Rivers across Iowa are swollen and swift with recent heavy rainfall. Some rivers are already dangerously high at or near flood stage, and more rivers could rise fast with rain in the forecast through Saturday morning.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is urging paddlers to stay off of rain swollen rivers, as they are super powerful with unpredictable current and tons of wood or branch piles coming downstream that can pull a paddler under or pin them underwater.
The DNR adds that these deadly hazards are usually found on outside river bends where currents are the strongest, but can be found anywhere on rivers including at the base of bridge piers.
