Construction of Carlyle Lake began October 18, 1958. The government purchased 25,000 acres for the lake, in addition to land surrounding the lake for flowage easement. Homesteads were moved, along with country roads and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. Tracks containing five bridges span the water between Keyesport and Boulder, dividing the upper and lower parts of the lake. The rights to 69 oil wells were purchased and plugged to prevent pollution in the lake. Over 600 burial sites had to be moved from seven cemeteries. Other shoreline cemeteries had to be moved to higher ground.