Lake Ahquabi State Park is a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, US, featuring a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

. ''Ahquabi'' means "resting place" in the

Fox language Fox (known by a variety of different names, including Mesquakie (Meskwaki), Mesquakie-Sauk, Mesquakie-Sauk-Kickapoo, Sauk-Fox, and Sac and Fox) is an Algonquian language, spoken by a thousand Meskwaki, Sauk, and Kickapoo in various locations i ...

. The park is south of Indianola and south of

Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

. Three sections of the park were listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1991.

History

The area was recommended for a state park site by J.N. "Ding" Darling. The city of Indianola acquired the first in 1934, and it was known initially as Indianola State Park. with From 1934 to 1937

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

(CCC) Company 769 and a side camp built facilities in the park. They constructed the dam and reservoir from April 1934 to July 1935. However methods at the time did not consider long-term effects of the surrounding

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

. By the 1980s

sedimentation Sedimentation is the deposition of sediments. It takes place when particles in suspension settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the ...

had shrunk the reservoir by and agricultural pollutants in

surface runoff Surface runoff (also known as overland flow) is the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. This can occur when th ...

had reduced the

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

. Various government and community organizations began working with neighboring landowners to improve Lake Ahquabi. Widespread adoption of

soil conservation Soil conservation is the prevention of loss of the topmost layer of the soil from erosion or prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Slash-and-burn and other unsust ...

practices by local farmers and the development of buffer wetlands and sedimentation basins have halved the amount of sediments and nutrients reaching the lake. In the mid-1990s the lake was extensively

dredged Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...

, the shoreline stabilized, the

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

improved, and an

aeration Aeration (also called aerification or aeriation) is the Systems engineering process, process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or solvation, dissolved in a liquid or other substances that act as a fluid (such as soil). Aeration proces ...

device installed. Game fish like

largemouth bass The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, but ...

bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...

, sunfish,

channel catfish The channel catfish (''Ictalurus punctatus'') is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States, the ...

, and

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxis'' ...

were stocked. After restoration Lake Ahquabi State Park's annual visitation and fishing use each increased three-fold. Anglers have been catching an average of 2.7 fish per hour, twice the catch rate of most Iowa lakes. It has been estimated that the money brought into the local economy by increased visitation equalled the $4 million spent on the restoration project within 2 years.

National Register of Historic Places

On November 15, 1990 three areas of the park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Their historic importance is derived from their association with the CCC. The park was part of a larger study of Iowa's state parks called the . Area A focuses on a picnic area that includes the park's entrance portals, a picnic shelter, two latrines, three fountains, a footbridge, and the associated landscaping and trails. These facilities were built from December 1934 to April 1935. Area B includes the bathhouse, restroom, and concession. Company 769 began construction of these facilities in May 1935, and the side camp completed them by September 1937. with Area C is the lodge or refectory. It was begun in July 1936 and completed in July 1937. with The

Rustic Rustic may refer to: *Rural area *Pastoral Architecture * Rustication (architecture), a masonry technique mainly employed in Renaissance architecture * Rustic architecture, an informal architectural style in the United States and Canada with sever ...

style was used in the design of the buildings. The significance of this architectural style is that it was designed to blend into its natural surroundings by means of its material, design, and workmanship. Areas A and B are

historic districts A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...

, while Area C is an individual listing.

Facilities

The lakeside campground offers 141 sites, 85 of which have electrical hookups, and a youth group camp area. There are modern restrooms and showers and two

holding tank dump station A dump station is a place where raw sewage may be entered into a sanitary sewer system in a safe and responsible way. Dump stations are often used by owners of motorhomes, campervans, recreational vehicles or boats that are equipped with toilet f ...

s. A stone lodge built by the CCC and three open shelters can be reserved for private events.

Recreation

Lake Ahquabi State Park includes a sandy beach and two boat ramps. A park

concession Concession may refer to: General * Concession (contract) (sometimes called a concession agreement), a contractual right to carry on a certain kind of business or activity in an area, such as to explore or develop its natural resources or to opera ...

rents canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats and sells food and bait. Jetties and an enclosed, handicap-accessible pier accommodate shoreline fishing. Circling Lake Ahquabi is a gravel trail which in winter is open to

snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

and

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

. Other trails wind through the woods that flank the reservoir.

References

External links

Lake Ahquabi State Park
{{authority control Civilian Conservation Corps in Iowa State parks of Iowa Protected areas established in 1936 Protected areas of Warren County, Iowa Ahquabi Bodies of water of Warren County, Iowa National Register of Historic Places in Warren County, Iowa Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Park buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Rustic architecture in Iowa 1936 establishments in Iowa