The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is dropping water levels in Meadow Lake.

DNR Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says that the lake near Greenfield is being lowered by three feet, and that the draw-down began the week of June 26th. He adds that the water will be released slowly over two weeks to avoid impacts downstream from the lake. Draw-downs are commonly used in fisheries to improve panfish size.

Meadow Lake has an abundance of seven inch bluegills, but Hayes mentions that anglers are looking for some better quality fish. He explains that with the draw-down, the area that the fish have to live in will shrink, and the smaller bluegills will succumb to predation by larger fish and other animals. Hayes is confident in the results that the lake will see, as there were draw-downs in 2016 and 2019 that had this effect.