Looking Forward, Ready to Grow

In Buena Vista County, you can look to the past by visiting the many museums and historical sites, but everywhere you look, it is obvious that the residents of BV County are reaching toward the future. Buena Vista County is home to one of the world’s largest wind generator projects. A long-term preservation effort is underway to dredge the lake, making it a great resource for generations to come. Storm Lake is on the verge of a multi-million dollar development plan for a lakefront lodge and community betterment program that is expected to have a positive impact on the development of the entire county.

Wind Farm

Sitting atop Buffalo Ridge in Buena Vista County, 257 wind generators spin lazily in the near constant breeze, providing electricity to serve approximately 72,000 households. Winds average 17 miles per hour here, and the energy potential is comparable to the oil fields of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This renewable, non-polluting resource is harnessed by the 208-foot turbines and produces power bought by MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Utilities. At the same time, the project uses only two percent of the 12,000-acre area, allowing the land to be used for local farming operations as well. Plans to expand the project are currently being considered.

Dredging Project

Storm Lake is well-aware that its identity began with the lake. When pioneers broke ground and pulled the glacial boulders from the shore, the lake began to fill with silt. Past dredging did little to stop the problem. Since the last dredging in the 1960s, significant progress has been made to protect the watershed area and to stop siltation. The Lake Preservation Association and the city has committed to a long-term dredging project to increase the average depth of the lake to 13 feet over the next five-to-ten years. This would preserve the quality of the lake for 300 years! To learn more, visit www.savethelake.com

Project Awaysis Plan

One of the most exciting and progressive ideas in the region is to make Buena Vista County a vacation destination for travelers. Storm Lake understands that tourism can be a boon for existing businesses, and a draw for new businesses. Buena Vista County already has many great places to visit, but there is need for a unique attraction that would make people more aware of what we have to offer. In that vein of thought, the City of Storm Lake contracted an architectural firm to research and develop a master plan to make Storm Lake such a destination.

After conducting research with residents throughout Buena Vista County, David Ciaccio of Omaha presented a plan for a $28 million improvement project. This project includes a 100-room lodge situated on the lakefront, lakeshore cabins, a large open park area, an indoor-outdoor aquatic center and a public beach. Other, smaller improvements would be made to the other city parks and lakeshore areas. From this master plan, other ideas are growing, including a county-wide trail system to link all of the great attractions of Buena Vista to Storm Lake. More detailed information is available here.

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