Boaters Beware: Lower Water Levels at Coralville Lake

Jami Brinton, Reporter

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By KCRG Intern

Story Created: Sep 1, 2008 at 4:06 PM CST

Story Updated: Sep 1, 2008 at 4:15 PM CST

JOHNSON COUNTY - More than 6,000 people spent their Labor Day weekend at the Coralville Lake.

Every open campground was full and many took note of the tremendous amount of work that has been done to restore this popular recreation site.

In June, water flowed over the lake's spillway causing flooding in Iowa City and Coralville.

Now, the Army Corps of Engineers says the water level at the lake is lower than it has been all summer.

"The water levels have definitely gone down on lakes and there are not as many areas available to boaters as there were earlier this year," said Randy Haas, Chief Ranger at Coralville Lake.

Who would have thought that the lake that was the cause of concern for severe flooding in June would now have lower water levels prompting park rangers to tell boaters to beware.

"What people have been used to boating out here for a large part of the summer they are not able to go places they were one month ago," said Randy Haas, Chief Ranger at Coralville Lake.

Iowa City resident Andy Long and his family have been coming to Coralville Lake for decades.

"I think the lake seems really low right now," said Long. "But other than that I think they have done a wonderful job cleaning up and getting everything up and ready to go."

Among the 2,000 people who camped out this weekend were a couple of flood-affected families.

Ranger Haas says 10-15 families stayed at the campgrounds, some in tents, right after the floods, and while many of those have found new places to live, a few have made the Coralville Lake campgrounds their home.

"One's that are still out here are dealing with it pretty well and looking forward to getting back into their residences," said Haas.

Ranger Haas says he expects the flood clean-up process at Coralville Lake will take at least two more years as they await funding to re-build what was lost.

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