After suffering through three years of extreme drought, central Iowa's popular Lake Ahquabi is finally starting to refill, and that's great news for vacationing outdoor enthusiasts and local businesses.
Located just 35 minutes south of Des Moines near Indianola, Lake Ahquabi State Park drew around 178,000 visitors in 2021 for activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking. However, according to Axios Des Moines, drought forced the 115-acre lake to close for renovations and dredging from 2021 to 2023.
When the park reopened last July, the lake was at least 10 feet below normal levels — so low that people couldn't kayak or canoe without dragging their boats across long stretches of dry lakebed.
"It just wasn't feasible," said Chad Kelchen, a district supervisor at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, who oversees the park.
As of early May, recent rains have helped raise the water levels to about 5 feet below normal. That's high enough for kayakers and canoers to finally get back in the water, though still too low for motorized boats.
Local businesses like CanoeSport Outfitters are breathing a sigh of relief. After being forced to close its Lake Ahquabi operations last year and rely solely on its Indianola retail store and rentals at another park, the business is eagerly preparing to reopen on the lake.
"We definitely miss Lake Ahquabi," Shireen Cave, who runs CanoeSport's retail sales, said. "We were starting to question things [in] January, February ... and then in April, it was great. The rain started to come."
Rising water levels at Lake Ahquabi aren't just good news for kayakers and business owners — they're a welcome sign of drought relief for the whole region. Every inch of rain that falls means more water for local farms, healthier ecosystems for fish and wildlife, and increased resilience against future dry spells.
So, while there's still a long way to go before the lake is back to full capacity, even a partial refilling is cause for celebration. It's a reminder that no drought lasts forever and that with time, effort, and a little help from Mother Nature, our cherished outdoor spaces can recover and thrive once again.
As Kelchen puts it: "It's a light at the end of the tunnel."
The park's campgrounds are open for reservations, though the swimming beach remains closed until water levels rise further.
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