(KIWA Staff Photo)
Okoboji, Iowa (RI) — A major expansion is underway at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, the environmental research and education center on the shores of West Okoboji Lake.
The new Innovation and Discovery Lab in Milford will add classroom space and expand facilities for water-quality testing and research.
Executive director Mary Skopec says the project will give researchers the space they need while keeping the lab accessible to learners of all ages.
The new 8,000-square-foot building will triple the number of K-12 students who can learn there — from 2,500 to 7,500 annually.
Volunteers collect water samples from the Iowa Great Lakes twice a month, and the new center will be used for testing and analysis.
The facility will cost more $6 million, funded through state support or private donations. It is expected to open in September. Future plans include adding housing and another lab closer to the lake.
