Upper Iowa River level good for floating, cloudy for fishing

DNR Fisheries Technician Chris Larson floats and fishes the Upper Iowa River near Baker Park. (Photo/text by decorahnews.com's Bob Modersohn)

Chris Larson, a fisheries technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in Decorah, reports the Upper Iowa River level is at about three feet measured locally. When the river level is at two feet, vessels will be scraping bottom in places. At four feet of depth, the current will be moving paddlers right along.

"At three feet, that's a pretty nice level for kayaking and canoeing on this river," Larson said. Wednesday morning the river was still cloudy, making fishing tougher.

"It clears up pretty quick compared to other rivers in Iowa," the river regular said.

Go to rivergages.com for the latest information on water levels along the Upper Iowa.