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Iowa | Southeast Iowa
Des Moines River
Douds Access to Austin Park
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
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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 Douds and take out at Austin Park for a longer Lower Des Moines River day through wooded bends and bluff-country scenery. Iowa DNR describes few special hazards on this reach, but the distance, release-controlled levels, private banks, and rescue exposure make it less forgiving than the two upstream starter segments.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Douds County Park & Des Moines River AccessIowa DNR gives Douds to Austin Park as about 9.75 miles and lists Austin Park as the next downstream access before Keosauqua.
Take-out
Austin Park boat accessAustin Park is described by local water-trail materials as about two miles northeast of Pittsburg with boat access and campground amenities; verify the exact ramp and parking condition before leaving a shuttle vehicle.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Iowa DNR gives Douds to Austin Park as about 9.75 miles and lists Austin Park as the next downstream access before Keosauqua.
- Austin Park is described by local water-trail materials as about two miles northeast of Pittsburg with boat access and campground amenities; verify the exact ramp and parking condition before leaving a shuttle vehicle.
- The Keosauqua USGS gauge is downstream of Austin Park on the same Lower Des Moines corridor. Use it as a proxy with same-day visual checks at Douds and Austin Park.
Watch for
- Longer mileage, headwind, fewer easy exits, and slower rescue response than the shorter Eldon-to-Douds segments.
- Release changes from Red Rock Dam, high/fast water, low-water bars, muddy banks, and jumping silver carp.
- Wood on outside bends, bridge current, private banks, and overnight assumptions that depend on current county or park rules.
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
Data and sources
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 routeDouds to Austin Park, 9.75 mi
Iowa DNR Lower Des Moines River water-trail material names this reach and says the first half is similar to the straighter upstream reaches before the river bends through wooded hills and valleys.
- Public access and campingDouds ramp; Austin Park camping/boat access
Villages of Van Buren describes Douds as a boat-ramp access with two campsites, and county guide material lists Austin Park on the Des Moines River with camping, shelter, water, primitive toilets, and boat access.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05490500 5,060 cfs / 11.84 ft at 2026-07-23 10:00 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Des Moines River at Keosauqua data during this run.
- Threshold model800 / 3,000-4,500 / 6,000 cfs
The app reuses the accepted lower Des Moines Keosauqua-gauge community model from the adjacent Bentonsport-to-Bonaparte source and documents the proxy limitation.
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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More routes to check next
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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 Douds County Park & Des Moines River Access and ends at Austin Park boat access, about About 9.75 mi on the water.
Is this Des Moines River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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