Existing Recreational Conditions on the Iowa River, Steamboat Rock Dam

Prepared by Mimi Wagner, Landscape Architect

The “people” part of this engineering project is important to Iowa DNR River Programs and LT Leon Associates.  A multi-step social science assessment is underway to better align local conditions with intended outcomes of the project.

The first step in this social assessment was to learn everything we could about how people use the river & dam area near Steamboat Rock. Mimi Wagner, a landscape architect and environmental scientist working with LT Leon Associates, conducted interviews and small group meetings in July and August 2019. Mimi communicated with stakeholder groups and many individual residents in the area to form an understanding of use patterns and ideas for improving conditions for recreation related to the river.
​
Results of Mimi’s research identified important recreation patterns that have been established since the current dam was constructed in the 1940’s. The below chart organizes the major themes that were identified. 

 
Here are a few main takeaways:

• Three people have drowned while boating on this dam since it was built
• People have adapted to the artificially-high pool elevation behind the dam and use it similar to a lake for fishing and boating
• Fishing below the dam, particularly for flathead catfish and other species, is popular
• Pine Ridge Park Campground, located at the pool / river edge upstream of the dam, is popular for camping but is severely limited due to frequent flooding. Even small rain / hydrologic events often require campground evacuation, sometimes in the middle of the night
• The dam is blocking fish and mussels from passing to upstream portions of the Iowa River

​Read future blog posts to learn how these conditions were used to structure public listening at the August and November 2019 public open houses.