River Trail News
Task Force Meets: The Des Moines River Water Trail Task Force met at Lake Red Rock on January 21, 2000. Representatives from Des Moines, Polk County, Boone County, Marion County, Van Buren County, Wapello County, Mahaska County, and Webster County were joined by members from the Army Corps of Engineers, Iowa state government, and the Iowa congressional delegation. The purpose of the task force is establish and develop a water trail on the Des Moines River. The task force plans to erect signs and publish a map-brochure by June 1, 2000, with a dedication ceremony afterwards. This date coordinates with a national program focusing on rivers in the year 2000.
Media Outreach: Dave Kraemer, editor of the Ottumwa Courier, has written a guest editorial about the water trail initiative. He has sent this to newspapers throughout the 19 water trail counties. He reported that the Mason City paper printed the editorial in a recent edition.
Identification and Notification Lists: The list of interested parties in each county is growing. Dave Kraemer has entered information about each county in a spread sheet. Additional information about libraries and mayors in each city along the trail will also be entered. There has been no representative from Emmet or Lee County at the meetings, and POCs (points of contact) are needed for those counties.
Governor's Canoe Trip: The DNR reports that the annual invitational canoe trip will be on the Des Moines River in Boone County on June 24, 2000. Plans call for the dedication of a Water Trail sign at the Frasier Access.
Rivers 2000 events: Patty Peterson-Keyes, Polk County naturalist, is coordinating planning for multi-county float trips to be held on June 24, 2000. County Conservation boards will work together to provide shuttle service and comfort stations. For the second year, the Ottumwa Courier will sponsor a float from Hard fish Access to Ottumwa on Aug. 12, 2000. (Dave Kraemer will coordinate with Red Rock dam). Van Buren County will hold a two-day float July 14-15 from Shidepoke Access to Farmington, with an overnight in Keosauqua.
Trail Map: Michelle Lanterman, GIS specialist with the ITS department in state government, shared a map of the Water Trail made with GIS (geographic information system) software. The computer generated maps will show multi-county views and 5 detailed detail view with the river, access points, dams, bridges, portages, bathrooms, potable water, historic sites, and other recreational trails.
Trail Signs: A draft of a trail sign is on the web at www.desmoinesriver.org/logo.html. The task force will work with DOT and other agencies to secure funding. It was agreed that signs should be placed above the normal high water mark near the access points. Signs should also be placed on bridges (visible from the river) telling the route name/number.
Canoe Guide: The DNR is on the web at http://www.state.ia.us/parks/canoe/canoegui.htm. Information from the Des Moines River web site will be used to update the Des Moines River information. The DNR is asking for volunteers to paddle stretches of other rivers and provide information on any changes that need to be made to the canoe guide.
Next Meeting:
The next meeting of the task force will be Feb. 25th at Camp Sacajawea,
on Hwy. E26 near Frasier in Boone County, hosted by the Moingona Council
of Girl Scouts.
.