Boaters warned to stay off Saylorville Lake due to storm debris in water

JOHNSTON, IOWA — The Independence Day holiday has arrived, but officials are warning boaters that it’s in their best interest to stay off one of the most popular waterways in central Iowa. Saylorville Lake is rapidly rising on Wednesday after heavy early morning rainfall and more falling throughout the day. The extra water has filled the lake with floating debris and even more dangerous hazards hidden just beneath the water surface.

“I’m going go down to Red Rock,” said Dan Clark, a boater from Grimes. “We got a spot at the marina down there and it’s a bigger lake so there’s gonna be a lot less debris and a lot less safety hazards.”

At Brightwell Boathouse of Grimes, two boats came in on Monday with damage to the propeller area.

“We see a lot you know with with the floating debris and in just things that are covered up in other underwater that people can’t see,” said Boathouse owner, John Brightwell.

One boat had the prop totally gone, the other had the engine assembly from the engine to the prop damaged.

“Rathbun is an option. Red Rock is an option,” said Brightwell. “There’s a lot of smaller lakes around Iowa, that would be an option but maybe pick a lake that’s not flooded.”

“I actually saw one boat hit a log, and almost capsize,” said Clark. “It flipped up and probably ruined the bottom of his motor.”

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