182 Dam Related Fatalities
Please join us in working to prevent more fatalities.
2020 (4)
- Upper Iowa - May 18, 2024, Kayaker Justin Limkemann found below the dam after being reported missing
- Clermont - June 8, 2020, Sharon Kahn & Vicki Hodge, went over the dam while tubing
- March 21, 2020, Shaun Oppenheimer, fell from sinking fishing boat in restricted waters at spillway dam for Guttenburg Lock & Dam 10
2010's (19)
- Palisades - July 20, 2019, Jairo Mejia Jimenez, went underwater while swimming near the dam
- Palisades - July 7, 2019, Ricky Lee Veenstra, fell from jon boat at spillway, was not wearing a PFD
- Clarinda - July 5, 2019, Jerrimiah Bryant Smiley, paddled his kayak over dam into undertow
- January 5, 2019, Timothy Chicoine, his kayak capsized in tailwaters below Red Rock Dam, Des Moines River, Marion County
- Fort Dodge - May 28, 2018, Alex Dencklau, his kayak capsized in the boil below the dam
- Des Moines - May 29, 2017, Ronald Weaver, drifted into current with unpowered boat
- Cedar Falls - April 13, 2017, Anthony S. “Tony” Romero, fell off ledge on river right while fishing and was swept into recirculating hydraulic. Tony died a few days later.
- June 24, 2016, Tyler Harris, fishing boat swept over Lock & Dam 19, Keokuk, Lee County. Another man in the boat was wearing a personal flotation device and was rescued alive.
- Charles City - March 22, 2016, Kevin Endelman, fell out of boat anchored above the dam
- Des Moines - January 10, 2015, Ayawk William, jumped off bridge above the dam
- Troy Mills - July 19, 2014, Andrea Zimmermann, went over the dam while tubing
- Upper Iowa - July 20, 2013, Eric Langland, swimming too close below dam
- Linn Grove - June 29, 2013, Robert Wiese, lost control of a motor boat while launching it in high water above the dam
- Marshalltown - June 18, 2012, Andres Favela-Lopez, swept away by undercurrents while swimming at dam
- Clarinda - July 19, 2011, Deontae Haynes, swimming too close below dam
- Des Moines - June 11, 2011, Dax Bell, swam into boil below the dam
- Fertile - July 26, 2010, James Thompson, attempted to remove debris on dam
- Waucoma - July 25, 2010, Christopher Spilde, swimming too close below dam
- Delhi Dam - June 19, 2010, Jonathan Berg, thrillseeker jumped into spillway
2000's (20)
- Cedar Rapids - July 29, 2009, Christopher Clark, jet skiing
- Des Moines - June 30, 2009, Alan Neely, boating
- Independence - July 30, 2007, Rich Droste, swimming
- Des Moines - July 4, 2007, Franco Ventura, swimming
- Alden - April 29, 2007, Drew Goodknight & Jon Hill, canoeing
- Brushy Creek - April 26, 2007, John & Frank Greenwood, fishing
- Boone - July 10, 2006, Megan Pavelick, inner tube floating
- Humboldt - May 6, 2006, Michael Milligan, fishing
- Ames - April 17, 2005, Thomas Manatt, canoeing
- Adel - June 15, 2003, Troy Morrison, fishing
- Des Moines - August 10, 2002, Steven Nourse, kayaking
- August 5, 2002, Leo Schreck & Laurence Ritter, fishing boat capsized below Lock & Dam 19, Keokuk, Lee County
- Palisades - July 8, 2002, Norman Kauffman & Merwyn Schlabach,wading
- Adel - May 26, 2001, Cory Hart, swimming
- Fertile - June 10, 2001, Swimmer jumped into boil at low-head dam
- Linn Grove - May 30, 2000, Charles Ebel, fell into boil while fishing
1990's (20)
- March 29, 1999, one died after fishing boat capsized below Red Rock Dam, Des Moines River, Marion County
- Des Moines - July, 1996, Mark Fetters, boating
- Littleton - July 1, 1996, Melvin Lightfoot, Sr. & his son Melvin Lightfoot, Jr., fishing boat capsized
- Mason City - June 27, 1996, Mike McCloskey & Rufino (Rudy) Heredia, inner tube floating
- Iowa City - October 4, 1994, Cameron Inghram, fell in just above the dam
- Iowa City - June 28, 1994, Brent Hartman, inflatable raft over dam
- May 3, 1994, Shane Eaves & Gary Counts, fishing boat capsized below Lock & Dam 19, Keokuk, Lee County
- Frederika - July 15, 1992, Kimberley Ann Kingery
- Little Sioux - May 31, 1992, Howard & Ronald Gard, fishing boat capsized
- Coralville - March 17, 1992, Jeff Brogan & Justin Ramseyer, boat capsized
- August 13, 1991, Linda Doyle & son Matthew, canoe capsized at Guttenburg Lock & Dam 10
- Iowa City - May 19, 1991, John O'Sullivan, fishing boat overturned
- Ottumwa - July 8, 1990, Dave Baxter, fishing boat capsized
- Littleton - June 4, 1990, Patrick Graham, attempted rescue of his son who survived
1980's (14)
- Coralville - July 25, 1987, Andy Lepic, fishing
- Palisades - August 2, 1986, Douglas Timmerman, swimming
- Hazelton - Fontana Lake Dam, March 19, 1986, Lee Fox, Jr. & Jeff Roepke, rafting
- Humboldt - May 23, 1985, Reggie, Ronald & Stacy Tate, canoeing
- July 15, 1984, Mike Paulline, fishing boat over Lock & Dam 13, Clinton, Clinton County
- Fort Dodge - July 10, 1983, Patrick Darby, inner tube floating
- August 7, 1982, James Sopher & Robert Davis, fishing boat capsized below Lock & Dam 19, Keokuk, Lee County
- Des Moines - May 10, 1982, Larry Clark, raft overturned after going over dam
- Littleton - June, 1980, Rebecca Marie Cory
- Steamboat Rock - June 7, 1980, Vance Hartline, rubber raft capsized after going over dam
1970's (26)
- Cedar Rapids - August 10, 1978, Bruce Alkire & Benny Wieland, fell in while fishing
- June 22, 1977, Thomas Schlatter, Charles Doty & Terry Winder, fishing boat capsized in boil at Lock & Dam 13, Clinton, Clinton County
- Cedar Rapids - May 20, 1976, C.R. firefighters Melvin Goebel & Robert Simon during training above the dam
- Anamosa - July 22, 1974, brothers Brad & Dan Becker, swimming
- July 19, 1974, boaters Patrick Neal & Peter Knight in Saylorville Dam spillway, Polk County
- Otranto - June 14, 1974, Allan Blake, 12, while walking across the dam
- Iowa City - June 25, 1973, Michael Canavan, inflatable raft swept over dam
- May 28, 1973, two boaters died at Lake Darling State Park dam, Washington County
- Coralville - May 16, 1973, Richard W. Goss, canoe swept over dam
- Waverly - May 15, 1973, James Longmuir, dam accident volunteer rescuer became a victim
- Cedar Rapids - April 15, 1973 - brothers Daniel & Donald Chapman in raft over dam
- August 12, 1972, William T. Harris, Sr. & William Harris, Jr., fishing boat went over & capsized at Lock & Dam 18, Burlington, Des Moines County
- Boone - July 30, 1972, canoeist Glenn Houlberg & boater William McAlpine who attempted rescue
- June 27, 1972, Derick Kosterman, swimming below Coralville Reservoir Dam, Johnson County
- Cedar Falls - April 24, 1971, Randy Scheffert from one of two boats over dam
- Boone - April 24, 1971, canoeist Tom Huerter, a rescuer who became a victim
1960's (19)
- Palisades - May 11, 1969, Daniel Shelton, inflatable raft over the dam
- Iowa City - January 23, 1969, Michael Hullihan, oarless boat over dam
- July 27, 1968, Bellevue, Lee Roy, Janice Pickel & Kim Kieffer (all children, parents survive), boating
- Manchester - July 18, 1968, Bill Tibbott, seining for fish
- July 4, 1968, Earl Stone & Victor Arenschield, fishing boat over Lock & Dam 15, Davenport, Scott County
- June 1, 1967, Clarence, Clarence Jr. & Bonnie Hafley while fishing at Lake Darling State Park dam
- Lynnville - February 12, 1967, Shelby Crawford, slipped on ice and into water flowing over the dam
- Iowa City - June 16, 1965, John Neuzil, attempted to retrieve beach balls trapped in the boil
- Littleton - June 9, 1963, boaters Merrill Broshar & Lloyd McAllister
- Ames - May 3, 1963, David Barnhart, floating with friends
- Palisades - May 20, 1962, Gary Nolte, fell from dam while netting fish for a group of children
- Linn Grove - April 24, 1962, John Rex, fishing boat capsized
- Des Moines - May 30, 1960, Elaine Long, boating
1950's (12)
- Littleton - June 7, 1959, swimmer Casper C. Cook
- Ottumwa - March 19, 1959, Dennis Johnson & Charles Slaton, drowned in high, swirling waters below dam
- Manchester - May 29, 1958, Jan Speed, 19, tried to swim across the river just above the dam
- Ottumwa - April 7, 1958, LaVerne Robert Porter, 10, slipped off a dam abutment
- August 13, 1957, Clarence Rau, wading at Linksville Lock & Dam #9
- Adel - December 21, 1956, Donald Greenslade, through thin ice
- Mason City - July 8, 1955, Norman Pheil & Enoch Kaloplostos, swimming
- Cedar Falls - July 7, 1954, Lyell Corwin, fell in while fishing
- Des Moines - June 15, 1952, Mary Arzetta Jones, wading
- Waucoma - June 10, 1950, Bernard Bouska, swimming below the dam
- Redfield - September 4, 1949, William Huff, slipped while fishing from dam apron
- August 6, 1948, John May & Emery Bellmeyer, fishing in boat at Dubuque Lock & Dam #11
- Manchester - July 17, 1948, Jerry Kirby, fell during attempt to climb from the dam to the pier
- May 20, 1948, John Jant, boating at Dubuque Lock & Dam #11
- Fertile - August 16, 1945, Gerald Nickerson, went over dam while swimming
- Charles City - July 10, 1944, Phillip Thomsen, 10-year-old playing with a toy boat fell from a wall into river
- Waterloo - May 21, 1944, Walter Gallery & his son Walter Jr., boat swept over dam
- Cresco - August 13, 1943, Leland Aberg, swimming in high water at the dam
- Decoarah, May 29, 1943, John Swehla, Jr., fell in while fishing at the Main Street dam
- Waterloo - April 12, 1941, Donald Allen, jumped from oar-less boat as it went over dam
- Northwood - May 3, 1940, John Helsted, age 2, found floating near the dam
- Littleton - June, 1937, George Nagy, fell in while fishing
- Plymouth, May 28, 1937, John Collister, swimming with brothers at the dam during high water
- Palisades - December 28, 1936, Clifton Cavanaugh, attempted to span spillway with ladder and lost balance
- Littleton - September, 1936, Ray Baldwin, attempted swim from rowboat to shore above dam
- August 2, 1936, Backbone Lake Dam, Joseph Lathrop, boating
- Des Moines - July 4, 1935, William Halloran & Collins Carson, rowboat swept over dam
- Fort Atkinson - June 22, 1933, 11 year old son of Mrs. Heinie Weiss, fell in while fishing
- Northwood - March 31, 1933, N.B. Dorman, boat over dam after motor failure
- Redfield - July 4, 1927, Albert Long & son, father's rescue attempt failed after son fell from bank
- St. Ansgar - June 29, 1924, Cromwell Gould, swimming in high water and swept over dam
- Lynnville - May 26, 1923, Kenneth Wagaman, age 3, fell in and carried over the dam
- Cedar Rapids - June 30, 1922, John Meyers, fell in while fishing
- Marble Rock - June 13, 1922, Ira Weisman, young boy playing at the dam
- Oakland Mills - August 4, 1921, Arthur Larson, wading below the dam
- Hawarden, May 12, 1916, Edna Boreman, Marjorie Fairbrother & Neva Johnson, boat went over dam
- Cedar Rapids - May 22, 1911, canoeist Leo Kelly over dam, searcher Henry Warner's boat overturned
- Waverly - August 9, 1910, Max Eggleston, fell from narrow ledge into mill race
- Waterloo - March 28, 1909, Henry Bothman, C.A. Anderson & Frank Bentz, rowboat capsized before being swept over the dam
- Des Moines - June 15, 1908, Edwin Ebersole & William Jennings, boat swept over dam
- Ottumwa - August 1, 1907, Mr & Mrs William Powell, their son Hal, Mrs JF Stevens & baby boy, boat over dam
- Humboldt - June 1, 1905, Joseph Greagor, fishing boat went over dam
- Des Moines - June 17, 1902, Eugene Tiernan, fell in while attempting to pull out driftwood
- Des Moines - April 28, 1900, Johnny Lyons, attempted to walk across the dam
Personal flotation devices (PFDs) help save lives!