Clean Water Concert

By Taylor on July 28, 2015 in Blog

The sun sets over West Okoboji Lake. (Photo by Don Poggensee)

The Okoboji Protective Association will host its annual Clean Water Concert at Preservation Plaza in Arnolds Park as part of a clean water awareness effort on Saturday, August 8, from 4-7 p.m. There will be information sessions and family-friendly activities throughout the evening.

The public is invited to hear INHF president Joe McGovern speak at the OPA’s annual meeting, which will run from 5-6 p.m. at the event. Big Blue Sky Band will perform at 7:30 p.m.

The OPA is a non-profit organization that has worked to preserve and enhance the ecological health of West Lake Okoboji and the entire Iowa Great Lakes watershed since its founding in 1905.

INHF has also worked on various projects in the Iowa Great Lakes watershed:

Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance

In 1989, INHF helped form an alliance of public and private groups to protect Iowa’s Great Lakes. Today, INHF remains an active partner of the alliance, which has protected thousands of acres through public acquisition and private conservation easements.

Garlock Slough

(Photo by Daniel Ruf)

A large natural marsh just south of West Okoboji Lake, Garlock Slough is a large natural marsh that, like a giant sponge, absorbs impurities that would otherwise trickle into the waters of Iowa's Great Lakes.

Almost 10 percent of the water flowing into West Okoboji Lake enters through Garlock Slough and its network of smaller wetlands. INHF has worked local landowners to protect 120 acres of marsh and grassland south of the slough. Preserving this land will help nearby wetlands better function and make sure that their water quality benefits are fully felt.

Iowa Great Lakes Trail

Twenty-five miles of asphalt and concrete, the Iowa Great Lakes Trail winds its way through the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes region, which offers visitors many outdoor opportunities, including natural areas that INHF has helped to protect. The multi-use trail runs throughout Dickinson County, including places like Spirit Lake, Okoboji, West Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Milford and Lake Park.

West Okoboji Lake

INHF has worked on restoring two properties perfectly positioned to improve water quality at West Okoboji Lake. Once fully restored to wetlands and prairie, the two natural areas will filter silt loads entering West Lake Okoboji from one of the most damaging subwatersheds. They can also significantly reduce nutrient loads of nitrogen and phosphorus.

For more information about the concert, contact Paige Ellensohn at pcellensohn@gmail.com.