• 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 / News / DNR to discuss improvements to Elm Lake

DNR to discuss improvements to Elm Lake

July 6, 2016 By Matt Kelley

dnr-LOGO-thmbA meeting is scheduled for this afternoon to discuss planned improvements to a lake that is described as having “some of the poorest water quality in the state.” That’s Iowa DNR wildlife biologist T.J. Herrick’s assessment of Elm Lake in Wright County.

“What we’re dealing with in Elm Lake is just consistent high water levels, high rough fish populations, and high algae blooms and algae concentrations in the water,” Herrick says. The “rough fish” are carp and they’re taking the blame for the lake’s condition.

“The carp keeps the desirable rooted aquatic vegetation out of the lake and the nutrients are then used by the algae, which leads to the very poor water quality,” Herrick says. Elm Lake, located five miles northeast of Clarion, covers 460 acres and has a maximum depth of just eight feet. Herrick believes removing a lot of the carp will improve its water quality. He cites a nearby water body, Rice Lake, as a successful example of a shallow lake restoration.

Herrick says Rice Lake, at one time, had water quality and clarity problems similar to those at Elm Lake. “Clarity, especially, was very poor in Rice Lake. We would measure that in inches every year…but, just a month or so ago, Rice Lake had water clarity of over seven feet,” Herrick says.

The Iowa DNR has been working to improve shallow lakes around the state for the past decade. Today’s “informal” meeting is scheduled 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Wright County Conservation Board shelter on the north end of Lake Cornelia.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Outdoors

Featured Stories

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

Iowan who was oldest person in the U.S. dies

Iowa Lottery to start making some payments via debit cards

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

Northern Iowa men host Valparaiso

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC