River/Stream: Des Moines River
Built: 1933. Rehabilitation to rock arch rapids completed in 2014.
View of dam after conversion to rock arch rapids.
Owner: City of Boone
Height: 3 ft.
Length: 212 ft.
Hazards: drowning, varying, visibility -- significantly reduced by rehabilitation project
Warning Signs: Originally installed July, 2006, and are no longer needed.
Comments: No need to portage -- paddle through the rock arch rapids.
Fatalities 4
- July 10, 2006 - inner tube floater Megan Pavelick
- July 30, 1972 - canoeist Glenn Houlberg & boater William McAlpine who attempted rescue
- April 24, 1971 - canoeist Tom Huerter, a would-be rescuer who became a victim
Incident Reports:
On July 9th, 2006, Megan Pavelick drowned at the Boone Waterworks dam shortly after starting a tubing trip down the Des Moines River with friends. It almost became a bigger tragedy when a nearby fisherman nearly drowned while assisting in the rescue effort. The drop over the dam that day was reported to be a mere 14 inches, but the hydraulic was enough to entrap and claim Megan as the latest victim of that dam.
Litigation Information:
- Pavelick v. City of Boone (Ames Tribune report)
- Pavelick v. Seven Oaks (Ames Tribune report)
