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The Mississippi River Recreational Boating Guides cover the length of the Mississippi River bordering Iowa from the Minnesota line to the Missouri line. It has been produced to aid recreational boaters in their access to and enjoyable use of the river. It is also designed to assist boaters in the safe navigation of the river. The guides are organized into 11 individual brochures, each covering one pool of the river. A pool is the water area between one lock and dam and the next. Locator maps can be found in each brochure to help you locate the pool and the individual river maps that you may need. An explanation of each of the facilities located on the individual maps can be found on the page facing each map. Facilities are indexed by river mile and by the side of the river (left or right when traveling downstream).
Maps are available for the pools of the Mississippi River bordering the state of Iowa. Each pool is divided into sections, one map per section. There is also information on the boating and recreation oriented facilities along or in the river in each of the sections. To browse, simply choose a pool from the table below. Then you may select a particular section of interest within the pool. A zipped file that includes all of the maps and facility information of the particular site is also available to download.
A legend to the symbols used on the pool maps above. In the 1930s the US Army Corps of Engineers built a series of locks and dams on the Mississippi River in order to maintain a navigation channel of at least nine feet in depth. Eleven such lock and dam facilities are located along the Iowa border. These locks and dams present a special hazard to recreational boaters. Strong currents are often found above and below these locks and dams. Restricted areas have been established by the US Army Corps of Engineers above and below these facilities. Other restrictions may also be posted at each dam or spillway.
The US Army Corps of Engineers lists the following procedures for the use of navigational locks:
Lockwalls vary in height from 8 to 40 feet. Provide your craft with at least 50 feet of rope with which to moor your craft safely during lockage. The lines should be held by hand and not tied to the boat while in the lock chamber. No line should be tied to a recessed ladder or other permanent structure while in the lock chamber. Upon completeion of this lock filling or emptying operation, a signal will be given by the lock operator that it is safe to depart the lock. Leave the lock at a slow speed. The approaches to the lock are considered no wake areas. Recreational craft and towboats are locked through on a first-come, first-served basis. Government craft and regularly scheduled passenger craft have priority. There is no charge for locking through.
Towboats, wing dams, and stumpfields constitute special hazards for recreational boaters on the Mississippi River. Towboats can create large waves and strong currents. Recreational boaters should stay clear. There is a blind area directly in front of barges, and since a towboat may require a half-mile or more to stop, this area should be avoided. Wing dams are enlongated piles of rock or concrete placed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to help control the direction of channel flow. At certain river levels they may be submerged and can pose a danger to boaters. Wing dams are not buoyed, but a line of rolling ripples on the surface of the water may indicate a wing dam is just below the surface. Stumpfields were created when standing timber was cut prior to flooding by the lock and dam systems. Caution should be used when navigating in stumpfield areas.  Warning!
Stumpfield and wing dam locations shown on these maps are only approximate. Care should be taken when navigating in the general area of these hazards. The river is a dynamic system. The locations of sandbars, islands, debris, and other navigation hazards may change as water levels and currents change.
Safe navigation channels on the Mississippi River are marked by floating buoys or permanent day marks. When traveling upstream, green can buoys or day marks will mark the left side of the channel. Red nun buoys or daymarks will be on the right. Day marks may be lighted and are usually signed with the river mile at that location. Boaters should be cautioned that buoys can break loose and change locations or sink. Buoys should be used as guides only, and boaters should always use caution when navigating on this river system.
In addition to the city and county listings provided in the individual pool maps, a number of state and federal agencies have responsibilities for managing lands and waters and regulating use along this portion of the Mississippi River. Illinois Department of Natural Resources Rock Island District, Corps of Engineers
The Iowa DNR would like to thank the individuals at the federal, state, local, and private levels that helped in providing information and in the critical review of this guide. Special thanks goes to the Minnesota DNR for technical assistance and to those members of the Iowa DNR who worked on the production of this publication, especially Gina Burkhardt, Kevin Kellner, Tami Pavlicek, Larry Pool, Dennis Rockhill, Julie Sparks, Linda Wiley, and James Zohrer. The production of this publication was jointly funded by the State Marine Fuel Tax Fund and the National Recreational Boating Safety Financial Assistance Program administered by the US Coast Guard. |
Traffic
Signals
All locks monitor
and can work 156.65 MHz (Ch. 13) and 156.7 MHz (Ch. 14). Ch. 16 is the
authorized call, reply, and distress frequency, and locks are not permitted
to work on this frequency except in an emergency involving the risk of
immediate loss of life or property.
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