SILVER LAKE, Del. - Nestled between Dewey and Rehoboth Beach, Silver Lake is recognized as one of Delaware's natural gems. However, the community around the state-owned lake is expressing concerns about its future. According to locals, an owner of property around the lake is dumping dirt and soil near the lake's edge. Kathy and Tom Connelly, who live around the lake, are worried about how damaging the construction could be.
"It's devastating, it's really just so sad," said Kathy Connelly.
The Connellys say they worry about the lake becoming more contaminated if more dirt from the construction washes in.
Rick Hardy, the treasurer for Save Our Lakes Alliance 3, says Silver Lake needs to be protected, and that is why a petition was created to draw more attention to the problem and get more people involved.
"You know it's easy for our elected officials to say we'll look into it, but now I think we have over 125 people who've signed the petition, so maybe we can get them to step up and take some action to protect the lake," said Hardy.
Even before the petition, this issue was brought to the attention of county politicians. According to County Councilman Mark Shaeffer, a stop work order was issued to the owner of the property to stop further dumping.
To show how Silver Lake has changed, Jeffrey Smith, who also lives near the lake, posted drone footage of the lake from over time.
"It's really holding people accountable for what we all love about the area, and that is the wildlife and the nature," explained Smith.
In a statement to CoastTV, DNREC says it has investigated the site on a number of occasions and confirmed there are no violations. The department says the ongoing activities at Silver Lake are not within the department's jurisdiction. CoastTV also reached out to the property owner, but has not heard back.