Iowa River
{{short description|Tributary of the Mississippi River in Iowa, United States}}
{{for|the list of rivers|List of rivers of Iowa}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Iowa River
| image = Iowa River.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The Iowa River upstream of Marshalltown, Iowa
| map = Iowarivermap.png
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Map showing the Iowa River (to the left) and its tributary the Cedar River
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| country = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Iowa
| source1 = confluence of East Branch Iowa River and West Branch Iowa River
| source1_location = Belmond
| source1_coordinates= {{Coord|42.860524|-93.6138214|region:US-IA_type:river_source:gnis|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation =
| mouth = Mississippi River
| mouth_location = near Toolesboro
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|41|9|38|N|91|1|26|W|region:US-IA_type:river_source:gnis|display=it}}
| progression =
| location =
| etymology =
| length = {{convert|323|mi|km|abbr=on}}{{GNIS|457834|Iowa River}}
| discharge1_location=Oakville, Iowa
| discharge1_avg =14,109 cu/ft. per sec.{{cite web|url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/uv/?site_no=05465700&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060|title=Iowa River|website=USGS}}
| basin_size =
| river_system = Mississippi River
| tributaries_left = Swisher Creek, Cedar River
| tributaries_right = English River
| custom_label =
| custom_data =
}}
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about {{convert|323|mi}} longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed May 13, 2011 and is open to small river craft to Iowa City, about {{convert|65|mi}} from its mouth. Its major tributary is the Cedar River.
Course
It rises in two branches, the West Branch and East Branch, both of which have their headwaters in Hancock County, each about {{convert|38|mi}} long and which join in Belmond.
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.{{cite news |url=https://www.kcci.com/article/sheriff-human-remains-believed-to-have-been-discovered-along-iowa-river-marshall-county/40871293 |title=Sheriff: Human remains believed to have been discovered along Iowa River |work=KCCI |date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=23 September 2022}}{{cite news |last=Mollenbeck |first=Andrew |url=https://www.kcci.com/article/jawbone-found-in-iowa-river-belonged-to-prehistoric-human/41319743 |title=Jawbone from prehistoric times found in Iowa River |work=KCCI |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=23 September 2022}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Collier's Poster}}
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- {{gnis|457834|Iowa River}}
- {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Iowa (river)|short=x|display=Iowa. A river in the State of Iowa}}
- [https://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/islandora/object/ui%3Atestirc Iowa River Collection]
{{Minnesota tributaries of the lower Mississippi drainage basin|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Tributaries of the Mississippi River
Category:Rivers of Hancock County, Iowa
Category:Rivers of Iowa County, Iowa
Category:Rivers of Johnson County, Iowa
Category:Rivers of Hardin County, Iowa
Category:Rivers of Marshall County, Iowa