Our Mission
Large, freshwater resources and ecosystems in Iowa are relatively rare and precious. They provide recreation, wildlife habitat, flood and drought protection, and aesthetic value. So when an important body of water is severely threatened by sedimentation and other forms of pollution, there’s more at stake than the loss of something beautiful to look at. And once it’s gone, there’s no bringing it back.
The Coralville Lake Foundation was formed to ensure that Coralville Lake remains a viable resource for local residents and all who visit or rely on it for their livelihood. We are a 501(c)4 Non-Profit based in North Liberty on the shores of the Coralville Lake. We are an avid water-minded group that spends most of our year on the water and around it.
We have two goals:
Raise the normal year-round pool of the Lake to 687 feet above sea level, a four-foot rise over the current 683 feet.
Removal of excess sedimentation (silt) from the northern half of the lake.
What’s the Problem?
The Lake was formed in 1958 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, drought mitigation, and recreation. Coralville Lake has long supported local ecosystems, communities, and the local economy. It sustains more than 600 jobs, dozens of small businesses, and contributes roughly $76 million annually to the region.
But the lake is disappearing. Sedimentation—soil washing in from upstream—has filled the lake with an estimated 80,000 acre-feet of material since it was created. Each year, another 1,600 acre-feet are lost, reducing capacity for flood control, degrading water quality, and fueling toxic blooms that threaten both wildlife and recreation. Without action, Coralville Lake as we know it could be gone by 2045.
A Watershed Management Authority has been launched to slow down the sedimentation from soil erosion upstream. While their work will gradually reduce the sedimentation flowing from upstream, Coralville Lake also needs to be rehabilitated and restored through raising the water level and ultimately dredging the lake to minimize the impact of sedimentation for wildlife and recreation. Either of these actions will require local, state, and likely federal government involvement
Why Coralville Lake is Worth Saving
Coralville Lake brings in approximately 1.2 million visitors annually from all over the region.
Over $76 million of local revenue is generated because of Coralville Lake.
The Lake is also responsible for almost 600 jobs that are directly tied to the lake.
There are dozens of investment and development opportunities available in and around the lake as these numbers increase over time!
Raise
Raising the water level four feet would accomplishe many goals.
1) Almost double the usable surface area of the lake. Currently, the lake is safely navigable up to Scales Point Marina and Bobbers Restaurant. Beyond that, water depth varies from three feet in the middle of the main channel to just six inches in many areas.
2) More surface area means more room for current boat traffic and creates a safer lake for all
3) Improves access to the water at two ramps and two marinas on the lake. This opens more recreation and sporting areas for all users.
But What About Flooding?
Many of us still remember 2008 vividly and the 712-foot record water level that sent millions of gallons of water into Coralville and Iowa City. Since then, the Army Corps of Engineers has used thousands of data points to better control the water level in Coralville Lake. Also, there has been noticeable shoreline erosion from natural forces that has actually increased the storage capacity of the reservoir since 2008. Plus, each Fall, the lake is raised to accommodate waterfowl hunting season. With additional studies, the Coralville Lake Foundation is confident that a rise in water level to 687 feet will not impact the primary function of the lake, which is Flood Control for the Iowa River and Mississippi River Basins.
Removal
The most common solution that everyone talks about is dredging. It is the Foundation’s long-term goal to have portions, if not most of the affected areas, dredged to increase the usable area and make the lake safer for all who use the Lake. A few things that we take into consideration when it comes to dredging:
1) Dredging is NOT Cheap. With long-term run rates ranging in the hundreds of millions of dollars, this is not something that a non-profit organization is able to fund. It will take federal and state funding over multiple years and election cycles to achieve this goal.
2) What do you do with all that silt? The material sitting at the bottom of Coralville Lake is a history of our farm’s topsoil. Which means that it contains everything that was in or sprayed on those fields. If it were removed and put on dry land, it would seep all those nutrients and chemicals into that soil and effectively kill anything on or around it. It’s not quite toxic waste, but it is unusable in its freshly removed state. That is why, on similar dredging products like those on the Mississippi River, there are whole islands devoted to dredged material to allow it to dry out for years before it can be removed. That space is at a premium, and before dredging can start, a long-term plan for that material needs to be decided upon.
Why can’t we start right away? The Lake is on a slow march to disappearing!
At the current rates of sedimentation flow, averaging over 1,600 acre-feet per year, it is simply filling in faster than it can be pumped out. Not only would a dredging project be pumping out waste only to be filled back in, but it would also effectively be wasting money.
That is why the Coralville Lake Foundation is working and communicating consistently with the Middle Iowa River Watershed Management Authority (MIWMA). They are a federally recognized coalition of governments, ranging from cities and counties to conservation departments and Native Tribal Authorities, who are working on slowing the pollution and sedimentation rates on the creeks and streams that flow into the Iowa River, further upstream from Coralville Lake. Their mission is directly tied to our own. For us to succeed, the MIWMA must begin its work, and they are well underway with studies and action plans to begin work as early as Summer 2026!
How do we accomplish these goals? With your help!
1) Donate to the Coralville Lake Foundation. You can do so by clicking our donate button.
2) Join our mailing lists by filling out your contact info below. We will have occasional “Calls to Action” to reach out to your representation in the State and Federal branches to ask for their support for our mission.
The Foundation will never sell your information or spam your inbox. We value your privacy.
Contact us
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