Sundown Lake

Sundown Lake
"The Point", a small peninsula jutting into Sundown Lake
Sundown Lake Show map of Iowa Sundown Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Appanoose County, Iowa
Coordinates	40.833191°N 92.735164°W / 40.833191; -92.735164
Primary inflows	South Soap Creek
Primary outflows	South Soap Creek
Catchment area	21.7 sq mi (56 km^2)[1]
Built	1976[1]
Surface area	400 acres (160 ha)[1]
Surface elevation	800 ft (240 m)
Website	https://www.sundownlake.com/history.html

Sundown Lake is a private, man-made lake in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States, 8 miles (13 km) east of the much larger Rathbun Lake, 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Unionville and 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Moravia, Iowa. It was created in 1976, by building a 51 foot tall, 1530 foot long embankment dam on the South Soap Creek, a tributary of the Soap Creek, which is itself a tributary of the Des Moines river.[1] As of 2012, approximately 70 homes had been built in the area surrounding the lake.[2]

Development of the lake began in the 1960s. The lake originally covered about 470 acres, but silting has reduced its size. The cost of the dam and surrounding amenities was $4.5 million.[3]

Sundown Lake is contained within the Sundown Lake Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ), which allows property tax money to be used for maintenance activities (dredging etc.) for the lake.[4][5] The Appanoose County Board of Supervisors fought unsuccessfully to prevent the establishment of the RIZ, claiming that the diversion of tax revenues would adversely impact schools and local governments.[2][6] After losing a court battle,[7] the Board of Supervisors approved the creation of the RIZ on June 2, 2014.[8]

The lake is managed by The Coves of Sundown Lake Owners' Association.[9]

References

1. "Lake Sundown Dam (Appanoose County, Iowa)". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
2. "Judge annuls Sundown Lake RIZ decision". The Oskaloosa Herald. CNHI, LLC. February 26, 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
3. Shotwell, Walt (August 5, 1988). "Sun remains set on Sundown Lake dream for Iowans". Des Moines Register. Gannett. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
4. "Rural Improvement Zones, §357H.1" (PDF). Iowa Legislature. State of Iowa. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
5. "State of Iowa Financial Report Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2018" (PDF). Iowa Department of Management. State of Iowa. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
6. Taylor, Gary. "Effect on county tax base not relevant to decision to create rural improvement zone". Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Iowa State University. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
7. "Homeowners Ass'n of the Coves of Sundown Lake v. Appanoose Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors". casetext. Casetext Inc. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
8. Schaffer, Michael (June 5, 2014). "Supervisors approve RIZ resolution". Ottumwa Courier. CNHI, LLC. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
9. "The Coves of Sundown Lake Owners' Association". OPENGOVUS. Retrieved 25 January 2023.