Monticello – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public open house and meeting from 6 to 8:30 p.m., April 4, at the Durgin Pavilion at Camp Courageous, near Monticello, to discuss the future of the Mon-Maq Dam and Maquoketa River.
“The Maquoketa River from Monticello to Pictured Rocks Park is a Midwest regional destination with the scenic canyon the river flows through,” said Nate Hoogeveen, Iowa DNR River Programs Director. “People visit from as far as Chicago. The future of this river is important to locals and Iowans more broadly… we’ve received e-mails from as far away as Indianola concerning this project.”
Jones County Conservation board owns the dam, and is studying it for modifications that would reduce safety hazards and eliminate barriers to fish movement. Options could include removing the dam, replacing it with rapids, leaving much of the dam in place, or leaving the dam as it is.
Design options and results of Monticello-area focus groups and Jones County mail-in surveys to date will be presented at the meeting, along with an opportunity for the public to express their comments and concerns and ask questions.
The first half hour of the meeting will be an open house from 6:00-6:30 p.m. The public will be able to talk with the project consultant and project participants about design alternatives, dam history, dam safety, fish passage/river ecology, and recreational interests.
Any person attending the public meeting and has special requirements such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.
Find more information about the Mon-Maq Dam at www.iowawhitewater.org/lhd/LHDmonmaq.html or https://friendsmonmaqdam.com/.