Public Survey on Future Maquoketa River Water Trail in Delaware County

The public is invited to share their ideas about the future Maquoketa River Water Trail for Delaware County by participating in a new survey.

The Iowa DNR is partnering with Delaware County Conservation and East Central Intergovernmental Association to develop a water trail master plan for a portion of the Maquoketa River in Delaware County. The plan will focus on the section of river that begins at Bailey’s Ford Park, flows through Lake Delhi, and ends at the county’s southern boundary.

Water trails are recreational routes on rivers and lakes that provide a unique experience for canoeists and kayakers.  Water trail routes provide adequate access points that can be used for planning trips at various lengths and difficulty. The master plan will present a vision for the future of river recreation in Delaware County and will recommend actions that can be taken to make that vision a reality.  

A key part of developing the water trail master plan will be to collect ideas and general feedback from the local Delaware County community, stakeholders, and Maquoketa River users. The responses and feedback will help to enhance the river experience and identify improvement projects like: improved boat launch/ramp designs, informational signage, parking areas, safety and general experiential improvements to the Maquoketa River.

Anyone 18 years of age or older is invited to complete a short 5 to 10-minute survey to share ideas on the Maquoketa River Water Trail in Delaware County. All answers and data received from this survey will be kept confidential and anonymous. 

Paper surveys are available at the Delaware County Conservation Office, Bailey’s Ford Park, 2379 Jefferson Road, Manchester, IA 52057.

You can also find the survey online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLCYV8K.

The surveys must be completed and returned by January 31st.

The public also can share their photos of the Maquoketa River between Bailey’s Ford Park and Hard Scrabble Wildlife Area, whether an area of concern or a scenic view, and learn more about the plan at the ECIA project website at https://eciatrans.org/delaware_county_water_trail_plan/index.php