Rice Lake's other outlets were dammed and diked in the 1870s to channel more flow down the eastern outlet to power a mill in Wasioja. Nevertheless, the water level would periodically drop too low to run the mill, and it went out of business, later burning down in 1891. Most of the water control structures remained in place, however, limiting outflow and resulting in eutrophication from accumulated agricultural runoff. Rice Lake grew progressively shallower as it filled in with dead vegetation.