Lake Red Rock

[KOHLSDORF] In Marion County a sprawling body of water provides a man made natural playscape for outdoor recreation, while at the same time protecting rural communities and farmland from flooding.

[TRACY SPRY] There were numerous floods from the 1850s when the first communities were here, they suffered from flooding every few years. Some of them were worse than others. And so from 1960 to 1969, the construction took place that created the dam and then Lake Red Rock was a result of that of the flood risk management project that we now know today.

[KOHLSDORF] At 15,000 acres, Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake. It collects runoff from a 12,000 square mile area of Iowa and southern Minnesota in the Des Moines River Basin. The cost to build Lake Red Rock in the 1960s hovered around $88 million. The total cost today would measure over $960 million. 

[KOHLSDORF] Along with protecting communities downstream, Lake Red Rock also provides outdoor adventurers with a multitude of recreation opportunities. 15,000 acres of water invite paddlers and anglers, while 35,000 acres of land invites hikers, birdwatchers, peddlers, and equestrians.

[TRACY SPRY] Most people know that it's a place for recreation. They come here for boating, for camping, for getting out on the trails, for geocaching and a lot of different water sports and just enjoying nature. We have a lot of people just drive around enjoying nature. We have about a million visits a year, so a lot of those people already have been here. We have a lot of repeat visitors, so they often know I like Howell Station Campground, they make the reservation and we might not see them here at the visitor center. They have a plan. They have family reunions. They rent our picnic shelters. A lot of them are bike trail aficionados, and they don't really need a lot of times any prompting from us and what we have to offer, they just go out and explore.

[KOHLSDORF] Lake Red Rock also welcomes a fair share of feathered friends as a major migratory flyway. The lake acts as a large scale habitat, welcoming shorebirds, pelicans, gulls and waterfowl on their annual travels.

[TRACY SPRY] We're a globally important birding area as well. So for people who aren't maybe into the water sports or camping, they still come out here and watch eagles in the winter. We have a lot of warblers and other migratory birds that will come through here as well.

[KOHLSDORF] While its primary function is protection from floods, Lake Red Rock works just as hard with the promotion of outdoor fun for Highway 163 travelers. 

[TRACY SPRY] It's just a fantastic place to to find a little trail, find your own little quiet spot, get your bird guide out and and just explore, add to your life list and have fun.