Have you noticed the small dam on the South Skunk below SE 16th Street (Ames)?  Could it have been constructed as a grade control structure (made necessary by channelization), or when the USGS stream gauging station was first installed? (Gauge records go back to 1952)

Newspapers.com didn't answer that question for me but it has turned up a lot of other interesting bits of history.  Did you know that there was a Story County Conservation Committee,  before the establishment of County Conservation Boards in 1956?  Among other efforts the Committee led an Upper Skunk River Improvement Project, which involved the construction of rock dams for fish habitat.  The first to be approved and constructed was located near the Soper's Mill bridge.  Others were to be constructed near Story City and East 13th (Ames). I'll share a few of the news items I found but the organization seemed to disappear from the news.  Could that be because the Ames Reservoir was first proposed in the 1930s?

(I've posted this unfinished, so if you happen upon it please know that it's a work in progress.)

Spread the word!  This is just one of six MRSPs scheduled for 2017!

Iowa Rivers Revival's Master River Stewards Program is an adult-education program that teaches watershed awareness, paddling and navigating skills, river and stream dynamics, aquatic habitat, water quality and water monitoring, and policies related to floodplains, river protection and restoration.

Register online by April 23rd and find more details at: www.storycountyconservation.org
Or contact Annie Fangman at Prairie Rivers of Iowa
515-232-0048
afangman@prrcd.org

We've lost a great friend.  Gary Kingham died Sunday, January 22nd after his kayak capsized near the Sycamore Access on the Des Moines River. 

The news of Gary's death came as a shock to everyone in the paddling community.  Gary was known and respected by many.  He'll be greatly missed and fondly remembered.

Kingham enjoys scenery along the way to a win

The Ogden Reporter (www.ogdenreporter.com)
06/02/2015

Kayaker Gary Kingham paddles his way to another win.
Photo by Robert Hirschfield

May 16, 2015 marked the 58th running of the Des Plaines River Canoe and Kayak Marathon in Illinois. Historically, this part of Chicagoland was woods and open space. Back then the race had a “Northwoods” feel that attracted over 1,000 canoes. This year’s attendance was over 400 canoes and kayaks.

One of those competing was Ogden’s Gary Kingham. Racing in the under 18’ sea kayak class, Kingham dominated the field, placing first, 15 minutes ahead of the next competitor.

“The most amazing thing over this 18.5 mile run was the scenery, being half the width of the Des Moines River with very low banks, good parts of it dark and treecovered,” noted Kingham. “I expected to see “Yoda” watching me go by! My secret to success on this course is reading and riding the current. When you can do that, you’ll fly along at seven to eight miles per hour!”

Kingham’s prior race this year was March 22 on Perche Creek in Columbia, MO where he took a silver medal over the ninemile course.

Gary Kingham competes at the World Championship

Ogden Reporter
(www.ogdenreporter.com)
10/14/2014

Gary Kingham finishes in the top 10.
Photo provided

On Sept. 24, athletes from around the world met at the Olympic Training Center and Race Course for the 2014 Kayak World Championship. The event took place at the ultra modern world class U.S. Kayak & Canoe Olympic training site on the Oklahoma River
at Oklahoma City.

Men and women athletes from across the U.S. train and even live there year round perfecting their sport in kayaks, racing canoes and
rowing shells.

“It’s all quite a spectacle to behold,” says kayak competitor Gary Kingham of Ogden.

Kingham was offered the opportunity to compete for the U.S. in August after a successful season of four out of five victories, including setting the course record in a tandem kayak at the 72 mile South Dakota Kayak Challenge and once again a gold medal at the Iowa
Games.