In recent FILA columns, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been mentioned because of their partnership with locals that have enhanced various bodies of water throughout Iowa. The following is a summary of projects directed at Five Island Lake. Nothing could have been done locally on the scale of the projects completed without the DNR. The information is from a publication released by the Iowa DNR entitled Leading Iowans in Caring for Our Natural Resources by Kayla Lyon.
In 1989, following years of diminished recreational opportunities and poor water quality conditions due to low lake levels, a group of concerned Emmetsburg citizens formed the Five Island Lake Board. They established two major goals for the project: increase the lake water depth; and, improve the lake water quality. Goals of the 1994 diagnostic feasibility study included goals for dredging and shoreline stabilization. From the early 90’s, the Lake Board has stabilized almost 10.5 miles of lake shoreline, dredged over 7 million cubic yards of silt, and has worked in the watershed to reduce nutrients and sediment from entering the lake. Funding for this project since 2000 has required a combination of 1:1 state and local matching grants. Dredging concluded in 2015 and together the DNR and the City of Emmetsburg began moving forward with a new plan to improve water quality in the lake.
The City hosted an informational meeting in winter 2016 to explore the need for additional restoration work at Five Island Lake. While dredging improved overall depth of the lake, water clarity only improved marginally, thus there was a need to explore other alternatives for the lake. The city, in partnership with the DNR, issued a request for proposals in the summer of 2016 to complete a lake and watershed assessment and examine the current outlet structure at the lake. FYRA Engineering was hired to complete a two-year study that culminated with a suite of restoration alternatives for project partners to consider, as well as a watershed assessment that will allow partners to better address watershed issues. Preliminary watershed modeling results show that about half of the total phosphorus load to the lake was coming from the watershed, and about half of the annual load was recycled internally, thus focusing on both watershed and in-lake restoration strategies will be important moving forward. The long-term goal for the project was to find alternatives for the lake that would result in better water quality while minimizing the impact of excessive vegetative growth in the lake.
In 2018, the DNR also initiated a study to better understand how rough fish may be impacting water quality at Five Island Lake. As part of this project, carp and buffalo fish populations are tagged and monitored annually to determine the total number of fish in the lake and their relative biomass. These rough fish can have a negative impact on water quality as they shift the plankton community in the lake and stir up bottom sediments.
All of this lake work resulted in hiring a watershed coordinator to begin watershed planning efforts. Currently the Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing a grant that was submitted earlier this year. Funding would assure that quality lake restoration efforts finish the work needed at Five Island Lake.
Previous question’s answer: Five Island Lake is a state-owned lake which is why the DNR is involved in its restoration.
Question: What locally elected state official has been a leader in the lake’s restoration?
Submitted by Diane Weiland
Comments