# Lake Sugema

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**Lake Sugema** [Pronounced sōō•jē’•mə](+40° 41' 22.85", -91° 59' 39.01") [1] is a man-made 574-acre (2.32-square kilometre) lake 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of [Keosauqua](/source/Keosauqua,_Iowa), [Van Buren County](/source/Van_Buren_County,_Iowa), in southeast [Iowa](/source/Iowa), [United States](/source/United_States). It is located south of the [Des Moines River](/source/Des_Moines_River), west of [State Highway 1](/source/Iowa_State_Highway_1) and north of [State Highway 2](/source/Iowa_State_Highway_2).

The maximum depth of the [lake](/source/Lake) is 34 feet (10 m), with a mean depth 9.3 feet (2.8 m), and [drainage](/source/Drainage) of 11,480 acres (46.5 km2). The lake was designed as a high quality [fishing](/source/Fishing) lake. Facilities include parking lots, and 3 hard surface [boat ramps](/source/Boat_ramp) with no motor size limit at no [wake](/source/Wake_(physics)). There are fishing jetties, an accessible fishing pier for the [handicapped](/source/Handicapped), accessible facilities, a picnic area, restrooms, camping facilities, floating boat docks, and wildlife islands.[2][3][4]

An [asphalt](/source/Asphalt_concrete) road leads off of Hwy 2 to a large camping area with a shelterhouse, sewer dump station, [handicapped-accessible](/source/Handicapped-accessible) showerhouse, playground, 23 hard-surfaced 50 ft (15 m). camp pads, 8 primitive campsites, 8 slip boat docks, and a boat trailer parking area. Cabins located in the campgrounds are available for rental throughout the year.[5]

Lake Sugema is stocked with [largemouth bass](/source/Largemouth_bass), [walleye](/source/Walleye), [bluegill](/source/Bluegill), [black crappie](/source/Black_crappie), [channel catfish](/source/Channel_catfish), and [saugeye](/source/Saugeye). The lake has fishing jetties and good shore fishing access. Special fishing regulations require for 12-inch (300-millimetre) to 18-inch (460-millimetre) black bass to be immediately released alive.[6]

Extensive planning was done by the [Iowa Department of Natural Resources](/source/Iowa_Department_of_Natural_Resources) to establish underwater structure that helps fish survive and [reproduce](/source/Reproduce). When the lake was constructed, steps were taken to prevent [siltation](/source/Siltation). Besides the hundreds of farm ponds, [crop rotations](/source/Crop_rotation), crop residue management, and other soil saving practices farmers have established in the lake's drainage area, the lake is protected by a series of smaller sediment-control [dams](/source/Dams).[7]

Approximately 3,000 acres (12 km2) immediately surrounding the lake was purchased by the [Iowa Department of Natural Resources](/source/Iowa_Department_of_Natural_Resources) and [Van Buren County](/source/Van_Buren_County,_Iowa) to be managed as a wildlife area. That management is helping to build on the number of [wild turkey](/source/Wild_turkey), [deer](/source/Deer), [squirrel](/source/Squirrel), [geese](/source/Geese), [quail](/source/Quail), [rabbits](/source/Rabbits), [songbirds](/source/Songbirds), and other wild animals. [Habitat](/source/Habitat) is also being developed for [raccoon](/source/Raccoon), [fox](/source/Fox), [mink](/source/Mink), [muskrats](/source/Muskrats), and [bald eagles](/source/Bald_eagles), among other [wildlife](/source/Wildlife).[citation needed]

The Indian Creek Wildlife area is intended for public hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching, cross country skiing, picnicking, nature study, primitive camping and other fun in the outdoors.

[Shimek State Forest](/source/Shimek_State_Forest) is managed as a multiple-use area for timber products, wildlife habitat and recreation. The 900-acre (3.6-square kilometre) forest includes hiking trails and is available for public [hunting](/source/Hunting).

All those activities are available to the public at Lake Sugema and the 3,000-acre (12-square kilometre) Indian Creek Wildlife Area. The [Iowa Department of Natural Resources](/source/Iowa_Department_of_Natural_Resources) and the [Van Buren County](/source/Van_Buren_County,_Iowa) Conservation Board are managing the lake, wildlife, and recreation areas.

## References

1. ["Coordinates 40.68968, -91.99417"](https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40.68968,+-91.99417+%28Lake%20Sugema%29&ie=UTF8&ll=40.703025,-91.973763&spn=0.062335,0.173035&t=h&om=0). *Google Maps*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Lake Sugema and Indian Creek Watershed"](http://keosauqua.com/lake-sugema.html). *Keosauqua, Iowa Chamber*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Attractions and Recreational Opportunities"](http://keosauqua.com/attractions.html). *Keosauqua, Iowa Chamber*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Lake Sugema"](https://www.card.iastate.edu/lakes/lake_general.aspx?id=70). *Iowa Lakes Valuation Project*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Lake Sugema Campgrounds"](https://www.traveliowa.com/aspx/dest.aspx?id=7995). *Travel Iowa*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Lake Sugema of Iowa"](https://www.landbigfish.com/fishingspots/showcase.cfm?ID=916). *Land Big Fish*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

1. ["Lake Sugema"](http://www.iowadnr.gov/idnr/Fishing/Where-to-Fish/Lakes-Ponds-Reservoirs/LakeDetails/lakeCode/SUG89). *Iowa Department of Natural Resources*. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

## External links

- [Contour Map](https://web.archive.org/web/20100528160658/http://www.iowadnr.gov/fish/fishing/lakes/maps/sug89.pdf)
- [Villages of Van Buren](https://web.archive.org/web/20110717203108/http://villagesofvanburen.com/sites-of-interest.html?item=29)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lake Sugema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Sugema) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Sugema?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.