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Iowa | Southeast Iowa
Des Moines River
Austin Park to Keosauqua Boat Ramp
Check current paddling conditions for this Des Moines River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Austin Park and paddle the official Lower Des Moines River Water Trail around the Lacey-Keosauqua bend to the Keosauqua boat ramp. The reach is beginner-appropriate only at normal levels and still deserves bridge, release, and private-bank checks.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Austin Park boat accessAustin Park is a named water-trail access with camping context, but the saved coordinate is a practical access-area anchor; verify the ramp and parking from land before leaving a vehicle.
Take-out
Keosauqua Boat RampKeosauqua is the named public boat-ramp finish near Hotel Manning and the direct USGS gauge town.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Austin Park is a named water-trail access with camping context, but the saved coordinate is a practical access-area anchor; verify the ramp and parking from land before leaving a vehicle.
- Keosauqua is the named public boat-ramp finish near Hotel Manning and the direct USGS gauge town.
- The Lower Des Moines is meandered, but private property begins at the high-water mark. Keep breaks to legal bars, riverbed, and clearly public lands.
Watch for
- Bridge pilings at Pittsburg and Keosauqua, especially when releases make current faster.
- Red Rock release changes, low-water bars, muddy banks, wind, cold water, floating debris, and jumping silver carp.
- Residential/private banks between Austin Park and Keosauqua; do not assume informal exits are legal.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Des Moines River at Keosauqua, 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 |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 3,000 cfs to 4,500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 800 cfs |
| High threshold | 6,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Outdoor Adventures Made Easy lower Des Moines Keosauqua-gauge notes |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official routeAustin Park to Keosauqua, 5.8 mi
Iowa DNR names this exact Lower Des Moines water-trail reach and describes the nearly two miles to Pittsburg plus the remaining bend around Lacey-Keosauqua State Park.
- Public access and campingAustin Park and Keosauqua access/camping context
Villages of Van Buren lists Austin Park with boat access, camping, restroom, water, kiosk, and shelter, and Keosauqua with boat access, restroom, water, food, kiosk, camping, lodging, cabins, and B&B options.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05490500 8,110 cfs / 12.87 ft at 2026-07-23 13:15 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Des Moines River at Keosauqua data during this run, above the conservative high-water ceiling.
- Threshold model800 / 3,000-4,500 / 6,000 cfs
The app reuses the accepted lower Des Moines Keosauqua-gauge model from the adjacent Bentonsport-to-Bonaparte source, with no new segment-specific cutoff invented.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Des Moines River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Des Moines River?
Paddle Today watches Des Moines River at Keosauqua, IA and treats 3,000 cfs to 4,500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Des Moines River route start and end?
This route starts at Austin Park boat access and ends at Keosauqua Boat Ramp, about About 5.8 mi on the water.
Is this Des Moines River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.