Iowa
Iowa DNR working to remove or modify low-head dams, could be roughly a century until complete
Quasqueton, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is on a mission to remove or modify almost every low-head dam in the state. Still, it could be a while before that task is complete.
The dams are harmful to the fish that live in these waterways and pose a large risk of drowning.
The dam at Palisades-Kepler State Park is one of approximately 172 low-head dams left on major rivers in the state of Iowa.
InvestigateTV found there is no national inventory of low-head dams and less than a third of states track where they are located.
The state of Iowa has a map of every single one.
”Those dams come across loud and clear that they’re a hazard and that you should avoid them,” Nate Hoogeveen, director of river programs for the Iowa DNR.
The Iowa DNR says these dams are “extremely dangerous.”
The water running over the top of the wall causes a reverse current which kills 1.7 people on average per year.
”No matter your experience level never decide to enter that area. Whether you’re an angler from downstream. Not if you’re a boater from upstream. It’s just super dangerous,” Hoogeveen said.
The DNR wants to remove or modify every low-head dam to make them safer for people and the fish in the stream.
The project started in 2008. Since then, 38 dam projects have been complete, one being in Quasqueton.
”It was just a regular low-head dam, probably about a 5-foot drop,” said Orlan Love, a member of the Quasqueton city council.
In 2014, the dam on the Wapsipinicon River at Quasqueton was turned into a rock arch rapids.
The added rock displaced a lot of water, helping to remove the dangerous reverse current. Since then, there haven’t been any safety concerns.
These modifications can even open the river to recreational activities.
”Theoretically you can run a kayak or canoe over the rock arch rapids,” Love said.
The DNR hopes all low-head dams can be removed or transformed like the one in Quasqueton.
“That’s a career goal for me,” Hoogeveen said. “And for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. I’m certain this will keep going long beyond me.”
Hoogeveen said it could be a century until they’re all done. The DNR does not own every low-head dam in the state. Communities work with the DNR to get the projects started.
“At the rate we’re going, it’s probably a century timeline to be honest,” Hoogeveen said. “A part of that’s a matter of communities being ready for it.”
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IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.
The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.
“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.
Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.
At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.
That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.
“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.
The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.
“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.
Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.
For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.
Scoop: Iowa Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek snagged a major endorsement for his Senate bid from former Sen. Tom Harkin.
Harkin, who retired in 2015, was the last Democrat to represent Iowa in the Senate. Turek is locked in a competitive primary with state Sen. Zach Wahls in a race that has divided major factions of the Democratic Party.
“I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you,” Harkin said in his endorsement. “That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek.”
Harkin served in the Senate for 30 years and is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was 11 when the ADA was enacted.
Harkin is a widely sought after endorsement in the Hawkeye State. His decision to wade into the race is notable because Harkin also has a relationship with Wahls.
Wahls called Harkin “one of my closest political mentors,” and said the former senator officiated his wedding in 2021.
Iowa’s Senate primaries are June 2.
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