Braley calls for swift action to restore Delhi dam, lake

Rather than recriminations and second-guessing what happened to cause the Lake Delhi dam to wash out, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley said Wednesday (July 28) “it's a time for problem-solving.”

Braley, who was on hand July 24 when high water on the Maquoketa River overtopped the dam and washed away the earth-over-concrete portion of the dam, said rebuilding the dam and restoring the lake is the highest priority in his office.

“Rather than getting into any blame game, the most important thing is for local, state and elected officials and these private homeowners and association to come together to think of creative solution on how we can get the dam restored, how we can get the lake rebuilt and how we can have the type of place that will benefit the entire region,” the Waterloo Democrat said.

It's a misperception, he said, that it's only the 900-or-so property owners along the nine-mile lake that benefit from the dam that maintains a water level conducive to recreation.

“I can tell you from being there and talking to the local businesses … that there are enormous implications,” Braley said. People who live and vacation on the lake buy groceries in local stores, buy building supplies and pay property taxes to the local school district.

“We know this lake has an enormous economic impact on Delaware County financially, both in its property tax base and the impact it has on local businesses,” he said.

Whether the dam remains privately-owned and operated will be a decision for the recreation association when it has all the facts about what happened and why it will take to restore the dam, Braley said.

“The real tragedy of this” is that the association was working with a private developer to begin generating electricity at the dam. Braley said he watched as a crane brought in to make repairs to the 88-year-old dam washed over the dam Saturday.

“The incredible poor timing of this could not be more severe,” he said.

It's not just a matter of who did what at that dam, but how do we get this restored and make sure we don't have a tremendous loss of revenue that will be a long-term loss of revenue for this region

Braley also announced the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Jones County Conservation Board and the Army Corps of Engineers used approximately $20,000 in funds to conduct an aerial debris mapping review July 27. It will cover the Maquoketa River corridor from the Delhi dam to Pictured Rocks Conservation Area. The photos will show topography, the debris line and other visual evidence that will help the Army Corps of Engineers delineate the flood extent for this section of the Maquoketa River watershed.

His office has created a website, http://Braley.house.gov/disasterrelief, where constituents can sign up for e-mail updates on flood recovery.

He's also seeking an amendment to the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that would contain $20 million in Community Development Block Grants for Midwest flood recovery.

Braley also announced the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Jones County Conservation Board and the Army Corps of Engineers used approximately $20,000 in funds to conduct an aerial debris mapping review July 27. It will cover the Maquoketa River corridor from the Delhi dam to Pictured Rocks Conservation Area. The photos will show topography, the debris line and other visual evidence that will help the Army Corps of Engineers delineate the flood extent for this section of the Maquoketa River watershed.