New safety rules in place at Coralville Lake

UPDATE: Coralville Lake boaters will see expanded areas where they must slow down and users of a popular beach area will have to put away their alcoholic drinks.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the lake, announced Friday that the measures are being implemented to improve safety and are effective immediately.

The actual beach of the West Overlook Day Use recreation area on the south side of the lake was already alcohol free, but now alcohol also is banned in all of the surrounding space, including the parking lot, picnic area and volleyball court.

Previously, people could drink just feet from the sand and then go swim, said Dee Goldman, the lake's operations manager. He also said there have been some complaints about rowdy behavior.

“We really want this to be a place people bring their families, bring their kids,” he said.

Goldman also noted the beach area closes each day, so allowing alcohol creates the potential for people to drink and drive.

He acknowledged the decision will not be popular with everyone, but he said the corps believes alcohol and water do not mix.

Alcohol is still allowed in the space surrounding the lake's other two beaches. The switch was made at West Overlook because it is by far the most popular of the three, especially with young adults, Goldman said.

The corps also is expanding two “idle speed” zones. Previously called a no-wake zone, idle speed sets a 5 mph speed limit within its boundaries.

The zone around Mehaffey Bridge is being expanded due to the construction of a new bridge.

Goldman estimated the previous zone extended about 100 feet from the bridge. Now it will be a bit longer to the north and nearly 1,800 feet to the south.

The bridge is a Johnson County project, and county engineer Greg Parker said one barge with a large crane is in the water, and soon another barge and crane will be needed to help set beams.

The idle-speed zone “slows the boating traffic through there so at least they're going slower,” he said.

Not only will it improve safety around the construction area, Goldman said, but the new idle-speed zone also goes just past a boat ramp south of the bridge. People come into that area “pretty wide open,” he said, and it can be hard to get boats in and out of the water.

He said the change will last for at least for the next two years as the bridge is under construction and may be permanent.

The idle-speed zone by West Overlook beach is being extended east to the cove entrance to Coralville Lake Marina. There are fishermen, swimmers and idling boats near the swimming area and this will make things safer, Goldman said.

Ben Patience, who works in sales at the marina, said he had not seen the new buoy lines but doesn't anticipate it being an issue with boaters.

“You're going to spend a few more minutes idling through,” he said. “I don't see that as a major inconvenience.”