View source for List of rivers of Iowa

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{{no footnotes|date=December 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}

The following is a '''list of rivers and streams in Iowa'''.  The [[river]]s are listed by multiple arrangements:
*those that form part of the boundaries of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Iowa]];
*ordered by drainage basin, with tributaries indented under each larger river's name;
*ordered alphabetically.

==Rivers on the boundary==
[[Image:Desmoinesrivermap.png|left|100px|Des Moine River]]
*[[Mississippi River]] ([[Illinois]], [[Wisconsin]])
*[[Missouri River]] ([[Nebraska]])
*[[Big Sioux River]] ([[South Dakota]])
*[[Des Moines River]] ({{convert|20|mi|km|disp=or|abbr=on}} of the boundary with [[Missouri]])
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==By drainage basin==
This list is arranged by [[drainage basin]], with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.  All Iowa rivers are part of the [[Mississippi River watershed|Mississippi River Watershed]], which in Iowa consists of the Upper Mississippi River Drainage Basin and the [[Missouri River]] Drainage Basin.

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===Upper Mississippi River drainage basin===
{{Tree list}}
*[[Mississippi River]]
**''[[Fabius River]] (MO)''
***[[Fabius River|North Fabius River]]
**[[Wyaconda River]]
**[[Fox River (Missouri)|Fox River]]
***[[Little Fox River (Missouri)|Little Fox River]]
**[[Des Moines River]]
***[[Competine Creek (Des Moines River tributary)|Competine Creek]]
***[[White Breast Creek]]
***[[South River (Iowa)|South River]]
***[[Middle River (Iowa)|Middle River]]
***[[North River (Iowa)|North River]]
***[[Raccoon River]]
****[[North Raccoon River]]
****[[South Raccoon River]]
*****[[Middle Raccoon River]]
***[[Beaver Creek (Polk County, Iowa)|Beaver Creek]]
***[[Pea's Creek]]
****[[Davis Creek (Iowa)|Davis Creek]]
***[[Boone River]]
****[[White Fox Creek]]
***[[Lizard Creek (Iowa)|Lizard Creek]]
***[[Des Moines River|East Fork Des Moines River]]
**[[Skunk River (Iowa)|Skunk River]]
***[[Big Cedar Creek|Cedar Creek]]
***[[Skunk River (Iowa)|North Skunk River]]
***[[Skunk River (Iowa)|South Skunk River]]
****[[Thunder Creek (Iowa)|Thunder Creek]]
****[[Ioway Creek (Ames, Iowa)|Ioway Creek]]
**[[Flint River (Iowa)|Flint River]]
**[[Iowa River]]
***[[Cedar River (Iowa River tributary)|Cedar River]]
****[[Wolf Creek (Iowa)|Wolf Creek]]
****[[Black Hawk Creek]]
****[[Beaver Creek (Cedar River tributary)|Beaver Creek]]
****[[Cedar River (Iowa River tributary)|West Fork Cedar River]]
*****[[Shell Rock River]]
******[[Winnebago River]]
*******[[Lime Creek (Winnebago River tributary)|Lime Creek]]
****[[Little Cedar River (Iowa)|Little Cedar River]]
***[[English River (Iowa)|English River]]
****[[English River (Iowa)#North English River|North English River]]
*****[[English River (Iowa)#Middle English River|Middle English River]]
*****[[Deep River (Iowa)|Deep River]]
****[[English River (Iowa)#South English River|South English River]]
***[[Iowa River|South Fork Iowa River]]
***[[Iowa River|East Branch Iowa River]]
***[[Iowa River|West Branch Iowa River]]
**[[Duck Creek (Quad Cities)|Duck Creek]]
**[[Wapsipinicon River]]
***[[Buffalo Creek (Wapsipinicon River tributary)|Buffalo Creek]]
***[[Little Wapsipinicon River (south)]]
***[[Little Wapsipinicon River (north)]]
**[[Elk River (Iowa)|Elk River]]
**[[Maquoketa River]]
***[[Maquoketa River|North Fork Maquoketa River]]
****[[Farmers Creek (Iowa)|Farmers Creek]]
**[[Mill Creek (Jackson County, Iowa)|Mill Creek]]
**[[Spruce Creek (Iowa)|Spruce Creek]]
**[[Tete Des Morts Creek]]
**[[Catfish Creek (Iowa)|Catfish Creek]]
**[[Bee Branch Creek]]
**[[Little Maquoketa River]]
***[[Cloie Branch]]
**[[Turkey River (Iowa)|Turkey River]]
***[[Little Turkey River (Clayton County, Iowa)]]
***[[Volga River (Iowa)|Volga River]]
***[[Little Turkey River (Fayette County, Iowa)]]
**[[Yellow River (Iowa)|Yellow River]]
***[[Bear Creek (Yellow River tributary)|Bear Creek]]
***[[Norfolk Creek]]
**[[Upper Iowa River]]
***[[French Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|French Creek]]
***[[Bear Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|Bear Creek]]
****[[Waterloo Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|Waterloo Creek]]
***[[Canoe Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|Canoe Creek]]
****[[Pine Creek (Canoe Creek)]]
***[[Trout River (Iowa)|Trout River]]
***[[Pine Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)]]  
**''[[Minnesota River]] (MN)''
***[[Blue Earth River]]
****Middle Branch Blue Earth River
****West Branch Blue Earth River
{{Tree list/end}}
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===Missouri River drainage basin===
{{Tree list}}
*[[Missouri River]]
**[[Chariton River]]
***[[Chariton River|South Fork Chariton River]]
**[[Grand River (Missouri)|Grand River]]
***[[Thompson River (Missouri)|Thompson River]]
****[[Weldon River]]
*****[[Little River (Iowa)|Little River]]
**[[Platte River (Iowa and Missouri)|Platte River]]
***[[One Hundred and Two River]]
****[[West Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
****[[Middle Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
****[[East Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
**[[Nodaway River]]
***[[East Nodaway River]]
****[[East Nodaway River|East Fork East Nodaway River]]
***[[West Nodaway River]]
****[[West Nodaway River|Middle Nodaway River]]
****[[West Nodaway River|West Fork Middle Nodaway River]]
*****[[Rutt Branch]]
**[[Tarkio River]]
**[[Nishnabotna River]]
***[[East Nishnabotna River]]
***[[West Nishnabotna River]]
****[[Walnut Creek (West Nishnabotna River tributary)|Walnut Creek]]
****[[Silver Creek (West Nishnabotna River tributary)|Silver Creek]]
****[[West Nishnabotna River|East Branch West Nishnabotna River]]
****[[West Nishnabotna River|West Fork West Nishnabotna River]]
**[[Keg Creek (Iowa)|Keg Creek]]
**[[Mosquito Creek (Iowa)|Mosquito Creek]]
**[[Boyer River]]
***[[Willow River (Iowa)|Willow River]]
***[[Boyer River|East Boyer River]]
**[[Soldier River]]
***[[Soldier River|East Soldier River]]
****[[Soldier River|Middle Soldier River]]
**[[Little Sioux River]]
***[[Maple River (Iowa)|Maple River]]
***[[Ocheyedan River]]
****[[Ocheyedan River|Little Ocheyedan River]]
***[[West Fork of the Little Sioux River|West Fork Little Sioux River]]
**[[Floyd River]]
***[[Floyd River|West Branch Floyd River]]
****[[Little Floyd River]]
**[[Perry Creek (Missouri River tributary)|Perry Creek]]
**[[Big Sioux River]]
***[[Broken Kettle Creek]]
***[[Rock River (Iowa)|Rock River]]
****[[Little Rock River (Iowa)|Little Rock River]]
[[File:Iowarivermap.png|right|thumb|300px|Iowa river]]
{{Tree list/end}}
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==Alphabetically==
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*[[Bear Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)]]
*[[Bear Creek (Yellow River tributary)]]
*[[Beaver Creek (Cedar River tributary)]]
*[[Beaver Creek (Des Moines River tributary)]]
*[[Bee Branch Creek]]
*[[Big Sioux River]]
*[[Black Hawk Creek]]
*[[Blue Earth River]]
*[[Boone River]]
*[[Boyer River]]
*[[Broken Kettle Creek]]
*[[Buck Creek (Mississippi River tributary)]]
*[[Buffalo Creek (Wapsipinicon River tributary)]]
*[[Canoe Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|Canoe Creek]]
*[[Catfish Creek (Iowa)|Catfish Creek]]
*[[Cedar River (Iowa River tributary)|Cedar River]]
*[[Chariton River]]
*[[Cloie Branch]]
*[[Competine Creek (Des Moines River tributary)|Competine Creek]]
*[[Davis Creek (Iowa)|Davis Creek]]
*[[Deep River (Iowa)|Deep River]]
*[[Des Moines River]]
*[[East Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
*[[East Nodaway River]]
*[[Elk River (Iowa)|Elk River]]
*[[English River (Iowa)|English River]]
*[[Farmers Creek (Iowa)|Farmers Creek]]
*[[Flint River (Iowa)|Flint River]]
*[[Floyd River]]
*[[Fox River (Missouri)|Fox River]]
*[[French Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|French Creek]]
*[[Grand River (Missouri)|Grand River]]
*[[Iowa River]]
*[[Ioway Creek (Ames, Iowa)|Ioway Creek]]
*[[Lime Creek (Winnebago River tributary)|Lime Creek]]
*[[Little Cedar River (Iowa and Minnesota)|Little Cedar River]]
*[[Little Fox River (Missouri)|Little Fox River]]
*[[Little Maquoketa River]]
*[[Little Ocheyedan River]]
*[[Little River (Iowa)|Little River]]
*[[Little Rock River (Iowa)|Little Rock River]]
*[[Little Sioux River]]
*[[Little Turkey River (Clayton County, Iowa)]]
*[[Little Turkey River (Fayette County, Iowa)]]
*[[Little Wapsipinicon River (north)]]
*[[Little Wapsipinicon River (south)]]
*[[Maple River (Iowa)|Maple River]]
*[[Maquoketa River]]{{col-2}}
*[[Middle Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
*[[Middle Nodaway River]]
*[[Middle River (Iowa)|Middle River]]
*[[Mill Creek (Jackson County, Iowa)|Mill Creek]]
*[[Mississippi River]]
*[[Missouri River]]
*[[Mosquito Creek (Iowa)|Mosquito Creek]]
*[[Nishnabotna River]]
*[[Nodaway River]]
*[[Norfolk Creek]]
*[[Fabius River|North Fabius River]]
*[[North River (Iowa)|North River]]
*[[Ocheyedan River]]
*[[Pea's Creek]]
*[[Perry Creek (Missouri River tributary)|Perry Creek]]
*[[Pine Creek (Canoe Creek)]]
*[[Pine Creek (Upper Missouri River tributary)]]
*[[Platte River (Iowa and Missouri)|Platte River]]
*[[Raccoon River]]
*[[Rock Creek (Wapsipinicon River tributary)|Rock Creek (Missouri River tributary)]]
*[[Rock Creek (Wapsipinicon River tributary)]]
*[[Rock River (Iowa)|Rock River]]
*[[Rutt Branch]]
*[[Shell Rock River]]
*[[Skunk River (Iowa)|Skunk River]]
*[[Soldier River]]
*[[South River (Iowa)|South River]]
*[[Spruce Creek (Iowa)|Spruce Creek]]
*[[Tarkio River]]
*[[Tete Des Morts Creek]]
*[[Thompson River (Missouri)|Thompson River]]
*[[Thunder Creek (Iowa)|Thunder Creek]]
*[[Trout River (Iowa)|Trout River]]
*[[Turkey River (Iowa)|Turkey River]]
*[[Upper Iowa River]]
*[[Volga River (Iowa)|Volga River]]
*[[Wapsipinicon River]]
*[[Waterloo Creek (Upper Iowa River tributary)|Waterloo Creek]]
*[[Weldon River]]
*[[West Fork of the Little Sioux River]]
*[[West Fork One Hundred and Two River]]
*[[West Nodaway River]]
*[[White Breast Creek]]
*[[White Fox Creek]]
*[[Winnebago River]]
*[[Wyaconda River]]
*[[Yellow River (Iowa)|Yellow River]]
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==See also==
*[[List of rivers in the United States]]
*[[State Line Slough (Iowa)]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Rivers of Iowa}}
*[https://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/ USGS Geographic Names Information Service]
*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map - State of Iowa (1974)

{{Rivers in the United States}}
{{Iowa}}

[[Category:Rivers of Iowa| ]]
[[Category:Lists of rivers of the United States by state|Iowa]]
[[Category:Iowa geography-related lists|Rivers]]