New Lake Delhi dam and spillway. (file photo)
A celebration kicks off Saturday at the refilled eastern Iowa lake that drained seven years ago when its dam collapsed.
“You’re going to want to come to the south side of the dam, not only to see the dam and to see the new spillway and to see the lake full.” That’s Steve Leonard, president of the Lake Delhi District. He says they’re calling it the “Dam Right We’re Back Bash.”
“We’re actually starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday with a fishing derby,” Leonard says. “So for all those people who love to fish get to come and stock your boat up with as many people as you can for this fish derby to catch a lot of different types of fish and the entry fee per boat is only $40.”
A $16 million replacement dam was constructed to reestablish Lake Delhi and the process of refilling the lake began last summer. A Las Vegas magician will do two afternoon shows tomorrow at the Cedar Cove on Lake Delhi. Five bands are scheduled to play sets during the day and evening at three different locations along the lake shore.
The original dam that created the lake was built in the 1920s and used for hydroelectric power. It became a private lake in the early 1970s after Intertate Power stopped using the dam to generate electricity. The dam failed in July of 2010 when heavy rains flooded the Maquoketa River valley.
(By Janelle Tucker, KMCH, Manchester)