(Area) The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has published a report of their projects in 2021 along with plans for 2022.
Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says the Lake Restoration program began in 2006 with an allocation from the state legislature. “They allocate roughly $6-8 Million annually to this program. The legislature and the Governor recognize the importance of lakes to Iowans.”
Hayes says there are roughly 130 lakes impacted by the Lake Restoration program which has invested over $130 million over the past 15 years. One of those projects was a $4 million upgrade at Praire Rose in Shelby County. “Prior to the Lake Restoration program through the State Fish and Game Trust Fund, basically your fishing and hunting license sales, we couldn’t put a restoration package together that would even come close to $1 Million to spend on one resource, so this Lake Restoration program is really valuable to maintaining and restoring those lakes.”
According to a study, 65% of Iowans participate in water recreation. “At least one time a year they visit the lakes whether it is to fish, picnic, camp, walk the trails, or just sight seeing. So 65% of Iowans visit lakes annually and that’s projected to be a $1.1 Billion impact to the state’s economy.”
To date, DNR and project partners have completed restoration activities at 29 lakes. Currently the program is completing projects at an additional 21 lakes, and developing new projects at 14 lakes statewide.
