Special to the Times Vedette
The Lake Panorama Association started lowering the lake level on Oct 1 to perform scheduled maintenance on the dam and will be incrementally lowering the lake over a span of 10 to 15 days to reach 5 feet below normal pool elevation. This is the result of a routine inspection conducted in December 2024 that revealed wear on hydraulic cylinders that have been in service for 20 years.
LPA management says repairs will include cylinder replacement and other minor improvements to hydraulic lines and the spillway. The Weitz Company, which handled the previous replacement of the dam cylinders, was awarded the contract with engineering support from Shive-Hattery.
While lake use is not prohibited during the drawdown, LPA strongly discourages boating due to exposed underwater hazards.
The lake drawdown will also impact downstream users of the Middle Raccoon River, as river flow will exceed seasonally normal levels. This will continue until the lake has been lowered by 5 feet, which should take 10 to 14 days. Recreational users, especially kayakers and fisherman, are advised to exercise caution during this time. For questions about safe flow levels and river access points, LPA recommends contacting Guthrie County Conservation for guidance. Guthrie County Conservation manages public entry and exit locations along the river and is a resource on responsible use of the Middle Raccoon River.
Flow in the Middle Raccoon River will be variable depending on the phase of the project and rainfall that occurs. LPA management says they will continue to discharge water to ensure the minimum required flow will be met, or exceeded, at all times and that they are committed to meeting all Iowa Department of Natural Resources guidelines for minimum outflow to ensure uninterrupted operations for the City of Panora’s potable water treatment facility and the protection of aquatic life that exists downstream.
LPA management says the timeline for refilling the lake will depend on rainfall received within Lake Panorama’s watershed, noting that they cannot forecast if the lake will freeze at normal pool level or at a lowered level. They stated confidence in projecting that the lake will return to full pool level prior to the 2026 boating season. If the lake freezes below normal pool level, LPA says that level will be maintained throughout the winter and until the ice has melted from the lake.
Those with questions are encouraged to contact the LPA Office via email at lpa@lakepanorama.org.