Big River - June 1995

June 1995

the monthly newsletter for people who live, work or play on the Upper Mississippi River

Corps Ignores Skeptics

By Reggie McLeod

The Army Corps of Engineers left important information out of a summary of public meetings held to discuss its $39 million navigation study.

Eight meetings from St. Paul to St. Louis drew 740 people last November. The meetings at La Crosse and Dubuque drew 462 people, nearly two-thirds of the attendance for all the meetings. An overwhelming majority of the people at both those meetings were clearly angry at the Corps and skeptical of the purpose and intent of the study.

Yet the Corps in its Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway System Navigation Study Newsletter (April 1995), devoted to a summary of the meetings, makes no mention of this.

At both meetings biologists from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of natural resources and professors from several colleges warned that the current navigation system may have already pushed the river ecosystem to the point of collapse. They warned that increasing barge traffic could hasten the decline. Many stressed the need to measure the impact of the current system, which the Navigation Study will not do.

The Corps summary fails to mention this and characterizes those concerned about the decline of the river as "environmental advocacy groups:" "Many environmental advocacy groups predicted that any recommended improvement in the navigation system would lead to a steady increase in commercial river traffic and an eventual collapse of the entire ecosystem. The latter group, including commercial and sport fishermen, did not see immediate disaster, but rather an unfolding of events from an increase in commercial traffic which would lead to a slow decline in fish, mussel, and bird populations. They wanted the environmental efforts to improve the present situation, not just maintain it."

In the complete report of the meetings the Corps coined the phrase "qualified supporter" to make it appear that

(Navigation Study continued on page 4)

Vol. 3, No. 6

$2

Fishing the Mighty Mississippi

By John Pillo

The Mississippi River offers an incredible variety of fish habitats and many opportunities to anglers.

Fish habitats range from quiet backwater lakes and slowmoving side channels to the deep, swift tailwaters, main channels and wing dam areas. Different fish species use these habitats at different times, and each species seems to get active and "turn on" at different times. Let's start in the late winter and move through the year with suggestions on when and where to find various fish species, and some of the fishing methods used to catch those fish.

Late Winter and Early Spring One of the best-known fishing events in the Midwest is the annual run of walleye and sauger into tailwater areas below locks and dams. Fishing for these two species usually

(Fishing the Mighty Mississippi continued on page 2)

What's Inside ...

River Map Environment and Economy

5

Lock Expansion Threatens Multipurpose River

4

Current Events Water Politics, Bromophenol Fry

6

River Calendar & Almanac More Festivals, Canoe Hikes

8

2

BIG RrvER

(Fishing the Mighty Mississippi continued from page 1) peaks in March and April. Depending on river stage and . water temperatures, these fish spawn near the end of Apnl and then disperse throughout the pool before returning to the tailwater area the following fall. Most anglers use jig and minnow rigs or three-way (Wolf River) rigs to troll or drift in eddies or over flats when fishing the tailwater area.

There is usually a short period during March, just after ice-out and before the peak of the spring flood, when snagging for huge paddlefish is excellent. These fish ran~e fro~ 15 to 50 pounds and can really give a tussle. Paddlefish disperse with spring floods and move back into tailwater areas in the fall. You need a stout rod, 30-pound test line, large treble hooks and a strong back and arms to catch one of these fish.

About the time the walleye and sauger are spawning, in late April, northern pike fishing begins. Northern pike, one of the earliest spawners in the river, have recuperated from their efforts and are ready to feed. These fish spawn and remain for a period of time in backwater lakes and slowmoving side channels near beds of flooded vegetation. Work baits slowly around stumps, logs, brush and weed beds.

Spinner baits, in-line spinners and big-bodied crank baits seem to work the best. Northern pike are underharvested, and there are literally thousands to be caught, especially in Pools 9, 10 and 11.

Spring Bullheads begin moving into the shallow waters as the water warms to the 50s. Fish are in shallow backwater lakes, in bays, along edges of trees and brush, in flooded drainage ditches and, if the water is high enough, in flooded farm fields. I have seen excellent catches of large bullheads come from flooded corn and soybean fields during May. A nightcrawler fished on the bottom is still the best way to catch a mess of bullheads.

Crappies can be caught as soon as the ice goes out, but some of the best fishing occurs when fish move into spawning areas. Water three to six feet deep with little or no current is ideal. Fish small minnows on tube or hair jigs near fallen trees, brush piles and log jams. It's a must to fish near some type of cover for crappies. Fish around anything that looks as if it might provide some cover. Crappie are a schooling fish, and if you catch one, there is a good chance that more are in the immediate area.

June 1995

develop during the summer. Largemouth bass move extensively in the spring. Holding areas such as isolated weed beds, brush piles at the head end of islands, and single stumps with extensive root wads can really hold fish. During the summer, largemouth set up definite home areas and do not move around. In the summer, we have regularly located radio-tagged largemouth bass in dense stands of arrowhead in one and a half feet of water, with water temperature in excess of 80°F. Bass will stay in these heavy beds of vegetation for the summer and move to backwater overwintering areas in the fall.

Bluegills are active throughout the year, but some of the best fishing occurs in June during the spawning period.

Again, shallow lakes and sloughs, stump fields and weed beds hold the fish. If the river is normal to low, excellent catches of bluegills can be taken from wing and closing dams during late June and July. Most anglers anchor above the wing dam and drift garden worms (red worms) or small pieces of nightcrawler across the rocky face of the structure.

Small hooks, light line and just enough split shot to reach the bottom will do the trick.

As water temperat~res warm into the high 50s and 60s, catfish become more active and begin biting, not that catfish don't bite earlier. Good catches can occur in early spring on cut-bait. Also, at spawning time (June), anglers have excellent luck drifting a gob of nightcrawlers below a slip bobber along rock rip-rap. But some of the best fishing is during :he hot summer months. Most catfish are taken from areas with some current.

Side channels with iog jams and brush piles are excellent places to start. Anchoring above a brush pile and drifting a bait into it works well. Other good areas to try are . above and below wing dams and in running sloughs. Durmg the summer, any bait seems to work well - nightcrawlers, chicken livers and entrails, shrimp, beef liver and many prepared baits. One of the most effective and easiest to use are the cheese and blood dip baits used on special plastic "ring" worms. Rig most of these baits with a sliding egg sinker.

Walleye move onto wing dams and other rock structure in late June, if the water is low enough. Anglers often troll a Rapala or Shad Rap along the top and rocky face of wing dams to catch these fish. Some anglers prefer to anchor and cast crank baits. Other anglers use electric motors to move

Late Spring and Summer Largemouth bass become more active as the water warms in May and June. Backwater lakes and sloughs are best, with fish located around stumps, brush and weed beds in shallow water.

In colder water temperatures, slow-moving lures such as jigs with pork rind or plastic worms seem to work better.

As the water warms, spinner baits and weedless spoons and lures work better, especially in the heavy weed beds that

Grill a sheepshead, or freshwater drum, this summer.

Drawing by Virg Beck. Wis. DNR.

June 1995

BIG RlvER

along the front of the wing dam and cast jigs dressed with leeches. Still another method is trolling backwards on the upstream side of the wing dam with a big nightcrawler, leech or minnow-imitating plug on a three-way rig. Whichever method appeals to you, stay active, fish one dam or piece of lateral rock for 15 minutes, and if you get no bites or fish, move to another area.

Freshwater drum, or sheepshead, fishing reaches its peak during the heat of the summer when fishing for most other species slows. Most drum are caught from boats anchored near the Main Channel or Main Channel border, around wing dams and sandy flats . They are active bottom

Try this fish on the grill, blackened, with special Cajun cooking spices.

You just might change the species of fish you go after. feeders and readily take a gob of worms or crawdad tails for larger fish. When you fillet these fish, be sure to trim the gray colored meat along the top of the fillet, as this can give the fish a strong flavor. Try this fish on the grill, blackened, with special Cajun cooking spices. You just might change the species of fish you go after.

Late Summer and Fall

\

White bass fishing can be super around wing dams, rock piles and rip-rap banks during the late summer and early fall. Small spinners, jigs and minnows, and small crank baits seem to work the best. And, when you find a school of "stripers," fishing can be fast and furious. White bass anglers keep a sharp lookout for surface boils, rolls or splashes, as white bass tend to drive bait fish to the surface as they feed.

When the hunting seasons open in October; there is a noticeable decline in anglers on the river, and at times, long stretches of river are without human activity. Walleye and sauger begin moving back towards the tailwaters, as do paddlefish. When fishing tailwater areas in the fall for walleye and sauger, it is not uncommon for anglers to enjoy 30 to 40 fishable days. Usually there are good numbers of small fish and anglers will have to be selective in what they keep.

Now is a good time to catch a trophy walleye from wing dams, as the larger females feed heavily to develop eggs in preparation for next spring's spawning.

October is also a good time for largemouth bass. These fish begin moving toward preferred wintering areas, and good numbers can be found holding to prominent structure.

Largemouth bass seem to be more tolerant of current at this time, and running side channels with slow-moving currents can be especially productive. Small cuts with some medium currents connecting backwater lakes and sloughs can be fantastic at times. Fish the edges of the current, and if there are stumps or logs present, so much the better.

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Winter Once backwater lakes and sloughs begin to ice over, the ice fishing for bluegill and crappie begins. The best backwater lakes will be those with no current and sufficient depth to support fish through the winter period. The best catches occur during the first month of ice over, just as soon as the ice is safe enough to walk on. Light line (two- to six-pound test), small jigs and teardrops tipped with a grub, wiggler or minnow take panfish from cover such as old weed beds, stumps and brush. Don't overlook the use of several tip-ups to take some nice northern pike, especially in the more northerly pools.

Although the backwaters may be ice covered, lock and dam tailwater areas that remain open are still productive.

Depending on the severity of the winter, as much as one mile of open water offers good walleye and sauger fishing, especially during a January or February thaw .

Most anglers use smaller boats during the winter, because the boat ramps may be frozen and it is much easier to slide a 14-foot flat or V-hull boat across the ice. Heaters are common and necessary to warm wet hands, melt ice from fishing rods and to warm coffee and sandwiches.

The "Ole' Miss" provides anglers with some of the widest variety of fishing opportunities available. If you have fished it before, come and get reacquainted, if you have never fished it, you are missing one of the most diverse fisheries in the nation. -

John Pitlo is a fisheries research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at Bellevue.

This article originally appeared in the Iowa Conservationist (September/October 1994). If you fish farther north, adjust the dates accordingly and be sure you know the game rules that apply to your stretch of the river.

Big River (ISSN 1070-8340) Is published monthly by Big River, 267 E, Sanborn, Winona, MN 55987; (507) 4S4- • 6758; Email: f:>igrive~aol.com; America pnline~ Bigriver.

Reggie McL.eod

editor/publi;hef "

Pamela Eyden

a.ssistant editor

Molly McGuire .•

4

BIG RlvER

Lock Expansion Threatens Multipurpose River

By Mike Krapfl

A group of Mississippi River lovers in Dubuque worries that more river barges will mean fewer river fish and less wildlife and habitat.

A "River Revival Caucus," sponsored by the Dubuque Chapter of the Mississippi River Revival and the City of Dubuque's Environmental Stewardship Commission, recently brought river fans together to talk about the river and to take a stand on its future.

Representatives of the natural resource agencies of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois all expressed concerns about the Army Corps of Engineers' proposal to lengthen the locks on the Upper Mississippi. The Corps is currently doing a six-year, $39 million study of whether longer locks should be built to reduce shipping delays on the river. That study, said the resource scientists, should not ignore the fact that the river supports more than barge traffic.

Mike Davis of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, for example, said the people in his agency "have long been committed - and we remain committed - to the concept of use of the Mississippi River as a multipurpose resource. There is room for barges and birds, sailboats and anglers, towboats and rowboats, as long as no single use eliminates another. This is a big river, and we all can share it.

But we face a time now when one use, navigation, threatens the very survival of the river environment."

Then the audience spoke up. People proposed resolutions, discussed them, disagreed with them and, finally, agreed that the Mississippi and its environment is in trouble.

Specifically, they agreed "that increased commercial traffic on the Mississippi will have severe impacts on animals, birds and fish in these habitats and further deplete the environmental capital of our river."

The caucus participants agreed to "demand that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stop spending U.S. tax money to study expansion of the Mississippi Navigation System."

The caucus also agreed to make its views known by writing to local, state and federal officials. It also invited people living up and down the river to caucus among themselves and make their own resolutions for the river.

An Eye on the Bottom Line River economics was the focus of another conference sponsored by the River Revival and the Environmental Stewardship Commission this spring.

There should be room on the Mississippi River's bottom line for clean water, healthy clams and good fishing, a panel of four academic experts said during an Earth Day discussion in Dubuque. It will take facts and science to make room for the environment on a bottom line already crowded with barges and industries.

June 1995

There' s a lot more to the economics of the river than the financial capital that builds the barge fleets and the industrial capital that keeps the barges moving up and down the river, said sociologist Cornelia Flora of Iowa State University in Ames.

Don't forget about the social capital of people living and working together and the environmental capital of clean water and a healthy riverscape, she said. For communities to sustain themselves, they need to balance all those values squarely on the bottom line.

That's great in theory, said Rob Dillinger, a biologist at the University of Dubuque, but the practice is a lot harder.

For example, the Army Corps of Engineers is studying whether longer locks would mean fewer delays for barges of coal and grain traveling up and down the river. It's not enough for the river's fans to tell the Corps that they don't want longer locks because they love the beauty of the river and its creatures.

"If you think something is good, you'd better figure out a way to measure ¡it," he said. "If you want to put something into the decision-making process you need to move off, 'This is my opinion.' You need data. If you think something is good - figure out some way to put a number on it." _

Mike Krapfl is a reporter for the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.

(Navigation Study continued from page 1) many groups that are skeptical of the study actually support it, according to an article in the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee Newsletter (April 1995). The study sorted interest groups into three categories: study proponents; qualified supporters; and study opponents. The Fish & Wildlife Service; Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin DNRs; Audubon Society, Mississippi River Basin Alliance, Iowa Wildlife Federation and Missouri Department of Conservation are listed among the "qualified supporters" despite the fact that many employees and members of those organizations are very critical of the study.

Initially the Navigation Study ignored state officials and the public. The outcry forced the Corps to develop a plan to gather public input and involve state officials. However, the public input aspect of the study, so far, appears to be more of a marketing effort to sell expansion of the river navigation system than an honest evaluation of what the public, local officials and river professionals are trying to tell the Corps.

The simple economic costs of the navigation system may already be far higher than the economic benefit. An increasing number of people want to see the value of the current navigation system justified in both economic and environmental terms before expansion is considered.

For information on the Navigation Study, meetings or to receive the study newsletter, call 1-800-872-8822. _

Reggie McLeod is the editor of Big River.

Big River PO Box 741 Winona, MN 55987 (507) 454-6758

BIG RIVER MARKETPLACE June 1995

CLASSIFIED ADS Trying to sell a boat, a boathouse, a houseboat, a house, a boat slip, a book or anything else that Big River readers might want to buy?

Now you can reach Big River readers with a classified or display ad in the Big River Marketplace. Write a classified ad for $.60 a word or design a display ad for $18 an inch.

The deadline for the July issue of Big River is June 15.

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Upper Mississippi River Navigation Charts Color maps describe the Upper Mississippi River from Mile 0 at Cairo, Ill., to Mile 868 at Coon Rapids, Minn., along with the lower stretches of the Minnesota River and the St. Croix River. Published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 132 pages.

$16.50 (#BR-1) (includes shipping)

Steamboats on the Fox River

By D. C. Mitchell A pictorial history of navigation in Northeastern Wisconsin, with 400 illustrations.

Published by Steamboat Press, 210 pages.

$29.95 + $4.98 shipping (#BR-7)

Upper Mississippi River History

By Captain Ron Larson, U.S.M.M., Ret. Includes photographs and early historical stories of river towns and paddlewheel steamboats, with 165 illustrations. Published

by Steamboat Press, 130 pages.

Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota & Wisconsin Donald Reed and Steve Eggers Get to know sundew, sage willow, sneezeweed, arrowhead and other plants in 15 wetland plant communities. Hundreds of color photographs and drawings help identify wetland plants. Published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 210 pages. $11.50 (#BR-2) (includes shipping)

$45.00 + $4.98 shipping (#BR-6)

Big River Cup White porcelain, 10-oz. cup with Big River's distinctive masthead in blue - "for people who live, work, play or drink coffee on the Upper Mississippi River."

$6.50 (#BR-3) (includes shipping) $30.00 for set of 6 (#BR-4) (includes shipping) ~--------------------------

BIG

RlvER MARKETPLACE Order Form

Fill out the form below and return it with your check to: Big River Catalog, P.O. Box 741, Winona, MN 55987.

Item#

Descriotion

Price

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Subtotal _ _ __ name

Minn. res. pay 6.5% sales tax _ _ __ address

TOTAL _ _ __ city, state, zip

...---------------------------BIG

RlvER MARKETPLACE Ads

Return classified ad or camera-ready display ad with your check to: Big River Ads, P.O. Box 741, Winona, MN 55987.

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ad:

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BIG RlvER

June 1995

5

Environment and Economy Ranking the River States MINNESOTA environmental rank: 7 economic rank: 2 Hazardous waste per cap 4,536 lbs.

Pesticides per acre 1.8 lbs.

Energy use per cap 306M BTUs Envir spending per cap $50.50 State envir policy score 64.6 Workplace deaths per 100,000 4.1 Unemployment rate 5.1% Ave annual pay $25,315 Income gap ratio 7.60 times Job growth in new business 14.3%

The numbers after each state ranks it among all 50 states based on 20 environmental and 20 economic measures.

economic rank: 9 Hazardous waste per cap 489 lbs.

Pesticides per acre 1.9 lbs.

Energy use per cap 280M BTUs Envir spending per cap $36.75 State envir policy score 67.6

IOWA environmental rank: 22 economic rank: 15 Hazardous waste per cap 1,097 lbs.

Pesticides per acre 3.0 lbs.

Energy use per cap 330M BTUs Envir spending per cap $23.74 State envir policy score 54.5 Workplace deaths per 100,000 9.0 Unemployment rate 4.0% Ave annual pay $20,937 Income gap ratio 6.63 times Job growth in new business 12.4%

Workplace deaths per 100,000 Unemployment rate Ave annual pay $23,022 7.02 times

ILLINOIS environmental rank: 34 economic rank: 29 Hazardous waste per cap 3,305 lbs.

2.4 lbs.

300M BTUs Envir spending per cap $35.17 State envir policy score 50.6

Hazardous waste per capita, 1991, from E.P.A. Pesticides per acre, estimated pounds of active ingredients apWorkplace deaths per 100,000 6.3 plied to harvested crop land in 1987.

Unemployment rate 7.4% Energy use per capita, 1992, Department of Energy.

Ave annual pay $27,910 Environmental spending per capita, state spending fiscal 1991.

Income gap ratio Environmental policy score, 1991, based on 67 indicators of state Job growth in new business initiatives.

Workplace deaths per 100,000, for 1980-89, Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Unemployment rate, average for 1993, Department of Labor.

Average annual pay, for 1992, Department of Labor.

Income gap ratio, family income of wealthest 20% to poorest 20%, for 1991-93.

Job growth in new business, at companies four years old or younger, for 1987-92.

The information on this chart was taken from the Gold and Green study, published by the Institute for Southern Studies, Durham NC on October 12, 1994.

BIG RlvER

6

CURRENT EVENTS

By Pamela Eyden and Reggie McLeod

S

They Call It Carnage

peeding down the highway in 2,000pound shells of metal and plastic, a lot of motorists don't see such small, slow-moving creatures as turtles. Some wouldn't go out of their way to a_void a turtle even if they did see one, but many would. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources biologist Bob Hay discovered last summer that "Turtle Crossing" signs are an effective way to keep drivers off turtle's backs.

He also found that black plastic barriers, set along and parallel with roads, also help detour turtles out of harm's way. In the second year of a two-year test, Hay will post the experimental signs and barriers again this June and keep tabs on the results.

Turtles are out and about in June because it's egg-laying time. Some have to cross roads to get to ancestral hatching grounds. Others are simply drawn to the warm, moist, sandy soil of the roadsides. Highway deaths have become a serious threat to many types of turtles.

The endangered Blandings turtle is at particular risk. It takes 17 years to reach maturity and travels farther to lay its eggs than other turtles do.

These Feet were Made for Wokking

T

he whole world is hungry for chicken - Russia likes legs, Japan wants wings, Mexico favors fajita-style strips and China clamors for the feet. Exporters all over the U.S. are working hard to meet the demand, but growers in the Southeast have the market sewed up.

Long known as the U.S. Poultry Belt, the region produces and exports far more than growers in other parts of the country. Why? Labor costs are lower and their chicken feed comes to them via Mississippi River barges, which is 20 to 30 percent cheaper than shipping by rail.

No matter where a chicken lives, it has to eat two pounds of grain to produce one pound of body meat. California growers have to import all their grain from the Midwest. One large producer near Modesto, Cal., receives 75-car trains of grain several times a week, with each car carrying as much as 100 tons. Even such bulk rail shipments don't reduce the cost of the trip.

The U.S. exported more than 2.96 billion pounds of poultry last year, valued at $1.15 billion dollars. Ten percent of that came from the sale of chicken feet to China, where folks eat them as crunchy snack treats.

Books and Other Good Stuff

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nterested in touring or learning more about the headwaters of the Mississippi River? Check out the new Mississippi Headwaters Guide Book, which has nine sections detailing different segments of the river. Each section has a four-color map, black and white photos, and pencil drawings of vegetation types and typical plants and animals. Order the book for $15 plus $3.50 shipping charges (plus 6.5% sales tax for Minnesota residents) from Mississippi Headwaters Board, P.O. Box 3000, Walker, MN 56484.

• After retirement, towboat pilot Captain Ron Larson of Winona took the memorabilia and notes he'd compiled in 20 years and wrote his own book on the subject, On Mississippi River History: FactFiction-Legend, which includes 165 photos, history and river pilot tales. It is available for $45, plus $4.98 shipping, directly from Larson at Steamboat Press, 1286 Lakeview Ave., Winona, MN 55987 or from the Big River Marketplace.

Always on the lookout for river books, Larson recently discovered several hundred copies of Steamboats on the Fox River in a corner of a warehouse in Oshkosh, Wis. Described as a "picturebook history of boating," the book has 400 pictures of steamboat and river towns along the Fox and Wolf riv-

June 1995

ers in Wisconsin, which were taken from 1850 to 1927. The hardcover book, written by D.C. Marshall, costs $29.95, plus $4.98 for shipping. Order it from Larson (see above address).

• People who live on or love the St. Croix River may want to check out the new Minnesota's St. Croix River Valley and Anoka Sandplain: A Guide to Native Habitats. It looks at 35 public scientific and natural areas in the region, providing landscape descriptions, county checklists of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and lots of illustrations. Order it from the University of Minnesota Press, (612) 627-1940, for $29.95 hardcover, $19.95 softcover. Five related maps of remaining native habitats are available for $4.95.

• For a bright summer map of selected events and places along the Mississippi River from the headwaters to the Quad Cities, call Macalester College, (612) 696-6100. The free map is part of a larger public awareness initiative called the Summer of the River, which was funded in part by the McKnight Foundation, according to project coordinator Shelly Shreffler.

Ft. Snelling Ramp Opens

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boat ramp in Fort Snelling State Park, St. Paul, has finally reopened, after being closed for two years while a bridge was under construction. The ramp is located about one mile west of the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, and offe_rs easy access to both. Fort Snelling is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A state park vehicle permit is required of boaters who wish to use the ramp.

Not Just Fooling Around

A

nother river myth dies: the Army Corps of Engineers does not manipulate water levels in the Mississippi River to please weekend boaters or rescue grounded barges in particular pools.

Cynics traditionally charge that every change in: water level means the Corps is fooling around, for some reason or by accident, but researchers at the National

June 1995

Biological Service's Environmental Management Technical Center found no evidence to support these claims.

In analyzing historical water levels measured from 1980 to 1990, EMTC researchers found that the Corps met its water level targets an average of 72.5 percent of the time at 25 dams, in spite of the fact that winds, rains, ice dams and rapid fluctuations in water from tributaries make the job difficult. Other studies found no difference in water levels based on day of the week, nor any patterns that would lead one to suspect water levels were being manipulated to free grounded barges, said Joseph Wlosinski in the EMTC's River Almanac (April 1995)._

Less Forest, More Levee

T

he Army Corps of Engineers just started work on a project that calls for clearing 11,400 acres of forested wetlands in the Lower Mississippi River. The forests, which are on the river side of the levees, will be cleared to get fill to enlarge about 215 miles of levees in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.

The area once contained 22 million acres of bottomland hardwood forests.

Only 4.4 million acres remain. The destruction of the forests may affect neotropical migratory birds, waterfowl and endangered Louisiana black bears, according to the Mississippi River Basin Alliance Newsletter (Spring 1995).

R

Bromophenol Fry

esearchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison believe they have discovered why most people prefer saltwater over freshwater fish. The difference? Bromophenols.

Apparently this group of chemicals is common in marine environments and lacking in the diets of freshwater fish, according to an article in the The Prairie du Chien Courier Press (4-24-95).

Bromophenols occur in marine algae, sandworms and other animals low on the food chain, so they are distributed into the diets of many marine animals.

Researchers fed low levels of bromophenols to rainbow trout, fresh-

BIG

RlvER

water crayfish and channel catfish, then fed the fish to students, who are on the next rung of the food chain. The students preferred the bromophenol-fed trout and crayfish over ones not fed bromophenols.

The flavor of the catfish was not improved much, perhaps because catfish metabolize bromophenols differently, researchers speculated.

The Food and Drug Administration probably wouldn't allow fish farmers to feed the chemicals to their fish, but it should be okay to feed bromophenols harvested from natural sources.

N

Civil War in Goodhue County?

orthern States Power announced recently that it has narrowed the list to two possible sites for spent nuclear fuel casks from its Prairie Island Plant.

The Minnesota Legislature mandated that the site be in Goodhue County. Both sites are in Florence Township, near Frontenac, downriver from Red Wing.

Local residents have mobilized against the plan. In March at the . township's annual meeting, residents rejected all five proposed storage sites in Florence Township. In late May the town board voted unanimously to explore the possibility of seceding from Goodhue County.

Meanwhile, NSP has loaded the first cask with spent fuel and is readying to move it when it gets final approval of a site.

C

Water Politics

ongress and state legislatures are unusually busy fiddling with environmental issues. Now is a good time to make your requests known, because big changes in the Clean Water Act and other laws could lead to major changes in lakes, rivers, streams and even the oceans.

The House of Representatives passed a revision of the Clean Water Act, by 240 to 185 votes, that removes about half of the nation's wetlands from federal protection; loosens standards for sewage treatment programs; and allows an industry to dump more pollutants

7

into the water in exchange for reducing air pollution.

Illinois representatives Costello, Crane, Ewing, Fawell, Flanagan, Hastert, Hyde, LaHood, Manzullo, Poshard and Weller voted for the bill. Durbin, Evans, Gutierrez, Porter, Reynolds, Rush and Yates voted against it.

Iowa representatives Ganske, Latham, Leach, Lightfoot and N ussle voted for the bill.

Minnesota representatives Gutknecht and Peterson voted for the bill.

Luther, Minge, Oberstar, Ramstad, Sabo and Vento voted against it.

Wisconsin representatives Neumann and Roth voted for the bill. Barrett, Gunderson, Klug, Obey, Petri and Sensenbrenner voted against it.

The House passed several other bills that weaken federal authority to regulate water pollution by businesses, farmers and municipalities.

The Senate is expected to pass more moderate legislation.

Congress may not reauthorize the Sea Grant program. This 30-year partnership between academia, government and business studies coastal resources and develops educational programs about those resources. The Minnesota program is based at the U. of M.- Duluth.

The Wisconsin program is based at U.W.Madison.

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Heads Up

esidents of southwest Wisconsin have organized to oppose plans by the Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force to create a high-speed, low-altitude training corridor across the area.

Part of the corridor crosses the Mississippi just upstream of Prairie du Chien.

Folks aren't just worried that the low flying birds of war will knock their hats off; they're concerned about effects on livestock, wildlife and tourists. They are also worried that one might eventually crash in the area.

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BIG RlvER

8

RIVER

June 1995

cALENDAR

Iowa Fishing Clinics & Tourneys for Youth 3 Davenport, call (319) 381-3589 9 Dubuque, call (319) 582-9395 11 Dubuque, call (319) 582-9395

June American Rivers Month Special Events & Festivals thru Sept.17 Magnificient River: The Mississippi from Minnesota to Missouri, photographs, artifacts, interactive exhibits, Miss. River Museum, Dubuque. Call (319) 557-9545.

3 Community Festival, Elk River, Minn.

3 Bay City Daze, Bay City, Wis. 3 Prairie Moon Garden & Museum grand opening, Prairie Moon Rd., 1 m. N. of Cochrane-Fountain City (Wis.) High School, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3-4 The Mississippi Challenge, Headwaters Canoe Club celebration, Itasca State Park, Minn. Call (218) 751-0522.

4 State Parks Open House, Minn. & Wis. 4 Canoe Day & Fur Trade Encampment, 10-mile canoe flotilla, Brainerd, Minn., to Crow Wing State Park. Call (218) 8298022.

4-5 Free Fishing Weekend, Wis. Call 800432-TRIP. 4-10 National Fishing Week.

9-11 Free Fishing Days, Iowa.

9-11 Quad Cities Fiddlers Jamboree, Walnut Grove Pioneer Village. Call (319) 355-2308.

10 Moonlight Hike to Fire Point, 8:00 p.m., Effigy Mounds National Monument, Marquette, Iowa, reservations. Call (319) 873-3491.

Quad Cities, advance registration, $7. Call (319) 322-2969.

18 Bike Tour of Minneapolis Historic Milling District, 1 p.m., $4, reservations.

Call (612) 627-5433.

20 Canoe Outing to Heron Rookery, Coulee Region Sierra Club, La Crosse. Call Pat Caffrey, (608) 784-2464.

20 Mississippi River Program, 7 p.m., Coon Rapids Dam Visitors Center, Brooklyn Park, Minn., $.50, age limit 16, reservations. Call (612) 424-8172.

23-25 Catfish Festival, Dubuque. Call (319) 583-8535.

23-25 Water Ski Days, Lake City, Minn.

Call 800-369-4123.

24 Mississippi River Revival cleanup, 9 a.m., Latsch Island Park, Winona.

24 Clinton, call (319) 847-7202 Wisconsin DNR-sponsored field trips, reservations limited, (608) 266-1430.

June 3 Exploring Mississippi River Resources, Potosi, Wis. July 15 Canoe trip from Sauk City to Ferry Bluff, $8 to rent canoe.

July 22 Battle of Wis. Hts. Restoration Walking Tour, Blackhawk Ridge Recreation Area, Sauk City.

July 29-30 Weekend at Perrot State Park, Trempealeau, Wis. August 26 Prairie Communities of the Driftless Area, Perrot State Park, Trempealeau, Wis.

Ongoing Events

24 Canoe Trek, paddle the St. Croix River from Interstate to Wm. O'Brien State Park. Call (612) 296-6157.

Canoe Hikes, 4 p.m. Fridays, Wyalusing State Park, Wis. Call (608) 996-2261.

24 St. Paul Mayor's Fishing Opener, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Hidden Falls Park, activities for kids & adults.

Hikes to Fire Point, daily, Effigy Mounds Naional Monument, Marquette, Iowa.

Call (319) 873-3491.

25 Rocky Point Regatta Citizens Sailing Race, Lake Bemidji State Park, Minn. Call (218) 755-3843.

Lock & Dam 11 Tours, Dubuque, 2 p.m.

Sundays. Call (309) 794-4524.

28-July 4 Steamboat Days, Winona. Call (507) 452-0743.

St. Anthony Falls Historic District Walking Tours, Wed.-Sun. afternoons, Minneapolis. Call (612) 627-5433.

29-July 4 Riverfest, La Crosse. Call (608) 782-6000.

Meetings

30-July 2 Riverfest & Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Moline, Ill. Call (309) 7970461.

8 Minn.-Wis. Boundary Area Commission, La Crosse. Call (612) 436-7131 or (715) 386-9444. -

10-11 Tour of Historic Homes, Galena, Ill. Call 800-747-9377.

10-11 Take a Kid Fishing Weekend, Minn.

Call DNR, (612) 296-6157.

Almanac

10-11 Mendota Bridge, history program, 10:30 a.m. Sat., 2:00 p.m Sun., Ft. Snelling State Park, St. Paul. Call (612) 726-9247.

Several recent developments in the Twin Cities will bring more people down to that stretch of the river this summer. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt visited St. Paul to launch the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a 72-mile corridor from Hastings to Dayton. The Stone Arch Bridge, in downtown Minneapolis, is getting rave reviews. St. Paul has started a number of projects to beautify and develop its riverfront.

11 Mississippi River Parade, 1 p.m., Minneapolis to St. Paul. Call (612) 266-8989.

11 Dairy Heritage Festival, Cassville, Wis. Call (608) 725-5210.

15 Great Mississippi Riverboat Cleanup, 8:45 a.m., St. Paul. Call (612) 227-1100.

15-18 Prairie Villa Rendezvous, Prairie du Chien. Call (608) 375-4758.

17 Summerfest Day, Maiden Rock, Wis. Call (715) 448-4500.

17 Horse Pull & BBQ, Brownsville, Minn.

Call 800-428-2030.

18 Ride the River Bicycle Tour, 6 a.m.,

The folks downriver around St. Louis found themselves wrestling with the Mississippi and Missouri again this spring. That's two 500-year floods in three years, so they shouldn't have to worry about another flood for about l ,000 years. I'll bet they feel pretty safe.

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Pickerel frogs sing when the blueflags bloom. Later, baby toads will leave the ponds when arrowheads bloom.