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Iowa | Northeast Iowa
Maquoketa River
Quaker Mill Dam to Bailey's Ford Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Maquoketa 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
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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 Quaker Mill Dam and take out at Bailey's Ford for a Manchester-area Maquoketa day that includes the whitewater park, Schram/Pine Oak corridor, and the final river-focused take-out before Lake Delhi influence.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Prepare this trip
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Put-in
Quaker Mill Dam / 195th StreetQuaker Mill and Manchester whitewater features require a deliberate line or portage decision. This route is whitewater-filtered because the normal source route includes those features.
Take-out
Bailey's Ford AccessSchram Park and Pin Oak Park are official downstream access/bailout points, but use them only when current signs, parking, and bank conditions are clear.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Quaker Mill and Manchester whitewater features require a deliberate line or portage decision. This route is whitewater-filtered because the normal source route includes those features.
- Schram Park and Pin Oak Park are official downstream access/bailout points, but use them only when current signs, parking, and bank conditions are clear.
- Bailey's Ford is the planned finish. Delaware County warns the river below Bailey's Ford begins to become impounded by Delhi Dam and recommends ending or restarting trips around that dam boundary.
Watch for
- Class I-II rapids at the put-in, Class II Manchester whitewater-park features, bridge current, shallow riffles, and scraping near or below 195 cfs.
- Fast rises, woody debris, cattle/pasture edges, bait-container litter, and private banks away from public access points.
- Lake Delhi stillwater influence and no-portage Delhi Dam logistics downstream of Bailey's Ford.
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 | Maquoketa River at Manchester, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 195 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled Maquoketa River I Quaker-Mill-to-Bailey's-Ford guidance |
| 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.
- Current gauge check399 cfs / 5.10 ft at 2026-07-23 03:15 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Manchester discharge and stage during this run.
- Exact route reportQuaker Mill Dam to Bailey's Ford Park, 7.75 mi
Miles Paddled documents the exact put-in and take-out, GPS coordinates, trip time, distance, and route character.
- Threshold floor195 cfs workable; 250 cfs closer to ideal
Miles Paddled recorded 195 cfs / 4.3 ft at Manchester, recommended that level with scraping caveats, and said ideal levels would be nearer 250 cfs.
- Whitewater and skillClass I-II / Class II features
Miles Paddled describes Class I-II rapids at the put-in and Class II at Manchester Whitewater Park; Delaware County says the whitewater park requires no less than advanced skills.
- Downstream dam boundaryLake Delhi and Delhi Dam below Bailey's Ford
Delaware County says the river below Bailey's Ford becomes impounded by Delhi Dam and recommends taking out at Bailey's Ford for river-focused paddling.
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
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Maquoketa River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Maquoketa River?
Paddle Today watches Maquoketa River at Manchester, IA and uses 195 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Maquoketa River route start and end?
This route starts at Quaker Mill Dam / 195th Street and ends at Bailey's Ford Access, about About 7.75 mi on the water.
Is this Maquoketa 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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