Crews Begin Next Step In Des Moines River Transformation Process

.(Des Moines, IA) -- Crews will soon begin working on a project tied to a multi-million dollar transformation of the Des Moines River thru downtown. ICON Water Trails has broken ground on the first of its downtown sites, an access point at the Scott Avenue dam in Des Moines.

ICON Water Trails Manager Monica Converse says the project includes both water and uplands work, with eventual whitewater features and educational plaza. The location will be known as Principal Point, due to a $3 million dollar gift from Principal Financial Group.

The project is part of a multi-million dollar, multi-year effort connecting 150-miles of water ways in central Iowa.

There are currently fourteen regional access points open and accessible to the public, with an additional two sites slated to come online within the next year.

Crews are also working on ICON’s Fleur Drive site, the second of its three low head dam mitigation projects. Once the Fleur Drive site and the Scott Avenue site are finished and open for recreation, ICON projects the area will be the second most visited whitewater attraction in the country with more than $2 million in revenue by year three of operations.