Spirit Lake, Iowa – As we reported previously, the emergency 5 mph rule currently in effect on all lakes in Dickinson county will be lifted at 6:00 am Saturday (July 20th), provided the level of West Lake Okoboji remains below the threshold of 6.20 feet. The level dropped below that at 6:00 am Wednesday. According to the rule established by the Emergency Management Commission, the level needs to remain below the threshold 72 hours before the 5 mph rule can be lifted. Rain chances are in the forecast Friday night and into the upcoming weekend but at this point it isn’t certain if that would be enough to push levels back up beyond the 5 mph trigger.
Even once the limit DOES come off, officials are urging everyone to be sensitive along areas of shoreline where there’s been substantial damage. Mike Hawkins of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the concern is that careless operation of watercraft in those areas could hinder emergency repair operations and perhaps cause even more damage.
Here is a map of the sensitive locations
(Story and image courtesy Community First Broadcasting station KUOO in Spirit Lake)
