A Lake Restoration Program report with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources outlines completion of multi-year restoration projects by 2024 and outlines major project plans by 2025.
The annual report is open for review and public comment until December 18.
Michelle Balmer, who works with the program, said the lake restoration projects involve community partners, watershed studies and various forms of construction to “protect that lake for the next generation of users.”
“We believe this is not only important for protecting the environment, but it is also a service that all Iowans can use,” Balmer said. “We want to make sure they have quality places where they can recreate.”
Since the program was created by the Legislature in 2006, it has removed 5 million cubic yards of excess sediment from lakes, improved 14,000 acres of wetlands and shallow lakes and used $167 million in state funding to improve 72 lakes across the state. improve the world. stands.
2024 completion of major projects
The report highlights four major projects that the department considers completed or nearing completion as of 2024. Major restorations were completed at Casey Lake in Black Hawk County, Silver Lake in Dickinson County, Three Mile Lake in Union County and a shallow lake and wetlands project in West Swan. More in Emmet County.
The four projects represent $9.6 million in state appropriated funds, federal grants and local partnerships.
According to the report, restoration of these lakes included construction and restoration of sediment and nutrient control ponds, shoreline work, improvements to surrounding tinder, sediment removal or fish habitat work.
Balmer said every project is different, but the Three Mile Lake project, for example, represents about seven years of work, from initial watershed and community studies to building new fish habitat and now waiting for the water to fill up again.
“We often spend a year or two learning more about the lake…trying to understand what the problems are, why the water quality is being negatively affected,” Balmer said. “And then what strategies can we try to use that will help improve water quality, modernize infrastructure, improve habitat for aquatic life and provide better recreational opportunities.”
At Three Mile Lake, Balmer said the department was able to create two silt ponds in the lake, which she described as berms that help slow the water and allow sediment to fall out before the water enters the lake.
Other practices, such as basins or terraces on state land upstream, help prevent sediment from washing into the lake.
Balmer said Three Mile Lake is an important fishing destination for many Iowans and visitors to the state, and the lake also serves as a drinking water reservoir, which had “important implications” for improving water quality at the lake.
Major projects planned for fiscal year 2025-2026
Balmer said that, like the other projects, the ones highlighted for the upcoming fiscal year have been in the works for several years but qualify as a major project this year because of the large investments in restoration.
McKinley Lake in Union County is getting an estimated $3.58 million project to remove excess sediment, restore the shoreline, add park amenities, improve parts of the dam and create an upstream wetland. The project is a 50-50 cost-sharing between Lake Restoration Program funds and the City of Creston.
Balmer said the department is trying to link restoration projects with other planned projects to make the most of times when campgrounds, roads or parks are closed.
Green Valley Lake and Prairie Rose Lake will undergo alum treatments in the spring to improve water quality by inactivating excess phosphorus in the water. This project is estimated to cost $1.7 million.
Diamond Lake in Poweshiek County is expected to spend $455,000 on improvements to sediment control ponds and streambank erosion control.
The largest investment will be in Lake Keomah in Mahaska County, where the shoreline will be stabilized, sediment removed, the boat ramp improved and the dam and spillway components improved. According to the report, the project is estimated to cost $4.3 million.
“Most of our lakes in the state are man-made,” Balmer said. “That means there's a dam that essentially stores water, and just like your house or other important things, it needs maintenance.”
Balmer said the Lake Keomah project has been in the works for about a decade. Previous efforts have included improvements to the surrounding timber and working with homeowners along the lake. The projects at Lake Keomah are expected to be completed between fiscal years 2027 and 2029, according to the report.
The remainder of the report details projects that are in earlier planning stages, explains the department's project selection process, and provides a further breakdown of funding and project costs.
Balmer said Iowans can contact her with questions or comments about the report through Dec. 18.
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This article originally appeared in Des Moines Register: McKinley, Keomah lakes under Iowa DNR 2025 recovery plans
