Iowa's County Conservation program was established in 1955 when the General Assembly passed the County Conservation law.

Five individuals were chosen to represent the Kossuth County Conservation Board by the Supervisors and the first meeting was held August 13, 1962 in the Kossuth County Courthouse.

The first acquisition for the Kossuth County Conservation Board (KCCB) was 124 acres for Smith Lake. Purchased from Mrs. Ruth Scholtes on April 14, 1965 for $28,266 dollars.

Construction of the 54 acre (man-made) lake was in the fall of 1965 and spring of 1966.

The Water's Edge Nature Center was built in 2007 and sits on the west side of Smith Lake.

Today the KCCB manages 27 areas totaling almost 2,000 acres.

back