(Wahpeton)– Officials are delaying plans to reopen a popular campground at a state park in the Iowa Great Lakes due to grass conditions.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the campground at Emerson Bay State Recreation Area on the southwest shore of West Lake Okoboji will remain closed until the grass has been established throughout the area. The closure will affect Memorial Day Weekend, putting additional pressure on other campgrounds in the area.
Officials say opening the campground now could cause erosion and damage landscaping from a $600,000 renovation. It was closed in June 2012.
The campground will be reassessed in June. Officials haven’t decided if the campground will be open for the July 4th holiday.
An agency spokesman says the weather, which included severe drought last year and snow in May, hasn’t helped with the seeding process.
