• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Fires/Accidents/Disasters / DNR director: new Lake Delhi must have public access

DNR director: new Lake Delhi must have public access

July 6, 2012 By O. Kay Henderson

Lake Delhi flooding in 2010. (file photo)

A key state official says a re-created eastern Iowa lake must be accessible to the public, not just the landowners around the lake.

The dam that created Lake Delhi collapsed during massive flooding two years ago, draining the lake which had only been accessible to those who owned property around the lake.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources director Chuck Gipp says since the state’s putting up about 20% of the cost of rebuilding, the lake will no longer be private.

“My position as director is to make sure, as our mission is to help enhance natural resources, that any restoration of Lake Delhi and the dam would have to ensure we had public access to that lake,” Gipp says.

This past spring state legislators committed $5-million in state gambling taxes to rebuilding the Lake Delhi Dam. “One of the conditions of the appropriation of the $5 million that would come from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund or, once again, gambling profits, is that they have to provide a plan to the legislature by December 31st of this year in how they are going to improve public access, how they are going to improve waste water issues of the homes around there,” Gipp says, “so it doesn’t become an environmental issue with the lake itself.”

There also must be a “fish passage,” according to Gipp, so fish in the Maquoketa River can swim around the new dam. Gipp made his comments today during taping of the “Iowa Press” program which airs tonight on Iowa Public Television.

The pricetag for rebuilding Lake Delhi is $17.5 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency just reversed a previous decision and has said the project is eligible for federal support, although the depth of that commitment will be determined after site visits.

The original Lake Delhi covered 450 acres and was about 9 miles long.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, News, Outdoors, Politics / Govt

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

Drake basketball season put on hold

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC