure manages water levels in the artificial impoundment and regulates the release of water from Lake Alice to the St. Croix River.
A damaged valve led to a mechanical failure in the summer of 2025, leading to Lake Alice almost completely drying up.
State officials have now decided to replace the entire water control structure.
By the numbers:
The project is estimated to cost $325,000.
Timeline:
DNR officials shared the following estimated timeline for the project:
- Winter 2026: Project design
- Summer 2026: Permit applications, land and archeological surveys, and other natural resource field work
- Spring 2027: Water control structure construction and public water access dredging begin
- Fall 2027: Project completion
What's next:
The park's public water acces to the river will be open, as water levels allow, throughout 2026, the DNR says.
Public recreation on Lake Alice will not be available until the project is completed.
Details can be found at the William O'Brien State Park website.
Construction project details can be found on the DNR Lake Alice construction website.
What they're saying:
DNR Central Region Parks and Trails Manager Laurel Quill shared the following statement on the reconstruction plan:
"We determined a total replacement is the most cost-effective, sustainable and long-term solution for the maintaining the park’s natural resources and recreation opportunities.
"We’re thankful for the public’s continued patience as we tackle this challenge. We look forward to welcoming visitors back to a Lake Alice that has a modernized infrastructure that makes the lake more resilient for the future."
Lake Alice nearly dries up in August 2025
The backstory:
A mechanical failure led to Lake Alice nearly drying up in August 2025, the DNR reported.
State officials said this led to a "significant drawdown" of the water level on the lake.
The low water level also led to a fish kill and made the beach unusable.
The Source: This story uses information shared by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and previous FOX 9 reporting.