The Saylorville Lake Project is 26,000 acres, which stretches for over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. A wide variety of recreational activities are available including fishing, picnic areas with group shelters, boat launches, an accessible fishing pier, river fishing, hunting, and a 24-mile paved, multipurpose trail used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking, and in-line skating.

Saylorville Lake, once primarily farmland in the Des Moines River Valley, was converted into a reservoir and recreational area by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1965 and 1977 for flood control purposes. The government acquired land from private farmers through purchase or eminent domain, leading to community relocations including Polk City due to impoundment.

The park now features historical sites such as the Dragoon Trail used by mounted infantry in the 1830s; Oak Grove Beach with its centuries-old Euro-American cemetery; and Cottonwood Recreation Area named after local cottonwood trees that contribute ecological benefits.

Since its creation nearly fifty years ago, Saylorville Lake has become vital for managing floods while offering activities like boating, fishing camping and wildlife observation. Its establishment shifted land use from agriculture towards conservation-based recreation managed at federal levels within sustainable environmental stewardship frameworks involving multiple jurisdictions around watershed planning initiatives.