DELHI, Iowa (AP) — Officials have closed the floodgates to start refilling Lake Delhi, following six years and $16 million in work to restore the lake after its destruction in the 2010 floods.
Floodgates were closed Friday, the Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports.
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.
Officials say the lake could refill in as little as a few days or take three or more weeks, depending on rainfall and river flow.