OUTDOOR Putting the CLEAR
in CLEAR LAKE It is hard to imagine Clear Lake without the picturesque lake in the
background, and the opportunities it provides as the focal point for
North Iowa. Working to protect this beautiful resource has been a
community effort for some time now and through the efforts of
the CLEAR Project we are now seeing a lake that is providing the
best recreation that anyone has seen in quite some time. It wasn’t
that long ago when swimmers headed to the beaches were met
with an unsightly green tinge and often a smell that sent them
retreating back home. Thankfully, a group of concerned citizens and
stakeholders banded together to make a change. Now our lake is
again living up to its “Clear” name, seeing the return of vegetation,
and hosting one of the Midwest’s premier fishing opportunities.
By working to protect and clean up the water entering Clear Lake,
we have started to reverse decades of damage done by soil and
nutrient pollution. That has resulted in an exceptional fishery
that pulls in anglers from all across the Midwest. An average year
of fishing walleyes on Clear Lake will yield about 5,500 keepers,
however, in recent years anglers are taking home in excess of
12,000 walleyes per year. That is on top of 125,000 yellow bass.
Opportunities like that do not come along without a coalition of
folks working to protect and enhance our lake.
The CLEAR Project is a grassroots effort to promote sustainable
land use, reduce water pollution, and ensure that our valuable lake
resources are here for generations to come. By promoting smart
stormwater management within our urban areas, and sustainable
farming practices on our crop fields, we help landowners play
a crucial role in protecting our lake. By leveraging local, state,
and federal grants, we can provide both technical and financial
support to anyone willing to make a change. Since the early
2000’s, those partners have helped to leverage over $20 million
towards those goals. That level of commitment and investment by
the community is why Clear Lake will remain one of the premier
fishing and recreation destinations across the Midwest for years
to come.
By Jim Sholly, CLEAR Project Director
I have lived and worked in a number of lake communities
across the Midwest over the past 15 years, but when my family
and I landed in Clear Lake we found something different. We
found a community that genuinely cares about the lake and
the natural resources of the area. That attitude makes my
work of protecting the lake so much more fun and exciting.
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