Seriously, I don’t know the answer to that question, and wondering if anyone can fill me in?
It all came about after brunch with a friend on Sunday, I was on a mission to find wall hooks (cheap) I finally just gave in at Lowes. So we drove around the Lake’s complex because I had not seen it yet. My friend says to me, “That’s a lake?” and wondered what qualifies as a lake, I told her I really didn’t know.
Does anyone?
The other part that I wondered about is if it is a lake will there be access for boats to fish on it and will people be able to swim in it? Or is it just for looks? I have heard rumors that boating or swimming in the lake is probably NOT a good idea because the family who owned it MIGHT have used it for a construction scrap dump. I have no idea if that is true, but I would be curious what is at the bottom of that lake.
I’ll await your answers.
I would call it an agricultural runoff containment facility. Which is typical of southeast SD.
I’m sure in Minnesota this would count as one of the 10,000 lakes, so why not here…
I would hazard to guess that swimming or drinking from that lagoon is no less harmful than from any other open surface water source in the Sioux Falls vicinity. Imbibe at will.
It sounds better than Pond Lorraine, or Runoff Containment Facility Lorraine, or Slough Lorraine for that matter. But if a pawn shop ever locates there, perhaps it should be called Pawn Lorraine, or Consignment and Containment on the Lorraine, or better yet, Slough Falls Pawn at the Lorraine….
But how many of you really think that most of these stores will still be open ten years from now or replaced by other retail stores? I doubt it. Ten years from now, thanks to Amazon, my guess is that this “Lake” will be encircled mostly with predatory corporate home offices and appropriately nicknamed “Swamp Lorraine”….
The waterhole is a likely an oxbow of Skunk Creek.
Much of downtown pre-1980’s urban renewal is in the bottom. In the 1990’s a dredge was put on the waterhole to pull out as much dangerous junk as possible. I once joked with Warren Friessen how it would be great to get some of those buildings out of there and put them back downtown.
The proof is in this aerial photo.
A marketing tool, but not a lake.
I would agree it is not a Lake. I would call it a pond or a borrow pit. If they want to call it a lake then I think they should add a dock and stock it with fish for kids to go fishing while their parents are shopping.
“Lake Lorraine is a clear water lake on the Skunk Creek aquifer—it’s spring fed.”
https://www.lakelorrainesiouxfalls.com/history/
It has great water quality. I’m just hoping it stays that way.
I remember when it was dry but sometimes a pond from runoff. Is it named after someone who complained about mosquitos? It’s become a developers designation so that it’s not retail and office associated with the city’s reputation.
There’s an area called Las Colinas between Dallas and Fort Worth. It’s a large man made lake. Originally, it was to have channels for alleys so residents would have boat access to their mansions. It later became office park development.
It’s an old gravel pit. The Friessen family mined it for years while waiting for the right time to launch the development happening now.
I’m aging myself here. I got my drivers license in ’65. Had a few friends that lived in a small housing development northwest of 41st and Marion. About 40 homes. Thats all that was anywhere west of l-29, except for a strip along west 12th street. Everything south and west of 41st and Marion was a huge slough. Great duck hunting. Do not recall at all a body of water where Lake Lorraine is now. Good info Waterkeeper and Bruce.
Like mmm said, it’s an old gravel/sand pit for Freissen construction. It was dry while it was active because they used pumps to keep the water out. After they were done with it, it filled up with ground water. Same thing with the lake at Family Park.
Its a slough. Cast a line in there and I’ll bet you’ll be in the back of a squad car before your worm drowns.