Lake Red Rock (Des Moines River) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Originally the city of Red Rock, Lake Red Rock, also referred to as Red Rock Reservoir is a reservoir

Reservoir

A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...

formed by Red Rock Dam

Red Rock Dam (Iowa)

Red Rock Dam is a dam in central Iowa on the Des Moines River, forming Lake Red Rock. It is contained entirely within Marion County. The nearest cities are Pella to the northeast, and Knoxville to the southwest....

on the Des Moines River

Des Moines River

The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...

, about 55 miles southeast of the city of Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...

. The dam was completed in 1969 as a flood control project by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, creating the largest lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

in Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

. The lake is essentially confined to Marion County

Marion County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 33,309 in the county, with a population density of . There were 13,914 housing units, of which 12,723 were occupied.-2000 census:...

. The damface is a few miles west and south of Pella

Pella, Iowa

Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...

, and similarly, a few miles northeast of Knoxville

Knoxville, Iowa

Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum located next to the famous dirt track known as Knoxville Raceway.-History:The site for...

.

Tremendous recreational development dominates the lakeshore, with camping, boating and fishing being the three biggest items, but trails are present also. The state maintains Elk Rock State Park

Elk Rock State Park

Elk Rock State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, located in Marion County situated on both upstream banks of Red Rock Reservoir. Knoxville at the southwest and Pella to the northeast are the nearest cities. On north are Otley and Monroe; at the west is Pleasantville.Elk Rock has two areas: the...

on both sides of the lake while Roberts Creek and Cordova Parks are managed by the Marion County Conservation Board.

The Army Corps of Engineers maintains several campgrounds as well: White Breast Recreation Area, Ivans Recreation Area, Wallashuck Recreation Area, Howell Station Recreation Area, and the North Overlook Recreation Area. There is also a "water trail", where one can float down the Des Moines River from the southeast corner of Polk County

Polk County, Iowa

Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census. The county seat is Des Moines, which is also the capital city of Iowa...

to the lake and down to Red Rock Dam. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 4 provides boating safety education and free vessel safety checks to boaters in the area.

A major landmark is what is locally called "Mile Long Bridge", carrying Iowa Highway 14 at its upstream end.

Sources

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.