SMALL BUDGET: Lake Restoration May Be Postponed

The future of restoration projects for several central Iowa lakes seems uncertain.

Funding requests for the DNR’s lake improvement projects currently total $6 million.

Governor Branstad’s 2013 budget offered just $1 million for those projects beginning in July.

The DNR says the smaller budget means work on high-profile projects like Big Creek and Easter Lake will not begin.

A sub-committee will discuss the issue at a meeting Wednesday.