Lake Zumbro Links

If you reached this site through the mnlakes.org URL, and wish to have a direct link to the Lake Zumbro page, without first entering the mnlakes site, please bookmark the following URL:

http://lakezumbro.org

Lake Zumbro environmental monitoring sites:

Lake Zumbro graphical monitoring of lake levels, water temperature, and turbidity in near real time.

http://status.lakezumbro.org

Rochester Public Utilities owns and maintains the power dam that creates Lake Zumbro. Power is supplied to the city of Rochester from 3 turbines in the dam. The lake level is monitored in real time.
Rochester Public Utilities

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Department maintains a patrol boat periodically on the lake. It also declares whether public landings are open or closed, and whether a "NO WAKE" condition exists on the lake, due to high water.
Sheriff's Lake Zumbro Status

The USGS maintains real time levels and flow rates for the South Fork of the Zumbro river, with data orginating near the 37th St waste water processing plant. This fork, and an unmonitored middle branch of the South Fork provide most of the water flowing into Lake Zumbro.
USGS Real-time data South Fork Zumbro River

DNR Zumbro River water level reports for canoeing are maintained at weekly intervals by volunteers. The North branch of the Zumbro flows through Mazeppa, and does not enter Lake Zumbro. The table entry labled "South Branch" is the South Branch of the Middle Fork, and flows through Oronoco. The North Branch of the Middle Fork also flows through Oronoco, and is unmonitored. The "Zumbro River" table entry is monitored downstream of Lake Zumbro, in Zumbro Falls.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/river_levels/index.html

Another DNR page includes detailed PDF maps of the watershed that flows to and from Lake Zumbro.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/canoeing/zumbroriver/index.html

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) runs a Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (CLMP). Historical records for water clarity in terms of feet of underwater visibility (Secchi Disk readings) can be found here:
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Lake Zumbro Records

Oronoco Weather Forecast -
http://mn.weather-forecast.ws/oronoco

Other organizations with Lake Zumbro affinity:

Oronoco Township government site
Oronoco Township

Rochester Water Ski Club puts on free waterski shows every Wednesday night (Memorial Day through Labor Day) at 7pm, near Fishermen's Inn on Lake Zumbro.
Rochester Water Ski Club

Another organization is forming that addresses environmental issues throughout the Zumbro River Watershed, including Lake Zumbro.
Zumbro Watershed Organization

 This site has interesting old pictures of the construction of the Lake Zumbro dam.  After you reach the site, do a search on "Zumbro Dam", without the quotation marks.                                                       http://reflections.mndigital.org/index.php

 The Lake Zumbro Joint Powers Board is composed of county board members from both Olmsted and Wabasha counties.

Lake Zumbro Joint Powers Board