The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved a contract with the Winneshiek County Conservation Board for the construction of sediment retention basin at Lake Meyer Park. The project falls under the DNR's Lake Restoration Program and includes a 75 percent cost-share agreement on the part of the state.
The goal of Lake Meyer's inclusion in the Lake Restoration program is to improve the lake's overall water quality. The sediment basin will help do so by trapping sediment and nutrients before they can enter the lake.
Doug Egeland Tiling has been awarded a contract to complete the sediment basin. The work, scheduled for next summer, will not impact fishing or other lake use, though it will include closure of the portion of the park road that leads to the Lake Meyer Nature Center.
Lake Meyer is one of only a few lakes in Northeast Iowa and is a popular fishing, canoeing, and kayaking destination. Efforts to maintain this resource have been ongoing, but additional work is needed to fully restore the lake. Previous work includes partnerships with the Iowa DNR, the Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation District, and surrounding landowners to install watershed practices to protect the lake, including 66 acres of filter strips, 5 manure storage systems, over 35,000 feet of terraces, 3 bio-swales, and 4 wetlands. Additionally, over 11,000 tons of sediment have been removed from the lake.
For more information, contact Winneshiek County Conservation at (563) 534-7145.