Official State of Iowa Website Here is how you know

Search for a News Release


Press/Media inquiries: PIO@dnr.iowa.gov


DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: paddlingReturn
RSS
Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

  • 11/21/2023 11:57:00 AM
  • View Count 4578
Winter paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing winter beauty. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers be prepared to paddle in cold weather.
Improve your paddling skills with DNR canoe and kayak schools

Improve your paddling skills with DNR canoe and kayak schools

  • 5/16/2023 1:54:00 PM
  • View Count 2117
DES MOINES —Naturalists, youth group leaders and others who bring people out on the water in canoes or kayaks and want to learn how to teach others about paddling efficiently and safely are encouraged to attend one of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) paddling schools scheduled June through September.
Safety tips for river recreation this summer

Safety tips for river recreation this summer

  • 5/16/2023 1:52:00 PM
  • View Count 2781
Iowa rivers will soon be busy with paddlers, swimmers, and people wading to search for fossils, rocks and driftwood or to clean up litter or explore a sandbar.
Stay safe paddling this spring

Stay safe paddling this spring

  • 4/18/2023 4:17:00 PM
  • View Count 2337
Early spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife, but extra precautions are needed to stay safe.
Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

  • 11/22/2022 11:37:00 AM
  • View Count 5442
Winter paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing winter beauty. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers be prepared to paddle in cold weather.
Improve your paddling skills with canoe and kayak schools

Improve your paddling skills with canoe and kayak schools

  • 5/10/2022 1:57:00 PM
  • View Count 1449
DES MOINES —Naturalists, youth group leaders and others who bring people out on the water in canoes or kayaks and want to learn how to teach others about paddling efficiently and safely are encouraged to attend one of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) paddling schools scheduled June through September.
Eager paddlers need to take extra precautions to stay safe

Eager paddlers need to take extra precautions to stay safe

  • 4/12/2022 3:37:00 PM
  • View Count 1548
With recent warmer temperatures, restless paddlers are ready to put canoes and kayaks in the water. Early spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife, but extra precautions are needed to stay safe.
Paddlers urged to stay off rain swollen rivers

Paddlers urged to stay off rain swollen rivers

  • 8/31/2021 11:44:00 AM
  • View Count 2698
Iowa streams are swollen and swift with consistent rainfall the past several days. Some rivers are already dangerously high, and more rivers could rise fast with chances of rain forecast this week.
Paddlers encouraged to brush up on safety before hitting the water

Paddlers encouraged to brush up on safety before hitting the water

  • 6/8/2021 1:22:00 PM
  • View Count 2528
Iowa lakes and streams will soon be busy with paddlers eager to get on the water as summer is finally here. For many, it will be their first time out for the year, and experts advise they go through their equipment and review safety tips before heading to the water.
Olympic hopeful pro skaters promote fishing and the outdoors while visiting Iowa

Olympic hopeful pro skaters promote fishing and the outdoors while visiting Iowa

  • 5/19/2021 3:11:00 PM
  • View Count 1157
DES MOINES—The Iowa DNR and Takemefishing.org hosted a restoration event on Tuesday, May 18 for recreational fishing, paddling and conservation at Gray's Lake in Des Moines. Pro skaters TJ Rogers (CAN) and Alana Smith (TX, USA) worked alongside DNR staff, Des Moines Parks and Recreation staff and community volunteers to remove litter and invasive species, sink infrastructure for fish habitat and to practice their angling skills. They even took some time off to kayak.
Eager paddlers need to take extra precautions to stay safe

Eager paddlers need to take extra precautions to stay safe

  • 4/6/2021 12:34:00 PM
  • View Count 3150
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers wait for warmer weather to allow the water temperatures to rise slowly. It could be several weeks before water temperatures are ideal and safe as water and air temperatures continue to change.
Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

Safety tips for paddling in cold weather

  • 1/12/2021 12:30:00 PM
  • View Count 1915
Winter paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing winter beauty. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers wait for warmer weather to allow for warmer water and conditions.
DNR, IDPH and Polk County Health partner to share tips for safe Fourth of July holiday weekend

DNR, IDPH and Polk County Health partner to share tips for safe Fourth of July holiday weekend

  • 7/1/2020 12:26:00 PM
  • View Count 3918
DES MOINES, Iowa – As the Fourth of July holiday weekend quickly approaches the forecast predicts very warm weather which will draw thousands of people to state parks, beaches, lakes and rivers. The DNR along with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Polk County Health Department are partnering to share some safety tips to help keep you safe this holiday weekend.
DNR urges caution, safety on Iowa waters and beaches

DNR urges caution, safety on Iowa waters and beaches

  • 6/10/2020 10:51:00 AM
  • View Count 16236
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is urging everyone on Iowa waterways or at public beaches to use caution and exercise all safety measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable time.
Stay safe and “distance” to start this paddling season

Stay safe and “distance” to start this paddling season

  • 4/7/2020 12:38:00 PM
  • View Count 3431
With recent warm temperatures, restless paddlers are ready to put canoes and kayaks in the water. Early spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife, but extra precautions are needed to stay safe.
Paddlers urged to use caution on two popular river sections

Paddlers urged to use caution on two popular river sections

  • 7/30/2019 3:03:00 PM
  • View Count 3018
Paddlers need to use caution on the Raccoon River in Des Moines and Upper Iowa River in Winneshiek County. Two natural hazards on Iowa rivers are reminders that river users need to stay aware, wear life jackets, and make safe decisions on the water.
4 tips for new paddlers

4 tips for new paddlers

  • 7/2/2019 11:48:00 AM
  • View Count 8758
Many Iowans love spending summertime paddling through the water. If you want to try paddling for the first time, check out these tips to get started:
Caution advised as peak boating season approaches

Caution advised as peak boating season approaches

  • 6/25/2019 12:43:00 PM
  • View Count 2885
Traditionally, the 4th of July weekend is the busiest period on Iowa waters. Boating, paddling, fishing and swimming are even more popular with what are often the warmest temperatures of the year. When factoring in record rains this spring and many waterbodies at or above flood stage on top of increased use, it only makes sense to have a plan before you set out to make sure everybody stays safe.
Stay safe this paddling season

Stay safe this paddling season

  • 4/2/2019 12:57:00 PM
  • View Count 2781
As Iowans start to thaw out from a brutal winter, paddlers and other boaters are itching to hit the water.  While some river levels have dropped, others remain high and unsafe. 
2019 Iowa BOW Spring Workshop - Don't Miss Out!

2019 Iowa BOW Spring Workshop - Don't Miss Out!

  • 3/21/2019 9:43:00 AM
  • View Count 3184
Interested in learning outdoor skills associated with hunting, fishing and general outdoor pursuits? Join women of all ages as they try new activities, refine their skills, and meet like-minded individuals. This weekend workshop offers sessions ranging from intro to firearms, intro to fishing, landscaping for wildlife, boater education, wild game cooking, to city nature identification.
Paddlers urged to stay off rain swollen rivers

Paddlers urged to stay off rain swollen rivers

  • 6/21/2018 2:58:00 PM
  • View Count 10271
Iowa streams are swollen and swift with consistent rainfall the past several days. Some rivers are already dangerously high, and more rivers could rise fast with chances of rain forecast through next week.
Try these 5 water trails this spring and summer

Try these 5 water trails this spring and summer

  • 5/29/2018 2:55:00 PM
  • View Count 14593
If you’re looking to blaze a new trail through Iowa, consider hitting the water for something different. Iowa boasts a number of water trails, which offer a unique perspective on the state.
Stay safe this paddling season

Stay safe this paddling season

  • 4/17/2018 12:30:00 PM
  • View Count 4078
Paddlers are itching to get out on the water after this year’s long and cold winter. Review these simple safety tips before you head out on the water for your first paddling trip this year.
Eager paddlers need to use extreme caution

Eager paddlers need to use extreme caution

  • 4/3/2018 1:10:00 PM
  • View Count 5011
After a long, cold winter and cool and wet spring so far, Iowa paddlers are ready to put an end to their “cabin fever”.  The fluctuation in air temperatures have made the warming of water temperatures a much slower process, and it take several weeks before rivers and lakes are at the ideal temperature for water recreation.
Rock the Rapids: turning dangerous dams into places for family fun draws crowds to communities

Rock the Rapids: turning dangerous dams into places for family fun draws crowds to communities

  • 7/6/2017 2:57:00 PM
  • View Count 17406
The mist burns off of a cozy Sunday morning as I sit, watching a flock of geese trade honks with a train. They’re preening in the calm water above the first drop of the Manchester Whitewater Park, and occasionally a brave one floats down the chute before flapping back up to its friends. Tucked between industrial buildings and Main Street, the park is already humming with cyclists, dog walkers and photographers doing portrait shoots. The structured banks of ochre boulders look amazingly inviting, and upstream, a to...
Project AWARE cleanup to tackle the Upper Cedar River

Project AWARE cleanup to tackle the Upper Cedar River

  • 4/27/2017 12:52:00 PM
  • View Count 6484
CHARLES CITY – Volunteers will have an opportunity this summer to spend their vacations cleaning up, learning about and exploring 60 miles of the upper Cedar River from the Iowa-Minnesota border to Nashua from July 10 to 14. 
4 Tips for Choosing the Right Canoe

4 Tips for Choosing the Right Canoe

  • 7/12/2016 3:55:00 PM
  • View Count 10169
Canoes are an ancient means of transportation, and originated many times in places like Australia, the Amazon and the northern United States. Today, modern models and materials give paddlers a variety of performance options, and knowing how to pick the right one will help you get the most functional, fun and usable canoe for your needs. Know the tips below to get one step closer to paddling.
Winter Paddling Provides Thrills

Winter Paddling Provides Thrills

  • 1/5/2016 9:29:00 AM
  • View Count 4291
Iowa paddlers and other water recreationists have been treated to above average temperatures and open water since November. While ice anglers have been grumbling, some paddlers have taken enjoyed the extended paddling season the mild winter has brought. Most rivers are ice free and running high from the December rains.
6 Water Trails to Explore This Spring

6 Water Trails to Explore This Spring

  • 4/30/2015 10:36:00 AM
  • View Count 22843
If you’re looking to blaze a new trail this spring, consider hitting the water for something different. Iowa boasts a number of water trails, which offer a unique perspective on Iowa in spring.
Tips for Cold Weather Paddling in Iowa

Tips for Cold Weather Paddling in Iowa

  • 11/18/2014 6:47:00 AM
  • View Count 29984
Not even cold temperatures are enough to keep the hardiest kayakers and canoers inside. If you can find open water, use these tips for safe cold-weather paddling to enjoy a trip on the water any time of year.