Diamond Lake’s Future Development Project:

Click here for a drawing of the project.

Click here for work in progress photos.

The Poweshiek County Conservation Board has recently acquired (2006) 86 acres of land (Jordan Land) which lies directly east of Diamond Lake Park.  Funding for this land acquisition project came from a Land and Water Conservation Grant (a federal grant), with the remaining funds coming from the Brownell’s Family Foundation, Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors and Diamond Lake camping receipts.

With this acquisition, the Board will now be able to enhance and protect the Diamond Lake watershed, as well as, develop this area for additional recreational opportunities with the construction of a modern campground.

This 1.5 million dollar project will focus on the development of the new campground at Diamond Lake.  The Board’s design of the campground area would include: constructing a new 45 site electrical campground with asphalt roads and gravel camping pads; constructing small tent camping area; constructing a playground; constructing a restroom/shower house facility; constructing a small picnic area; planting several (85) trees throughout the proposed campground; and planting several acres of native grass and forbs that would surround the campground.  Construction on the campground will hopefully start in 2010.

The Board started construction last fall (2007) and will finish this spring on the 7 acre pond with a silt basin at the east end.  This pond project will further protect the water quality of Diamond Lake from the east side (the last major drainage coming into Diamond Lake which has no protection).  The Board has received two State Fish Habitat Stamp Grants, the first to cover the cost of constructing the pond, and the second, a grant to armor the shoreline and jetties with rip rap (large rocks).

The Board has also secured DOT Enhancement funds to construct a one mile asphalt trail that would run from Diamond Lake to the City of Montezuma.  This trail will connect with the proposed new campground.  The $170,000 Region 6 DOT Grant becomes available in FY ’10 and construction on the trail should start in FY ’11.

The last phase of the development for this 86 acre project is the construction of four to six camping cabins located at the extreme south end of the 86 acres, just off County Road F-57.  The Board would like start on the cabins hopefully within the next 5 to 10 years, of course, when depends on available funding.

 

Diamond Lake Park
4896 Stagecoach Road 
P.O. Box 666
Montezuma, IA  50171
641-623-3191