Polk County Conservation, September 2017- The Easter Lake Renovation is making progress toward our common goal. It is a complicated project involving but not limited to restoring the watershed, cleaning up the lake waters, renovating the fishery, and making multiple improvements to the park including a multiuse trail, sediment basins, shoreline restoration, boat ramp rebuild, … Continue reading Capital Project Timeline Update

Overview The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Polk County Conservation Board, and Central Iowa Anglers are working to enhance the fishery at Easter Lake. These exciting improvements include shoreline stabilization and deepening, removal of excess sediment, and construction of an in-lake silt pond. A fish rearing pond was constructed near the lake to rear Walleye … Continue reading Fisheries Improvements

Lake Impairments Overview Since its creation in 1967, Easter Lake has faced diminishing water quality due to high sediment and phosphorus loads originating in its predominantly urban watershed. Over the years, water quality has become poor in Easter Lake. The lake has shrunk from its original size in both surface area and volume. Sedimentation and … Continue reading Lake Renovations

June 28th, 2018 On June 28th, 2018 at the South Side Senior Center a public meeting was held for attendees to learn more about conceptual design plans for improvements in Yeader Creek. During the meeting, a representative from HR Green presented project information and responded to questions from the public. After the presentation, attendees were … Continue reading Phase Two Yeader Creek Stabilization

Public Meeting – May 16, 2018 On May 16, 2018 at the South Side Library at 6pm a public meeting was held for attendees to learn more about conceptual design plans for city detention basin improvements in the Three Lakes Estates neighborhood area. During the meeting, members from the City of Des Moines and Stanley Consultants … Continue reading Three Lakes Estates Detention Pond Improvements

Since the creation of Easter Lake in 1967, 30% of the lake’s volume has been lost to siltation. An estimated 60% of the contributing sediment is attributed to bank erosion, mainly from Yeader Creek. About Yeader Creek Yeader Creek is the main water source for Easter Lake. Starting near the Des Moines International Airport and … Continue reading Phase One Yeader Creek Stabilization

Construction for the dam and spillway at Easter Lake began in 1965. In 1967, Easter Lake was officially opened. As part of the Easter Lake Water Quality Management Plan, it was established that repairs and adjustments to the spillway would be needed to sustain an effective fisheries restoration. On November 2, 2015 draining of Easter … Continue reading Spillway Improvements

The original fish rearing pond located at Easter Lake was constructed in 1982. In the past, this pond has been used to rear walleye and largemouth bass fingerlings. Beginning in late 2015, repairs to the rearing pond began. As part of the repairs, pond leaks were fixed and the pond basin was graded. Additionally, a … Continue reading Fish Rearing Pond Improvements