Okoboji Protective Association

Spring, 2005

President's Message

Dear Members,

The last of West Lake Okoboji's ice floes stacked up on the south shore of Smith's Bay - directly in front of the window where I write - on March 30, moved there by a hard northwest wind and the relentless impulse of spring. Like ice-carved squares of diamonds rising to the crest and falling, crashing upon the shoreline, the last cover of winter vanished like treasures among the rocks. By the calendar, it was an average ice-out on our incomparable lake, but when West becomes wet again it is always an extraordinary affair.

Two days hence, a drake wood duck peered in at me from a perch in the oak tree not 15 yards from my desk. His plumage was kaleidoscopic, his antics love struck. A mature bald eagle alighted on that very limb this winter past and burned a hole in my psyche with the haunting gaze of its yellow eyes. Only the wizened oak, which leans precariously lakeside with age, knows the full richness of the wild creatures that have taken solace in its arms. The hen woody was in flight up and down the shoreline, scrutinizing each hollow for a suitable nesting site. Is it the same pair that last spring flirted with my homemade nesting box below the boathouse before moving on? It is better, perhaps, that I don't know.

And so it goes. April was a time of such exuberance, warm and flirtatious in the beginning, cold and blustery at exit time. Now May is cast upon the landscape and the hardwoods are blushing green with pride. People hustle to prepare for the season of tourism. Our quiet hamlets shiver with excitement at the prospect of another summer at the lakes. This is, after all, Okoboji, land of entertainment and unparalleled natural resources. All of these things are good, of course, and West Lake is the gem that anchors all the magnetism. Remember, however, that we as OPA members are stewards of the resource.

The growth of residential and resort development in the Iowa Great Lakes area is unprecedented. We should embrace the prosperity, realizing that Dickinson is one of only a handful of counties in the state experiencing such evolution. But as we flourish we place more - and some would say undue - pressure on the resources. It is our responsibility to ensure that the growth is responsible as it relates to wise long-term land use planning.

As an example, the Inter Lakes Association - including the OPA - was active this winter in influencing developers of the Nielson property on East Okoboji to bring low density and LID (low impact development) techniques to the Bridges Bay Resort plan. It is our goal to bring county and city planners and leaders together to begin sharing ordinances and long-range development plans that are replete with LID and other environmentally acute characteristics.

The OPA has had a steady voice in the Clean Water Alliance (CWA) as it moves forward in its role as the clearinghouse for all water quality issues in the county. As a part of both the CWA steering and communications committees, I worked with others over the winter to define the mission and goals of the organization, and now it is poised to develop a watershed plan for locally focused water quality projects.

Last fall, the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission (DCWQC) funded another seven diverse water quality projects, including continued monitoring of West Lake by Friends of Lakeside and a prairie restoration project in the Triboji Beach area. Those of us who sit on the DCWQC board are proud to be a part of this one-of-a-kind in the state organization that - when taken with the matching monies involved - provides millions of dollars annually for clean water projects within our watersheds.

I will update you more specifically at our monthly meetings on issues relating to the OPA, but rest assured that we remain active in all matters regarding the preservation of our water quality. It is my hope that this summer, for instance, OPA members will voluntarily embrace LID techniques into their own lakeside landscaping schemes. There will be model projects completed for us all to witness and emulate - and experts such as Wayne Petersen and others to guide us - as we learn how to better manage our storm water runoff.

These are exciting and challenging times for the OPA, which this year is celebrating 100 years of existence! We are deeply indebted to the visionary founders of the OPA - and those who have so ably followed - for embracing a preservationist approach to protecting West Lake Okoboji.

Thanks for your enduring support of the OPA. Perhaps you can convince a neighbor or a friend to join our ranks - it's inexpensive, fun and another way to show how much you care about our incredible Iowa Great Lakes resources.

Greg Drees
OPA President