Posted on July 4, 2023
Black Hawk Lake ended its final season of dredging last week, removing about 750,000 cubic yards of material from the lake to improve the overall water quality.
The dredging should also improve fish habitats and recreational opportunities, according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Natural resources.
“Dredging will help manage aquatic vegetation in the main basin of the lake, reduce re-suspension of sediment due to wind and wave action and remove high-phosphorus sediment,” the press release noted.
The Ice House Point area of the state park, which includes public boat ramps on the south shore, will close for at least three days this week.
Another two to three weeks of site clean-up now follows the dredging. Contractors will demobilize the dredge and in-lake pipe after the Fourth of July. The dredge barge and pipeline will be marked with buoys and lights. There should be a minimum of 200 feet from all equipment and pipelines.
The DNR asked all boaters and lake users to navigate the lake with caution as the project is completed.
