Local Lake to be Refilled Starting Friday

DELHI, Iowa (AP) — Officials are planning to close the floodgates Friday and start refilling Lake Delhi, now that the $16 million restoration project has been finished.

The 9-mile-long lake on the Maquoketa  River emptied in July 2010 when heavy rain caused the previous dam to fail.

Property owners formed a taxing district shortly after the storms, and voters approved a $6 million bond measure for the new dam and restoration. Other money came from the state, Delaware County and private donations.

Steve Leonard of the Lake Delhi Combined Recreational Facility and Water Quality says the lake could refill in as little as four days or take three or more weeks, depending on rainfall and river flow.