Meeting on Blue Lake dredging set for tomorrow

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting on March 31 at the Lewis and Clark State Park’s Visitors Center to discuss ongoing lake restoration efforts at the park, including a hydraulic dredging project slated for the 2022 open water season.

Restoration activities planned for the park will be presented at the meeting, along with an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the dredging operations and potential impacts to the park throughout the construction season.

Over the past decade, members of the community have worked with DNR and other project partners to develop and implement a comprehensive lake restoration plan to improve water quality and recreational opportunities at Blue Lake.

Hydraulic dredging is a significant step in the restoration process for improving water quality in the lake, said DNR.

The dredging project at Blue Lake wildlife area is being completed in two phases:

• phase one, completed in 2021, constructed a sediment containment site for holding dredge materials from the lake,

• phase two will hydraulically remove approximately 434,000 cubic yards of sediment from the main basin of the lake to minimize sediment resuspension and improve water clarity.