See all 6 routes on Upper Iowa River
Iowa | Driftless Area
Upper Iowa River
Lower Dam Access to Iverson Bridge 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
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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 below Lower Dam and take out at Iverson Bridge for the downstream Upper Iowa continuation east of Decorah. Use the direct Decorah gauge as a low-water check and avoid rising-water wood exposure.
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
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Lower Dam AccessUse the Lower Dam Access below the dam. Do not launch upstream or include the dam portage in this route.
Take-out
Iverson Bridge AccessCanoe Creek and Iverson Bottoms are mapped intermediate accesses, but verify current road, parking, and bank condition before relying on either as a bailout.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use the Lower Dam Access below the dam. Do not launch upstream or include the dam portage in this route.
- Canoe Creek and Iverson Bottoms are mapped intermediate accesses, but verify current road, parking, and bank condition before relying on either as a bailout.
- The route is long enough that wind, low-water scraping, and daylight can matter more than the Class I rating suggests.
Watch for
- Scraping around 245 cfs and below on the Decorah gauge; 300 to 400 cfs was the published smoother target, not a high-water ceiling.
- Fresh wood, strainers, bridge current, private banks, cold spring-fed water, and fast rises after rain.
- Dam-adjacent hazards at the start if the group launches in the wrong place or paddles upstream toward Lower Dam.
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 at Decorah, 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 | 245 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 VII Dorchester/Decorah-gauge observation |
| 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 check981 cfs / 2.80 ft at 2026-07-23 00:45 CDT
USGS Water Services returned current Decorah discharge and stage during this run.
- Route-specific water note245 cfs worked with occasional scraping; 300-400 cfs smoother
Miles Paddled recorded the Lower-Dam-to-Iverson trip at 245 cfs and recommends 300 to 400 cfs for a smoother ride.
- Official access chainLower Dam Access, Canoe Creek, Iverson Bottoms, Iverson Bridge
The Upper Iowa River Paddler’s Guide maps Lower Dam Access to Canoe Creek Access, Iverson Bottoms Access, and Iverson Bridge Access with paddle-time context.
- Dam and corridor contextThree upper-corridor dams must be portaged or avoided
Iowa DNR Fish Iowa says the Upper Iowa is a paddlers’ dream but identifies Lidtke Mill, Upper Dam, and Lower Dam as dams in this stretch that must be portaged around.
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 at Decorah, IA and uses 245 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 Lower Dam Access and ends at Iverson Bridge Access, about 15.75 mi on the water.
Is this Upper Iowa 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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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.