Two Great Water Trails Opening on June 19

Iowa River Greenbelt Water Trail Dedication

The 52-mile Iowa River Greenbelt Water Trail will be officially dedicated at 10 a.m. June 19, with the Steamboat Rock Portage dedication, followed by the Water Trail and Alden Portage ceremony. A public paddle from the Alden Portage to Weavers Cove will be at 2:30 p.m.

Following the paddle, participants are invited to the Calkins Nature Center for a watershed presentation and complementary meal. The presentation and meal will begin at 6:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring their own canoe or kayak, although there will be a limited number of canoes and kayaks available to borrow. Contact Dave Sweeney - Southfork Watershed Alliance at dsweeney@iowatelecom.net or 641-373-4340 to reserve a canoe or kayak.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in addition to grants, supported the effort with guidance and advice from the DNR's River Programs team who worked with Hardin County Conservation and volunteer groups to ensure the river trail was developed according to DNR guidelines. The staff also provided physical labor for projects along the trail. The DNR's River Programs team constructed a new portage at the Steamboat Rock Dam in the fall of 2009 with final touches just being completed in the last few weeks.

"The Iowa River and its surrounding greenbelt have had a huge amount of support from the local communities over more than 60 years," said Nate Hoogeveen, River Programs coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. "In many ways, this water trails project is a culmination of several generations of conservation and recreation work along the Iowa River in Hardin County."

The dedication is hosted by the Iowa River Greenbelt Resource Trust, Hardin County Conservation, the Iowa DNR and the Southfork Watershed Alliance.

West Nishnabotna Water Trail Grand Opening

A grand opening of the West Nishnabotna Water Trail will be held on Saturday, June 19, with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m., in the Iowa Edgington Memorial Park in Avoca. The grand opening is hosted by the Pottawattamie Conservation Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Water Trails program.

This day-long event will include a river race, kid's games, a public float and a canoe and kayak demonstration by the DNR's Water Trails team. Avoca mayor Scott Pigsley and Macedonia mayor Terry Pullen will be a few of the speakers at the ribbon cutting.

The West Nishnabotna Water Trail will be a 27 mile segment running from Avoca to Macedonia with access points along the route allowing paddlers to paddle just a section of their choice or the entire trail.

"The Nishnabotna is within a short drive of a huge number of people," said Nate Hoogeveen, with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources River Programs. "This river tells a great story of how a river that descends into poor quality can improve over time."

Go to Rubber Duck Outfitters for complete details and a schedule for the events.