See all 6 routes on Upper Iowa River
Iowa | Northeast Iowa
Upper Iowa River
Iverson Bridge Access to Kumpf Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Upper Iowa 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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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 Iverson Bridge and paddle the lower Upper Iowa toward Kumpf Access. This is the downstream continuation from the existing Lower-Dam-to-Iverson card and uses the direct Dorchester gauge.
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
Iverson Bridge AccessIverson Bridge is the start of this card and the take-out for the upstream existing route; avoid leaving vehicles where they block bridge or access traffic.
Take-out
Kumpf AccessKumpf Access is the planned take-out. Do not continue into the final lower Upper Iowa corridor without staging a separate downstream shuttle.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Iverson Bridge is the start of this card and the take-out for the upstream existing route; avoid leaving vehicles where they block bridge or access traffic.
- Kumpf Access is the planned take-out. Do not continue into the final lower Upper Iowa corridor without staging a separate downstream shuttle.
- The Dorchester gauge is downstream and direct for the lower corridor, but make a visual check for wood, depth, and landing condition before launching.
Watch for
- Scraping in riffles below the 300 cfs selected floor and smoother water around the 300-350 cfs target.
- Fresh wood, strainers, bridge current, fast rises after rain, and private banks.
- Cold spring-fed water, long rural response times, and limited alternate exits.
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 | Upper Iowa River near Dorchester, 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 | 300 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 Upper Iowa River VIII Dorchester-gauge recommendation |
| 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.
- Route and coordinatesIverson Bridge to Kumpf Access
Miles Paddled Upper Iowa VIII identifies Iverson Bridge Road Access as the put-in and Kumpf Access as the take-out, publishing GPS coordinates 43.41256, -91.5769 for Iverson Bridge and 43.42727, -91.46262 for Kumpf Access.
- Threshold guidance300-350 cfs for a smooth ride
Miles Paddled says roughly 300 to 350 cfs at the Dorchester gauge is the preferred smooth-water target for this reach.
- Current gauge checkUSGS 05388250 1,140 cfs / 8.25 ft
USGS Water Services returned current Upper Iowa River near Dorchester data at 2026-07-23 19:00 CDT during this run.
- Official access-chain contextIverson Bridge and Kumpf named in Upper Iowa guide
The Upper Iowa River Paddler's Guide lists Iverson Bridge Access and Kumpf Access in the lower-river landmark/access chain.
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
Upper Iowa River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Upper Iowa River?
Paddle Today watches Upper Iowa River near Dorchester, IA and uses 300 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Upper Iowa River route start and end?
This route starts at Iverson Bridge Access and ends at Kumpf Access, about About 8.5 mi on the water.
Is this Upper Iowa 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.