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Iowa | North Iowa
Cedar RiverNashua below-dam access to Pearl Rock
Short Cedar River water-trail leg from the Nashua dam portage corridor to Pearl Rock, using the Waverly gauge as a downstream same-river signal and published Cedar paddling-guide access notes.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch below the Nashua dam and paddle the short downstream Cedar River leg to Pearl Rock. This fills the first gap below the existing Charles City-to-Nashua card while keeping dam exposure explicit.
Access map
Put-in
Nashua below-dam access / Veterans Memorial Park portageUse the Veterans Memorial Park / Nashua Access portage system to get below the dam; do not drift over or launch upstream of the dam.
Take-out
Pearl Rock accessPearl Rock has a small parking lot that the guide says holds only a couple of vehicles. Confirm parking and the landing before launching.
Road shuttle
Stage the small Pearl Rock take-out first, then return to Nashua. Launch only from the public below-dam side of the Nashua portage corridor; do not start above the dam for this downstream route.
Additional access notes
- The Waverly gauge is downstream of the route and should be paired with same-day visual checks at Nashua.
More route and safety guidance
- Pearl Rock has only a small parking area according to the paddling guide; confirm the take-out from land and keep the shuttle footprint small.
- The Waverly gauge is downstream of the route. Check the gauge trend, weather, and visible current at Nashua before committing.
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Cedar River at Waverly, IA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Cedar River at Waverly, IA |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Cedar River Paddling Trips Waverly/Charles City gauge guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Route shape6.1 miles
The Cedar River Paddling Trips guide lists Nashua Access as 6.1 miles upstream of Pearl Rock.
- Endpoint coordinates42.95638, -92.535427 to 42.9107066, -92.5408445
The paddling guide's Pearl Rock GPS (42.910715, -92.543001) falls about 600 feet west of the named canoe launch. The endpoint now uses the mapped launch-site marker beside the Cedar River, checked against the public county access listing and aerial imagery; it is not a surveyed agency coordinate.
- Gauge floor200 cfs minimum; 400-600 cfs better
The guide provides Cedar River gauge guidance for the trip family and points users to Charles City plus downstream gauges including Waverly.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-232,450 cfs / 5.10 ft at 2026-07-23 08:15 CDT
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Local route contextNashua to North Cedar is a public float corridor
The City of Nashua describes the Veterans Memorial Park / dam portage and says the Nashua-to-North-Cedar corridor can be customized using public access points.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Cedar River
All 25Nearby routes within 75 miles
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