The Greenprint

As many of you know, the plan for the lake restoration continues to be adjusted as design work progresses. The Iowa DNR and Story County Conservation plan to start a partial lake drawdown, to about 10 feet below full pool, on August 6, 2018. This will allow an archaeological team to survey portions of the lake and surrounding area before actual in-lake construction begins. 

This new depth will change what amenities are functional and available to the public. We expect the north boat ramp to be out of the water and closed, but will consider options to extend the south boat ramp so it can remain open for boaters to access the lake. The beach area and concessions will close as we will no longer have water in this shallow area of the lake. The main channel that runs through the lake will be still be open and have up to 20 feet of water. The relaxed fishing regulations that went in effect on July 10th allow anglers to more freely harvest game fish and will remain in effect until in-lake construction begins.

In-lake construction could begin as early as December 2018, depending on the following two factors; 1) if no further investigation is needed for the archaeological survey and 2) if bids for the project come back favorable and are awarded. The entire lake restoration project is expected to be completed as early as spring of 2020, with the goal of returning the lake to full pool in the spring and early summer of 2020. 

Stay tuned for project updates as we continue to move forward! We'll do our best to keep you up-to-date. Please call our office with any questions.