Public Press Release
Sioux County Conservation Board
8/1/24
For questions call Sunday Ford at 712/551-6780
Updates: Oak Grove Park is transitioning our campgrounds starting today, August 1st, to accommodate transitional housing for those displaced by flooding. This will take place in both of our campgrounds and is anticipated to occupy all of our non-seasonal campsites, including online reservation campsites. We anticipate that we will be closing these campgrounds to the public for camping, with the exception of non-electric tent sites, which will remain open in Deer Run Campground on a first-come, first-served basis. The company called Tetra Tech is overseeing the transitional housing program, with the aid of the Sioux County Emergency Management. The transitional housing is made possible by Iowa Homeland Security’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Through conversations with these groups, the Sioux County Conservation Board anticipates that everyone will be moved in within 1.5-2 weeks from Aug 1. Transitional camper housing has started with Turkey Ridge Campground, and will continue in Deer Run Campground. If you need temporary housing due to flooding, you can apply through FEMA. You will need to get a FEMA identification number to begin the process. The Sioux County Conservation Board anticipates being able to honor any currently existing online campsite reservations. We are thankful to be able to support our community through this support and encourage our patrons to visit the Prairie Woods Nature Center, enjoy our hiking trails, our fishing pond, access to the Big Sioux River and the many public programs we offer at siouxcountyparks.org
Other park updates: Sandy Hollow beach, campgrounds are open. The clubhouse will remain closed due to renovations. Big Sioux Recreation Area campgrounds and bathhouses are open, The Rookery multifamily cabin is available for reservation online, the boat ramp is open, dock is in and some of the trails and road are currently being repaired. The beach is ready to be opened as soon as we get a good water test reading, which is anticipated to happen 8/2/24. You can look at the results at https://programs.iowadnr.gov/aquia/Programs/Beaches. The Bruce Schomaker Recreation Area north of Boyden has camping and bathhouse open. Oak Grove Park is open to recreation, tent camping, and Prairie Woods Nature Center. The river area still has a lot of clean up needed.
Please be patient with us as we tackle each need. We had 17 buildings with flood waters throughout the county. We are ordering picnic tables and fire rings lost, repairing roads, trails and buildings, while maintaining mowing, campgrounds and wildlife areas. An early estimate of our Sioux County park damages is 1.3 million dollars.