Agency - Coralville Lake

The Army Corps of Engineers is the steward of the lands and waters at Corps water resources projects. Its Natural Resources Management mission is to manage and conserve those natural resources, consistent with the ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations. This site is your gateway to recreation opportunities at Corps lands and waters.

Description:
Coralville Lake is a US Army Corps of Engineers flood control project that is managed as a multiple use project. The dam and lake are named after the first town downstream from the dam, which is Coralville. This is an Army Corps of Engineers tradition.

The project consists of the main office, Visitor Center, 3 main camping areas, 4 swimming beaches, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, and two disc golf courses.

The three main campgrounds are the Dam Complex (consisting of West Overlook, Linder Point, Cottonwood, Tailwater West and Tailwater East), Sugar Bottom, and Sandy Beach. All the campgrounds have modern shower facilities, playground equipment, and access to the lake.

Saturday evening campground programs are held at the Sugar Bottom Campground Amphitheatre every week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. A variety of guest speakers and rangers present some of the most interesting live programs. These can range from live bats to bobcats, actual model rocket launching,, to fantastic storytelling sessions.

A mountain bike trail is located at the Sugar Bottom Recreation area, accessed from the same entrance road to the campground.

The Sugar Bottom Recreation Area also boast an 18-hole disc golf course through timber and prairie areas.

Please check out our website for more detailed information. You can also find us on Facebook listed as Coralville Lake.

History:
The Iowa River is one of several southeastern flowing streams that drain the eastern one-half of Iowa to join the Mississippi River along the state's eastern boundary. Record floods that swept the nation in the early 1930's prompted Congress to establish the Flood Control Act of 1938. In an attempt to reduce flooding on the Mississippi River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was authorized to construct several dams on tributary rivers, including the Iowa River . In addition to moderating stream flows on the Iowa River, Coralville Lake 's less evident, but equally important, role is in the comprehensive flood control system for the Mississippi River .

At a location several miles upstream from Iowa City , Iowa, construction of Coralville Dam began in 1949, was delayed by the Korean Conflict and was finally completed in 1958. Coralville Dam regulates runoff from 3,084 square miles of land upstream providing flood protection to 1,703 square miles of Iowa River Valley below the dam. During drought conditions, water stored in the lake is released at a minimum rate of 150 cubic feet per second to provide a sufficient flow to meet downstream domestic and industrial water needs.

Contact person: Terry Escher, Natural Resources Specialist/Ranger, (phone), (email)

Address:

2850 Prairie DuChien Rd. N.E. Iowa City, IA 52240 (See a map)

Web Site: http://mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/CoralvilleLake.aspx

Directions:

The Coralville Lake office and Visitor Center are located approximately 4 miles north of Iowa City, Iowa. If you are driving on I-80 take exit 244, which is the Dubuque Street exit. Then go north about 3 miles to West. . . (more)

Last updated on March 13, 2013