Broken Pump Sinks Duck Boats for Opener

RIVERTON, Iowa - The pump used to move water from the Nishnabotna River into the Riverton Area for waterfowl season is under repair. The pump in question, re-built last June, failed after only two hours of operation.

What this means to waterfowl hunters is the Riverton Area will have some water for the opening of first duck season on Sept. 23, but no boat access. Hunters wanting to use a boat for opening weekend, better plan to go somewhere else.

"We should have the pump operating again soon, but even so, we cannot make up for lost time," said Carl Priebe, area wildlife biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. "With the lack of water, we wanted to alert waterfowl hunters so that a guy from, say, Des Moines, doesn't drive down here at 2 a.m. only to find out he can't get his boat out. He wouldn't be happy at all."

The Riverton area attracts waterfowl hunters from Des Moines, Council Bluffs/Omaha and as far away as Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Hunters familiar with the Riverton Area should note that the walk in area on the west side will not have any water and the new area south of town will be about two-thirds filled with water, accessible with a boat, and one-third dry.

"We anticipate everything will be near normal when we get to the second season," Priebe said. A recorded message with updated water conditions will be available all fall at 712-387-2032.

For more information, contact Priebe at 712-374-3133.