Iowa River

The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about 323 miles (520 km) long[3] and is open to small river craft to Iowa City, about 65 miles (105 km) from its mouth. Its major tributary is the Cedar River.

Iowa River
The Iowa River upstream of Marshalltown, Iowa
Map showing the Iowa River (to the left) and its tributary the Cedar River
Location
StateIowa
Physical characteristics
Sourceconfluence of East Branch Iowa River and West Branch Iowa River
 • locationBelmond
 • coordinates42.860524°N 93.6138214°W / 42.860524; -93.6138214
MouthMississippi River
 • location
near Toolesboro
 • coordinates
41°9′38″N 91°1′26″W
Length323 mi (520 km)[1]
Discharge 
 • locationOakville, Iowa
 • average14,109 cu/ft. per sec.[2]
Basin features
River systemMississippi River
Tributaries 
 • leftSwisher Creek, Cedar River
 • rightEnglish River

Course

It rises in two branches, the West Branch and East Branch, both of which have their headwaters in Hancock County, each about 38 miles (61 km) long and which join in Belmond.[3]

The Iowa then proceeds roughly in a southeast direction, passing through the city of Iowa Falls, through a scenic valley to Steamboat Rock, then through the cities of Eldora, Marshalltown, Tama, and Marengo, and through the Amana Colonies in Iowa County. In Johnson County, it becomes impounded by the Coralville Dam in the Coralville Reservoir, which turns southward to the spillway. The river runs generally south and passes through Iowa City and the University of Iowa campus. A lowhead dam at Burlington Street in Iowa City is the last dam before the river's confluence with the Mississippi. South of Iowa City, it is joined in Washington County by the English River, and then in Louisa County it is joined by the Cedar River to flow into the Mississippi.

Uses

The Iowa River is noted for recreational and commercial fishing. Game fish include largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, channel and flathead catfish, crappie and other panfish. The Coralville Reservoir is commercially fished for carp and buffalo fish.

Pine Lake State Park is located on the Iowa River at Eldora.

Floods

The Iowa can flood, notably in the June 2008 Midwest floods, and the Great Flood of 1993. The Cedar and its tributaries, including the Shell Rock River, can contribute to flooding events. It tore down the historical swinging bridge in Charles City, Iowa.

August 2022 jawbone discovery

On the afternoon of August 8, 2022, Marshall County Conservation staff discovered a jawbone from a prehistoric Native American of middle age or older in the Iowa River in Marshall County.[4][5]

See also

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Iowa River
  2. "Iowa River". USGS.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 13, 2011
  4. "Sheriff: Human remains believed to have been discovered along Iowa River". KCCI. August 11, 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  5. Mollenbeck, Andrew (22 September 2022). "Jawbone from prehistoric times found in Iowa River". KCCI. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
Wikisource has the text of the 1921 Collier's Encyclopedia article Iowa River.


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