More Splashes, More Smiles

More Splashes, More Smiles

Explore the magic of our state's water trails, and experience Iowa in a whole new way

By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby

In today’s hectic world, spending time in nature offers an inviting way to relax and recharge, especially when you’re on the water. This is becoming easier than ever in Iowa, from the country to the suburbs to the heart of Des Moines, thanks to an expanding network of water trails.

“Iowa has some of the best paved bicycle trails in America, and now we’re developing some of the best water trails,” says Hannah Inman, CEO of the Great Outdoors Foundation and interim director of Iowa Confluence Water Trails (ICON).

A water trail is any moving body of water, from creeks to rivers. These trails abound across Iowa, near Manchester, Charles City, Iowa City, Boone, Des Moines and beyond. Iowa’s water trails provide endless possibilities for discovery and adventure, including boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, whitewater experiences and creek stomping (just walk in the water and follow the streambed!).

“Water trails offer something for all ages and skill levels,” Inman says.

When you’re on a water trail, you experience Iowa from a whole different perspective. The scenery ranges from native trees and birds in the more rural areas to parks, playgrounds and walking trails in the suburbs. In downtown Des Moines, the view includes the golden dome of Iowa’s state capitol rising above the city skyline.

Waterways have always been an integral element of Iowa culture, from prehistoric to current times, influencing people’s livelihoods, travel, recreation and settlement patterns. Des Moines, for example, was founded at the confluence of two rivers – the Des Moines and Raccoon – nearly 200 years ago.

As Iowa’s cities and suburbs have grown and technology has evolved, more people have become disconnected from the water. ICON Water Trails is restoring this connection.

“Former Principal Financial CEO David Hurd had a vision more than 20 years ago about making Des Moines a ‘golden city,’ including activating the waterways for recreation,” Inman says. “The Principal Riverwalk was Phase 1. The water trails are Phase 2.”

The hiking trails along Fourmile Creek in Des Moines’ Sargent Park provide endless hours of exploration for adults and kids. Points along the trail also offer natural playscapes for kids right by the water.

Photo credit: ICON

Returning to Iowa’s River Roots

ICON Water Trails is in the process of connecting 150 miles of waterways in 12 municipalities across central Iowa, with more than 80 different access points. A major win came in November 2021 with the passage of the Polk County Water & Land Legacy Bond.

“With 81% approval, this yielded more funding for ICON and shows the priority our region places on our waterways,” says Matt McKinney, an attorney and West Des Moines city council member who serves as co-chair of the ICON Water Trails board of directors. “It’s exciting to see so many people come together to support water trails.”

ICON is a natural extension of West Des Moines' Five Waters Project, a multifaceted recreation plan that together, offer outdoor recreation opportunities, appeal to tourists and help businesses in our area attract and retain employees.”

Jacob Handsaker and his son William stand in the middle of a bioreactor construction on a farm near Nevada.

Rural-Urban Partnerships Protect Water Quality

Water trails also encourage conservation and collaboration to improve water quality. In 2021, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, the Polk County Board of Supervisors and several public and private conservation partners announced a new water quality “blitz project.”

The project started with 40 saturated buffers and 11 bioreactors installed in farm fields in Polk and Dallas counties to enhance water quality and support recreational opportunities in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. Today, the project has expanded to include 74 saturated buffers and 25 bioreactors in this region.

“Our community is investing in creating a world-class water trails system,” says Angela Connolly, a Polk County supervisor. “Recreation initiatives like this don’t happen without investments in water quality.

We’re seeing tremendous momentum with projects like saturated buffers and interest in water quality initiatives from all corners of our community.”

In a saturated buffer, water drained from a farm field is diverted into a perforated pipe. This water slowly filters through an area covered with grasses and other vegetation that functions almost like a sponge. Beneficial soil microbes in this “sponge” help remove excess soil nutrients (including nitrates) so clean water enters nearby streams and rivers.

A similar process occurs with bioreactors, which function like a coffee filter. Bioreactors are strategically located in fields to protect nearby bodies of water. They consist of a buried trench with woodchips. Water drained from farmland flows through the woodchips, where helpful microbes consume the nitrates before the drainage water leaves the bioreactor.

“We take a scientific, strategic approach, using modern technology to position these structures for maximum benefit,” says Jacob Handsaker, 40, owner of Hands On Tiling & Excavating in Radcliffe, who has installed some of the structures in the water quality blitz project.

A fifth-generation farmer, Handsaker has seen the positive difference water quality and conservation practices can make. “My family spends time at a pond north of Hubbard that’s fed strictly by ag drainage tile,” says Handsaker, who also enjoys kayaking and boating at Little Wall Lake in north-central Iowa. “While the water used to have lots of algae, now it’s beautiful. There’s much less algae, largely due to more conservation practices around the pond.”

ICON and its partners appreciate the opportunity to work with the ag sector to support water quality initiatives in Iowa. “Partnerships are vital for the success of water trails,” says Inman, who notes that funding for water trails typically involves a mix of private donations and federal, state and local funding. “Working with the farming community has been really refreshing and fun.”

ICON is also focusing on ways to create a “playbook” of best practices to help other Iowa communities develop water trails in their area.

“Water trails offer an accessible, low-cost way to enjoy outdoor recreation and Iowa’s natural beauty,” says Inman, who notes that no one in Iowa is more than a few miles from a creek or river. “They make everyday life more magical.”

Water trails also remind you of what it means to be an Iowan. “Looking back 20 years, we couldn’t have imagined the long-term, positive impact the paved trail system would have on our region,” Inman says.

“Looking forward 20 years, we believe water trails will create a similar transformation as they reconnect people with Iowa’s priceless natural heritage.”

Photo credit: ICON