Class III North Raccoon River, IA

The North Raccoon through Sac, Calhoun and Carroll counties stands apart from the broader landscape of intense agriculture, while at the same time taking on the character provided by land practices of private landowners. The corridor varies from broad pasture and savannah grasslands to narrower forested buffers with nearby cropland. In some places, eroding riverbanks rise 50 feet above the river – a testament to the volume of water being shed from the agricultural landscape. Wildlife is abundant, and varies greatly with changes in vegetation. The paddle is a bit challenging – with longer river stretches and occasional rock dams, riffles, and logjams to navigate. (Iowa DNR)