What is bad about silt in a lake?

Answer 1

Silt is a particle of dirt (inorganic matter) that is technically small than sand but bigger than clay. There is nothing wrong with silt in and of itself. However, over time, the 'build up' of silt over time is the problem. Over time, silt and bio matter (organic such as leaves, tree limbs, etc.) accumulate on the bottom of a lake. The depth of the lake then gets shallower. Slowly. Eventually, the water gets deprived of oxygen and can potentially kill life in the lake. Silt and biomatter can also produce gases which can be fatal to lake organisms. Fish are particularly succeptable to this happening. The shallower the lake, the more various weed and algae grows and continues to choke the lake. Bottom line is, silt and bio sludge buildup can be harmful and should be monitored and removed should it become a life starving catalyst to a slow death of a lake. A deep lake also provides shelter and cooler water for fish to survive and thrive.