The waters of Eastern Iowa

Essay

Scott McCracken of Hiawatha restrings his fishing line after it snapped, as he and his wife Mary McCracken finish fishing on the Cedar River at Ellis Park in Cedar Rapids.

The rolling hills and plains of Ohio prepared me for my summer in Iowa. I grew up surrounded by nature, summers reserved as time to explore the surrounding woods and streams near my house, my bike my constant companion. 

I found myself chasing stories that are rooted in nature as a photojournalist.

Arriving in Iowa in May, I immediately recognized the abundance of nature and the role it played in the community, and specifically the water.

In Iowa, I began to pay attention to how other people interact with water, and their reasons for seeking it out.

There were constant scenes I could rely on encountering daily or weekly — the fishermen along the bridges in downtown Cedar Rapids and on Robbins Lake, the Five Seasons Water Ski Team performing each Thursday on the Cedar River, families congregated on the beach of Lake Macbride, boats flying through the water at the Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area, large irrigation systems watering the fields of crops on farms along Interstate 80, groups of children and families hiking through the creeks and ponds at the Indian Creek Nature Center, and water games keeping children cool throughout the summer.

Water is life, a source for food, means for transportation, a relaxation experience, an adventure for those ready, a journey short or long, a game — becoming something different for each person who encounters it. 

The pyramid team of the Five Seasons Ski Team begins the main act of the 'Hero High' themed performance at Ellis Park on the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids.

Aravelle Keene (left), 3, and Liatres Keene, 4, climb down a pile of rocks on the edge of Lake Macbride while they spend their evening with their parents Michael and Mogen Keene at the lake. The family does not come to the lake too often, but enjoys the relaxation and exploration that they find. However, it has been difficult for them to find waterways that are clear, clean, and not murky.

Tom Casavant of Iowa City pats his face dry after dousing him entire body with a jug of water following an evening swim with the Iowa City Open Water Swimmers at Lake MacBride in Big Grove, Iowa.

Members of the Iowa City Open Water Swimmers make their final preparations before beginning their 4:45 am swim. The group began 7 years ago as a challenging alternative to pool swimming.

Owen Knight, 11, of Iowa City, Iowa, washes his cow with his father, Del Knight, at the Johnson County Fair. Knight's cow, Max, is a second year Bucket Bottle Calf and will be sold after the events of the fair.

Veda Hammarmeister, 2, of Cedar Rapids splashes in the water while her parents Cassie Hammarmeister and Jesse Hammarmeister keep a close eye on her at Lake Macbride. Lake Macbride was one of a few lakes open for swimming due to a rise in poor water conditions in the area.

Samantha Yoder and Justin Yoder of Cedar Rapids fish with their son, Lenox, 11 months, on the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids. The family likes to fish downtown on the weekdays and expand their territory on the weekends, finding downtown surprisingly tranquil for being in the middle of the city.

Jangle Bakk looks at her friends Bella Hoskins and Ava Delayo for support as she crosses the Burma Bridge at Camp Wapsie during the Centennial Celebration in Coggon, Iowa.