LAKE VIEW – A Northern Iowa lake is getting upgrades and take caution on the body of water until work is completed.
A second and final season of dredging on Black Hawk Lake, located in Sac County, is scheduled to end the week of June 18th. An additional two to three weeks of site clean-up and contractor demobilization will follow the dredging work.
The Ice House Point portion of Black Hawk State Park, which includes the public boat ramp on the south shore, will be closed for a minimum of three days during the week of June 25. The contractor will demobilize the dredge and in-lake pipe during this time and remove all remaining equipment used for the project after the 4th of July holiday.
Boaters and other lake users should use caution while navigating Black Hawk Lake during completion of the dredging effort. The dredge barge and pipeline will be clearly marked with buoys and lights. Maintain a minimum of 200 feet distance from all equipment and pipelines. Do not attempt to cross the dredge pipeline, even if it is submerged.
The dredging work completed at Black Hawk Lake will improve overall water quality, fish habitat and recreational opportunities. An area approximately 174 acres in the eastern main basin of the lake was deepened to nine feet, removing about 750,000 cubic yards of material from the lake. Dredging will help manage aquatic vegetation in the main basin of the lake, reduce re-suspension of sediments due to wind and wave action, and remove high-phosphorus sediments.