Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources have clarified a statement issued earlier this week, with regard to Lake Manawa State Park near Council Bluffs. The DNR says the park remains open for day use, and only the campground has been closed.

Kevin Szcodronski, chief of State Parks for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says “The park will remain open for day use until there is direct evidence that the levee standing between the Missouri River and the park will not hold.” He says “There has been some confusion from our park visitors and (the DNR) have received a lot of calls at the park asking if the park was open.”

The DNR closed the Lake Manawa State Park campground on Monday due to safety concerns that the levee holding the Missouri River back will not withstand the pressure over the expected six to eight weeks of flooding. The campground closure is expected to last through August.