West Nishnabotna River Water Trail and Friends of the West Nish

04/18/2026

Spring paddling can provide solitude, exercise and an opportunity to see amazing wildlife and blossoming nature. Extra precautions are needed to stay safe.

07/18/2025

In March 2024, a massive fertilizer spill in Red Oak caused significant ecological damage to the East Nishnabotna River, impacting more than 60 miles downstream and killing at least 800,000 fish of 20+ species.

Since then, state and federal agencies have been working together to determine the severity of the spill's impacts on the river and restore aquatic wildlife.

Check out our latest blog post for updates on the assessment & restoration process: https://www.goldenhillsrcd.org/news/east-nishnabotna-fish-kill-updates

As the coordinator of the East Nishnabotna River Watershed Coalition, Golden Hills is eagerly awaiting more updates and will share them as they become publicly available. We look forward to working collaboratively to help restore the East Nish's water quality and habitat.

07/17/2025

Beautiful evening on the West Nish last night!

07/04/2025

One of the kids at kayak had a silver carp jump into her kayak going down the Nishnabotna River this week.

06/25/2025

(Avoca) -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a petroleum release into the West Nishnabotna River near Avoca.

06/04/2025

The popular Iowa DNR online interactive fishing atlas has been updated to include DNR managed lakes, community fishing ponds, hundreds of miles of Iowa rivers including the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and miles of trout streams.

New search features allow anglers to search by waterbody and quickly zoom in to find lake contours, fishing structures, river bends, and trout stream riffles with aerial imagery.

This mobile-friendly atlas will sync with your current GPS location to help you navigate a river segment and find specific lake contours, fish structure locations, and amenities such as fish cleaning stations.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/3e1828a

06/04/2025

Keep It Clean, Keep It Fun! Golden Hills now has a supply of Reusable Litter Cleanup Bags from Iowa Department of Natural Resources! We encourage all outdoor enthusiasts to pick up litter as they go with free reusable litter bags. These quick-drying mesh bags fit easily in your kayak hatch, bike bag, picnic basket, tacklebox, car trunk or backpack.

You can pick up two litter bags at sites across Iowa, including our office in Oakland. Please call ahead to make sure we are open and still have bags available.

https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/paddling-river-recreation

06/04/2025

05/20/2025

National Safe Boating Council 3350 Ulmerton Road, Suite 8 Clearwater, FL 33762 (703) 361-4294 [email protected]

04/09/2025

Olde Town Park – renovated & ready for adventure!
Exciting news! The boat ramp at Olde Town Park has been renovated and is now accessible!

This hidden gem, located on the historic Mormon Trail, offers a "back to nature" experience with river access, primitive camping, and peaceful picnic spots along the West Nishnabotna River.

🏕️ Camping Details:
✅ 8 tent/RV campsites – $20/night, first-come, first-served
💧 Electric & water are ON year-round
♻️ Dump station available at Botna Bend Park

Whether you’re floating down the river, camping under the stars, or soaking in the history, Olde Town Park is the perfect place to escape and explore! 🌎

📍 Plan your visit today! https://www.pottconservation.com/parks/old_town/

03/04/2025

Today, let's give a shout-out to an unsung hero of our rivers and streams and nature’s greatest natural filtration systems - freshwater mussels! Both of these tanks contain water from a stream. The tank on the right contains freshwater mussels, and after a few hours, the difference is clear. One mussel alone can filter 24 gallons of water in a day!

By keeping our waterways clean, freshwater mussels support fish populations and contribute to a healthier ecosystem. Protecting these species means protecting our watersheds and the clean water we all depend on.