RedactedNarrative: On June 26th, 2020 at 10:54pm, Conservation Officers were sent an email from Iowa County Sheriff’s informed us that he had spoken with OPERATOR 1 on the phone. OPERATOR 1 was calling to report a boating incident that resulted in V1 capsizing and sinking on the Iowa River in Iowa County. The boat was a green, Polarcraft jon boat with HIN – IAZ45385M79A. The motor was a Johnson 50hp Seahorse outboard with serial number J5667440.
  On June 28th, 2020 Conservation Officers went to the residence of Operator OPERATOR 1 and asked what had happened. OPERATOR 1 explained that he and his father put their boat in at the Marengo boat ramp and traveled down river setting ditty poles. When they realized they had traveled to the South Amana bridge on HWY 220, they decided to start traveling back upstream to finish setting their ditty poles. They set a ditty pole approximately 1 mile upstream from the HWY 220 bridge (41.788441, -91.983802). Their motor stalled and quit running as they backed the boat up off the bank. They floated downstream a little while until their boat hit a stationary log in the water. The boat became high centered and the boat took on some water. They were able to get the boat free from the log and started floating down river again. Unfortunately, the boat got tangled in a large log jam and began taking on water. The boat eventually capsized, both OPERATOR 1 and PASSENGER 1 were able to make it on top of the boat. A short time later, the boat started floating down river again and would eventually sink. OPERATOR 1 and PASSENGER 1 decided to swim to the bank, both were wearing life jackets. OPERATOR 1 and PASSENGER 1 made it to the bank and walked through flooded timber and fields to get help in South Amana. Conservation Officers said they were lucky they had their life jackets on at the time of the incident. OPERATOR 1 said it was very difficult to swim with the strong current and they probably would not have survived without a life jacket.
  On July 8th, 2020 at approximately 3:09pm, Owner OPERATOR 1 found his boat capsized and stuck in a log jam. 
  For reference, on June 26th, 2020 at the time of the incident, the Iowa River in the Marengo and Amana area was over flood stage, at approximately 13,000cfs. The start of flood stage in that area is 6,000cfs.
  