Is Lake Hickory Drawn Down Again
Hickory Grove project nears completion
PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — Hickory Grove park is located virtually Colo. This area is managed past the Story Canton Conservation Board. This lake has been a huge recreational destination for many decades. In 2104 and continuing into this year, an extensive listing of improvements to the watershed, to the lake shore, lake lesser and the dam itself have been accomplished. One of the remaining tasks is to depict downwardly the water level extensively to remove bother fish. Once that is achieved, the gate valve can exist closed to let the lake to refill. By 2021, a full lake and its amenities will be gearing back toward full service. Today'southward aerial image was made last June 24.
HICKORY GROVE LAKE is nearing the end of a long multi-twelvemonth process of improvements. A huge projection like this lake'due south renovation is not easy, cheap or quick. Information technology took considerable planning from many stakeholders to outline the needs for lake water quality improvements. An on-going monitoring of h2o quality over the by decades noted a decline in quality standards, enough and so that parameters for water needs found Hickory Grove's lake on a list of Dumb Waters. Indicator leaner at the embankment surface area in the past was non good.
That set in motility planning efforts to identify all things that could be done within the watershed so that incoming h2o would exist cleaner to first with. That goal seems to accept been largely successful. Hickory Grove has twoscore acres of watershed for each surface acre of h2o, a 40 to 1 ratio. The area of the lake, when filled to normal levels, volition be about 100 acres or peradventure a tad less at present that many jetties have been congenital, shoreline trail areas prepared and island access via a human foot bridge is in place. Every landowner within the watershed became cooperators to limit and amend septic systems. Land use within the watershed was also addressed to encourage farming and livestock practices to retain surface runoff.
The Story Canton Conservation Board used lots of sources of financing on this projection. Iowa has a Lakes Restoration Plan that became a major source of dollars to assist with planned work. That made up virtually 75 pct of the needs. Story CCB normal budgeting from year to yr covered the other 25 percentage. In full, Hickory Grove'due south improvements will total well-nigh $3.six meg.
While watershed stakeholders were involved early on and the lake water itself was drawn down over the last several years and kept low on purpose. A big cut into the dam was fabricated equally that a new draw downwards control structure could be installed within the original stream channel. That new control valve is about 30 feet below normal lake levels. It will allow for water level control to be used as needed now and into the future. Now it will be possible to drain the lake easily, if needed, to inside five anxiety of empty. In contrast, the old spillway and draw downwards gate could only accept the lake down past 10 anxiety, non nearly enough.
This past year, 2022 saw continuing work with Iowa Section of Natural Resources fisheries biologists to net and remove fish, particularly bother, a very undesirable species that by themselves were responsible for deteriorating water quality. Netting operations idea all the bother had been removed. Lots of fish were taken out for certain, notwithstanding during the spring of 2020, spawning carp were observed inside the remaining water pool. This was not expected or desirable.
Plan B called for stopping lake refill efforts, opening the drain valve once again and now when water becomes as low equally staff can get it, a kill for whatever remaining fish volition accept place. It is like starting over regarding fish restocking efforts. The old take to become so that new bass, bluegill and catfish restocking can resume this fall.
While the lake water was low, construction crews stabilized the shoreline with an impressive corporeality of large rock placements. This is called rip-rap and works to dissipate erosion furnishings from wind blown moving ridge activity. If 1 looks at the lake contours at present without water, you can easily run into where the new normal water level will stabilize as indicated by rock shoreline protection. Lots of fish habitat structures were placed at appropriate sites that will be unseen when full lake level returns.
Depict downward besides allowed reworking gunkhole ramps to make them wider, of the correct slope and with adjacent launching docks. A single lane boat ramp in on the southeast side of the park and not too far from the beach area is a big new parking expanse and a double wide boat ramp with launching docks. The island area is now attainable via a new jetty and steel footbridge. A hiking trail also has been built that will let people to travel completely around its shoreline.
Hickory Grove has e'er been and will keep to be a top recreational facility. The end of construction is near and once the bad fishes are removed, new water can be allowed to slowly refill the lake basin. The wait volition be worth the effort. Details and updates tin be obtained by electronic mail to the resident park ranger Luke Feilmeier at lfeilmeir@storycountyiowa.gov.
PINE LAKE STATE PARK near Eldora is planning remodeling and renovations starting time this month. Renovations to shelters, cabins and shower edifice will be on the to do list. A new shelter at Circumvolve Betoken is planned along with a vault toilet. Also on the list are plumbing upgrades and Americans with Disabilities access at the stone cabins. Wait for new showers and restrooms at the campgrounds. Campground areas will close July 27th so construction and renovation work can begin. The public is asked to be patient every bit this work progresses.
IOWA RIVER fluctuations were showing united states how large rainfall events impact the river. It is flowing bank total right at present even though the crest happened at xi a.chiliad. on Tuesday. At that time the river gauge reading was 18.11 anxiety, a level nigh six feet above "normal" period rates. Any low lying state areas were immediately impacted such equally the expanse n of Marshalltown west of Highway 14. Those inundation waters are now slowly going down. The river was near "normal" at eleven.86 feet on June 19 before big rains came. If boaters, canoeists or kayakers venture out on the river, take all precautions for subconscious hazards. And do vesture life jacket devices at all fourth dimension. Exist conscientious out at that place.
A quote for the times we find ourselves in: "Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, only manifestations of strength and resolution."
— Khalil Gibran, writer, poet
and artist.
Garry Brandenburg is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Lath. He is a gradute of Iowa State University with a BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology.
Contact him at:
P.O. Box 96
Albion, IA 50005
Starting at $4.38/week.
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Source: https://www.timesrepublican.com/news/outdoors-today/2020/06/hickory-grove-project-nears-completion/
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