Tripoli, Iowa - Waterfowl hunters scouting shallow lakes and marshes ahead of the season should be aware that Martens Lake on the Sweet Marsh Wildlife Area is in the process of a dike repair and channel excavation project and will not be open to boat traffic for hunting this fall.
The construction will not impact boat traffic on the rest of the marsh.
“We began dewatering the lake in May and expect the construction phase to begin, weather permitting, by late summer or early fall, with a goal of being completed in March of 2023,” said Jason Auel, wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Martens Lake attracts duck hunters from across the state and we want them to know that the lake will not be an option this fall so they can make alternate plans.”
The project will repair more than two miles of the 70-year-old dike network, improve three miles of in-marsh channels used for boating access, remove sediment to create deep-water areas and fix the water control structure.
“Repairing the dike system will allow us to manage the water level in Martens Lake for the benefit of fish and wildlife, and improve public access,” Auel said.
Hunting on other segments of Sweet Marsh will still be available during the project. The contractor will operate out of the main parking lot, which may be closed to public access during the project.
For more information, call the Cedar-Wapsi Wildlife Unit at 319-882-4252.