On Tuesday, October 11th the Milford City Council approved an agreement with Dickinson County with regards to the outlet at Lower Gar. The county will replace some of the culverts with a bridge. IGLA’s own Bill VanOrsdel is thrilled with the development as our nonprofit has been working on a solution for over a decade … Read more
(Milford)– Another governmental entity has voted to set aside funds in the battle against eurasian watermilfoil on the Iowa Great Lakes. The Milford City Council Monday evening voted unanimously in favor of a motion by councilman Andy Yungbluth… “I’ll make a motion that we take $6,000 from the Water Quality Commission remaining money this year, … Read more
9/6/2022 KUOO Radio (Spirit Lake)– We told you several weeks ago about eurasian watermilfoil being found in several of the Iowa Great Lakes. The invasive plant was discovered nearly a month ago in Upper and Lower Gar, East Lake Okoboji and Lake Minnewashta. Terry Wilts of the East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation told the Dickinson County … Read more
Spirit Lake, IA (KICD 107.7 Radio)– A public beach in the Iowa Great Lakes has a swimming advisory headed into the last weekend before labor Day. The Iowa DNR does periodic tests at public beaches, and the last test on Wednesday indicates a higher than normal level of E Coli bacteria at Emerson Bay on … Read more
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the water concentration of E. Coli on Crandall’s Beach on Big Spirit Lake has surpassed the capabilities of DNR test kits. The beach registered more than 24,000 viable bacteria. This is 10 times what is considered unhealthy. Rapid bacteria growth may be due to recent summer temps or … Read more
The Okoboji Blue Water Festival has fast become an Okoboji summer tradition. Join fellow lake lovers this Saturday, August 13 for a full day of fun along the shores of our majestic lakes. Schedule of 2022 Festival Events • 8 AM-Chalkstock • 8:30 AM-James L. Pease presentation “Connecting Wildlife and Water Quality” • 9:30 AM-Kid’s … Read more
IGLA has been monitoring the number of proposed campgrounds at both the county & city level in our area. Here are headlines from the past 6-months. People are paying attention.
SPIRIT LAKE – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed Eurasian watermilfoil is growing at multiple locations in East Okoboji Lake, Upper Gar Lake, Lake Minnewashta, and Lower Gar Lake in Dickinson County The Iowa DNR Aquatic Plant Management team monitors 153 sites at the Iowa Great Lakes each year. Each site is visited … Read more
June 28, 2022 Dickinson County Board of Supervisors approved a recommendation from the county’s Planning & Zoning Commission to move campgrounds in areas zoned R-1 suburban residential & resort enterprise from permitted uses to conditional uses in those areas. Zoning Administrator David Kohlhaase says the move will allow for some “additional checks & balances”. At … Read more
It was standing room only in the April Dickinson County Board of Adjustment meeting as a 174-site campground was proposed at the Woodlyn Hills Golf Course. One of the developers of the proposed campground, Brian Schmidt said this would fill a void in our community. Neighbors voiced concern over public safety, noise, aesthetics, traffic and … Read more