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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 28, 2025
Ice conditions at many Iowa lakes have been changing quickly over the past few days. Those changes are only likely to accelerate with the warm weather forecast for the next week..
This past weekend, nine OHV/ATVs broke through the ice – seven at the Iowa Great Lakes on the Minnesota border, and two at Lake Rathbun, on the Missouri border. The vehicles have all been removed and no injuries were reported.
“Between the cold weather and lack of snow cover, we should have excellent ice thickness and quality, but that’s not the case,” said Craig Cutts, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau.
Snow covering ice often acts as a blanket of insulation, slowing ice from forming during cold temperatures, and protecting ice from melting during warmer weather. Given the cold winter over the upper Midwest and the lack of snow, ice thickness shouldn’t be an issue in late January.
But it is.
In Dickinson County, sections on area lakes have had open water all winter and seams in the ice have been opening during the day, then skimming over at night. These hazards have been avoidable during daylight, but have caused issues after sunset. The lack of snow has also created slick conditions making it difficult to walk without ice cleats and has caused stopping issues for OHV/ATVs even while traveling below five miles per hour.
These conditions have also impacted lakes in South Dakota and Minnesota.
At Lake Rathbun, pressure ridges had formed in certain locations on the big reservoir creating hazardous conditions and when the OHV/ATVs drove over the pressure ridge, they broke through.
Ice conditions have been changing by the day, and even by the hour in some places. Use caution if heading out and keep plenty of distance from open water. The standard safety practices of checking ice thickness frequently, and including a life jacket, throwable floatation and 50 feet of rope with your fishing equipment is encouraged.
“We emphasize the point that ice thickness varies on each body of water and we’re really seeing that this year. It’s a good reminder that no ice is 100 percent safe – and to trust your instincts – if it doesn’t look right, stay off,” Cutts said.
Looking ahead, the warm weather, wind and rain in the forecast will likely end ice fishing across Southern Iowa and cause significant issues on lakes with pockets of open water in other regions.
Media Contact: Mick Klemesrud, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-490-5690.
Last year, a little more than 5,300 Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state tax form. Unfortunately, in the last 20 years, the number of donors has declined by 50 percent and represents about 0.3 percent of total taxpayers in Iowa.
The amount donated decreased as well, with a little under $134,000 contributed, a decrease of roughly $14,000 from last year and $22,000 from two years previous.
“We are extremely thankful for those who donate to wildlife conservation with their tax refunds,” said Stephanie Shepherd, wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Diversity program. “The funds are vital to our work for non-game wildlife, which make up the vast majority of wildlife in Iowa.”
The Fish and Wildlife Fund, commonly known as the “Chickadee Check-off,” is a mechanism the Iowa Legislature created in the 1980s for Iowans to donate to wildlife conservation on the Iowa state income tax form.
According to Shepherd, while the Wildlife Fund is a great opportunity for charitable giving, not a lot of people know about it. The Iowa Wildlife Diversity program is primarily supported by tax form donations, along with the sales of natural resources license plates.
“Non-game” wildlife are the 1,000-plus species such as songbirds, bald eagles, salamanders, turtles, monarchs, bees and more that make up the majority of wildlife in Iowa. Funding helps improve wildlife habitat, research and restore native species, provide educational opportunities for citizens to learn about Iowa’s natural resources, and much more.
An example of the program’s work in 2024 was a project to radio-tag Wood Thrush, a bird species that has declined 50 percent since the 1960s, to learn about nesting patterns and migration. Another project, the Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring program, discovered a fish that hasn’t been seen in Iowa since the 1930s – the Starhead Topminnow.
“If you’re interested in donating, the tax check-off line may be pretty inconspicuous and sometimes missed,” said Shepherd. “Be sure to remind your tax preparer if you want to donate.”
Once found on the form, donating is easy: simply write the donation amount to next to Fish/Wildlife, which is line 21 on Form 1040, and the sum is either automatically deducted from the refund or added to the amount owed.
“If every Iowa taxpayer donated just $1, it would mean $1.6 million for wildlife diversity and conservation,” Shepherd said.
Those who missed donating on their tax form they can still make a donation to the Wildlife Diversity program online at: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/donations.
DNR CONTACT: Stephanie Shepherd at 515-230-6599 or stephanie.shepherd@dnr.iowa.gov
Several Iowa state parks are still seeking campground hosts for the 2025 camping season. If you enjoy camping and meeting new people, this may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you.
Campground hosts work alongside DNR staff to help maintain and beautify the park, ensure reservations are up-to-date and accurate, and assist visitors in a welcoming and helpful manner. Actual duties vary based on each park’s individual needs.
In this volunteer position, hosts are provided a free campsite and live in the park for one to five months during the summer season. Hosts volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per week, often including weekends and holidays, while living on site in their own camper.
Each park’s camping experience is unique – some are rural and rustic, others are in popular tourism areas; some have small campgrounds, and many are hubs of activity, especially on peak weekends. In addition, assigned lengths of stay are dependent on each park’s needs for the upcoming season.
Parks currently needing hosts:
- Backbone - need hosts for 2 campgrounds (Delaware County)
- Bellevue (Jackson County)
- Clear Lake - 2 slots available (Cerro Gordo County)
- Geode (Henry County)
- Lake Darling (Washington County)
- Ledges (Boone County)
- Lewis and Clark (Monona County)
- McIntosh Woods (Cerro Gordo County)
- Nine Eagles (Decatur County)
- Pilot Knob (Winnebago County)
- Pine Lake (Hardin County)
- Prairie Rose (Shelby County)
- Stephens State Forest (Lucas County)
- Union Grove (Tama County)
- Walnut Woods (Polk County)
To learn more about a park’s unique experience and needs, please contact the individual state park office; a list of parks and their contact information can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/stateparks, or for general inquiries about campground host opportunities, email: iowa.stateparks@dnr.iowa.gov
Additional information about volunteering and applying for a campground host position is available at www.iowadnr.gov/volunteer. The list of parks needing campground hosts can change, so please check back to this web page regularly for additional opportunities.
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