The following table is built from information contained in the currently out-of-print book Paddling Iowa (2nd Ed, 2006) by Nate Hoogeveen. Nate provided minimum flows where he could for each trip he listed. Minimum flows are those which provide just enough water depth to float your canoe or kayak. In many instances higher flows are recommended. However, it's important to know that high flows, especially those approaching flood stage, can be extremely dangerous. The list is alphabetical and follows the sequence of the book. In appendix 3 of the book Nate assigned skill levels to each section. This table is an attempt to assemble the minimum flows and skill level information in one place with links to the USGS gauges for convenience.

The information contained in this table is somewhat subjective and was assembled as a basic guide to help paddlers and trip leaders make decisions about where and when to paddle. Rivers are dynamic, always changing. Just because a river might be tagged "beginner" doesn't mean that you don't need to be cautious. Nate notes that "even on so-called beginner streams the unexpected arises: tricky snags or logjams that must be portaged can accumulate, road crews may install a temporary low bridge, and so on." Nate describes the "intermediate" streams as those wich may contain "swifter waters with some tricky turns, open water where high waves can develop, long distances between accesses, difficult access, numerous fence crossings, or numerous logjams or snags". Nate defines the "experienced" segments as those that have "fixed hazards or imminent potential for them that can spell trouble for novice paddlers...they require a degree of skill, such as being able to take an eddy when you need to, being able to make turns in rapids, being able to navigate, and so on."

Big Cedar Creek

Launch

Landing

Distance (miles)

Gauge

Minimum Flow

Skill Level

Launch

Landing

Distance (miles)

Gauge

Minimum Flow

Skill Level