Pool closing · State guide
When to Close Your Pool in Iowa
Last updated: July 15, 2026 · 6 cities covered
Closing deadlines across Iowa stretch about 8 days: Sioux City needs the cover on first (September 30), Davenport last (October 8), and the statewide median deadline is October 5.
Each deadline is the model's two-clock compromise — ten days after the water leaves the algae zone, capped a week before the local 50% first-freeze date. City pages carry the live widget that flags early-freeze years and the full winterizing sequence.
| City | Window opens | Close by | First freeze (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | Sep 22 | Oct 2 | Oct 11 |
| Davenport | Sep 28 | Oct 8 | Oct 22 |
| Des Moines | Sep 28 | Oct 8 | Oct 20 |
| Iowa City | Sep 28 | Oct 8 | Oct 18 |
| Sioux City | Sep 24 | Sep 30 | Oct 7 |
| Waterloo | Sep 25 | Oct 3 | Oct 10 |
Dates are typical-year model outputs, not forecasts — each city guide carries the live widget that tracks the current year against them.
How to use these dates
Each "close by" deadline is the model's two-clock compromise for that city: ten days after its 7-day mean temperature falls back through 61°F (water goes algae-dormant soon after), but never later than a week before its 50% first-freeze date from the NOAA 1991–2020 normals. Closing inside the window seals cold, stable water under the cover; closing early seals a warm algae incubator instead.
Treat the dates as typical-year guidance, not forecasts. An early cold snap moves the real deadline — each city guide runs a live water-temperature widget that flags a 32°F night inside the 10-day forecast as urgent, and carries the full winterizing checklist in working order.