March-April 2023
Subscriptions will start with the May-June 2023 issue.
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Links to more information about stories in the March-April 2023 issue
Frank's Hill: |
Related: "Effigy Mounds of the Wisconsin River Valley" by Sara Millhouse |
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Mississippi Valley Conservancy Focus on the Flyway |
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Henry Farnam Dinner |
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Links from the January-February 2023 issue
Here's a link to the Western Illinois University feasability studyabout sending water from the Mississippi River to western states.
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Reno Bottoms Habitat Rehabilitation & Enhancement Project (Army Corps of Engineers)
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Fish Kills in Minnesota (MPCA)
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Videos of bow-facing oars:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AL6fD1UPEE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsY1gemFjNI
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Links from the November-December 2022 issue
backchannelradio.org
Wolf Spider Radio Winona, Minn. — A new podcast is telling the story of the Wolf Spider Island boathouse community (also known locally as Latsch Island.) The six-part series is written and hosted by Gina Favano, an artist and musician who lives on Wolf Spider Island. The first three episodes include an introduction to boathouses, a feature on Wolf Spider Island historian John Rupkey and an overview of the fight with government agencies to maintain the community.
Carp Herpes in Storm Lake
Herpes killed thousands of common carp in Iowa’s Storm Lake this summer, creating a smelly, decomposing mess as they washed up on shore. It’s the first time the virus has been detected in Iowa. Herpes also killed carp in Fountain Lake in Albert Lea, Minn., a state where it’s been detected in wild populations since 2017. In Wisconsin, the fish virus first appeared in 2015, in the Rock River near Horicon. Koi herpes thrives when water temps reach the 70s, but carp numbers are expected to bounce back, making the virus an unlikely candidate as a biological control measure for unwanted, invasive carp. The koi herpes virus does not affect humans..
Climate Resilience La Crosse, Wis.
This fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota are looking into ways to enhance climate resilience in communities along the Upper Mississippi. The program is based on the results of roundtables hosted by NOAA in 2021 to determine risks that climate change posed to vulnerable communities. Two University of Minnesota professors are using climate and water resource models to predict flood and drought. It’s all part of a consortium awarded $360 million in federal funds, based out of the University of Alabama.
Links from the September-October 2022 issue
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has updated its fishing maps and maps of fishing structures.
Dale Sanders, Greybeard Adventurer
Lead Poisoning — Raptor Center
Kernza — The Land Institute
Scuds: Citizen Science Opportunities are available with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
the Izaak Walton League’s Save Our Streams program and with your local Trout Unlimited Chapter
Links from the July-August 2022 issue
Contaminated WellsLancaster, Wis.
About a third of southwest Wisconsin wells had coliform bacteria or nitrate levels that exceeded state standards, according to the Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology study, released in May. There are about 16,000 private wells in the study area of Grant, Iowa and Lafayette counties. As elsewhere in the country, there’s no comprehensive system for monitoring the safety of water from private wells, which are the source of drinking water for nearly all rural residents. The study found that older, shallower wells closer to livestock and farm fields were more likely to be contaminated. The study also found that shallow topsoil and porous bedrock increased the likelihood of well contamination. Unsurprisingly, human contamination was more likely when septic systems were close to wells. Those seeking more information on private well testing in Wisconsin can contact their local extension office or county public health agent.Click here to see the study.
Black Earth PFAS
Black Earth, Wis.
Don’t eat fish from Black Earth Creek more than once a week, because trout sampled there have elevated levels of PFAS, chemicals that can increase cholesterol and cancer risks and decrease immune responses and fertility. PFAS have been used for years in nonstick cookware, firefighting foam and other products. Black Earth Creek is one of the most popular trout streams in Wisconsin. Click here to check advisories for your local Wisconsin waterway.
Modeling the River
Rock Island, Ill
The Army Corps of Engineers has finished a hydraulic model of the Upper Mississippi to help communities weigh flood risks. The St. Paul, Rock Island and St. Louis districts worked for seven years on the model, which is intended to help plan development and mitigate flood risks. The million-dollar computer model covers from St. Paul to Thebes, Ill., as well as the Illinois River from Grafton to Lockport, Ill. Click here for more information.
Links from the May-June 2022 issue
Maquoketa River Trail
Dubuque, Iowa
Big Blue Sky
Dreamer in the Sage
Meet the band, listen to their music and check out their calendar
Mississippi Man Catches Huge Catfish
Links from the March-April 2022 issue
Army Corps Navigation Charts of the Mississippi River for download.
Mostly Mississippi: A Very Damp Adventure at the Library of Congress
Read the book by Harold Speakman and
view all the artwork in this 1927 adventure down the river. Artwork by Speakman and his wife, Russell Lindsay Speakman.
Corps' Bosses Busted From 2001, eighth in a special Big River series on the Army Corps Navigation Study. A high-ranking officer in the Army Corps of Engineers falsified pivotal economic information in the Corps’ Navigation Study to get the agency a billion-dollar project to expand locks on the Mississippi River, according to Army investigators.
Links from the January-February 2022 issue
The Epic Battle to Break the Mississippi River Canoe Record
By Frank Bures, Outside Magazine,
Nov 3, 2021
Tailwater Ice Fishing
Watch the tailwater ice fishing segment of the Tom Gruenwald Outdoor show “Take Me to the River.”
Current Events
The Julia Belle Swain is sold.
Wisconsin large mammal observation form
Accessing Mazomanie Bottoms Area in Wisconsin
Links from the November-December 2021 issue
City of Davenport Flood Resiliency Plan Final Concept
 (photo by Larry A. Stone) |
Bloody Run Lawsuit The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club has filed a lawsuit against the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to stop one of the largest feedlots in Iowa from being built on karst geography near Bloody Run Creek. Bloody Run Creek in northeast Iowa is among 34 waterways designated as outstanding Iowa Waters by the state's Department of Natural Resources. Here is a story from Iowa Public Radio. The Battle Over Bloody Run Creek |
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Buffers Keep Our Water Clean
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency monitors the state’s waters and displays data about every stream, lake and ditch in all 88 of Minnesota’s watersheds. You can find which watersheds are meeting standards, and compare the quality of the buffers in an area with the quality of the aquatic life there.
Buffer strips are not the only tool to reduce pollution and sediment. Grass waterways, conservation tillage, tree plantings and other “Best Management Practices” are also used. The MPCA tracks progress in the 88 watersheds and displays information.
Best management practices - Minnesota MPCA.
Click here to drop a raindrop anywhere on this map of the contiguous United States and watch where it ends up.
Finding the Trempealeau River
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Silver Mound, archaeological and geological site, a gathering place for Native Americans in pre-historic Wisconsin. |
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Links from the September-October 2021 issue
Click here to drop a raindrop anywhere on this map of the contiguous United States and watch where it ends up.
Illinois is seeking to establish its first enforceable groundwater standards for PFAS. If the draft language goes into effect, the standard for some PFAS would be set at two parts per trillion, the most rigorous level in the country. Community testing results are available on a state-run website. (Scroll to bottom.)
The Friends of the Mississippi River is wrapping up its four-year “Write to the River” project. You can read the online publications at the Friends website.
Midmorning on a cool July day, a pair of unseen whooping cranes sang out in unison, which only pair-bonded cranes do. Like other bird calls, different cranes sing it differently, but this loud, trumpeting, high-low duet is impossible to forget and can project for up to two kilometers. whooping cranes on International Crane Foundation website.)
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has an online bicycle map.
Links from the July-August 2021 issue
Wisconsin Online Outdoor Business Directory
Ambient sounds on a Driftless habitat restoration project, “Ears in the Driftless”
Links from the May-June 2021 issue
Bison Bridge
Chad Pregracke wants to turn the Interstate 80 bridge at Le Claire, Iowa, into a “Bison Bridge:” a pedestrian crossing, the longest manmade wildlife crossing in the world and eventually a national park. About 100 acres of land adjoining the bridge could help support a small herd of bison, supporters say.
Minnesota is seeking volunteers to spot pesky plants, specifically Japanese knotweed and wild parsnip. Volunteers can study a self-paced course that takes about four hours and will prepare them to report any pesky plants near them.
If you’d like to help scientists understand precipitation, consider joining CoCoRaHS (the Collaborative Community Rain, Hail & Snow network). The National Weather Service, hydrologists, emergency managers and others use the network’s data to measure trends and make forecasts. Volunteers are asked to complete training and report precipitation, or the lack thereof, at the same time each day, using a standard four-inch rain gauge. Observers are especially needed in some rural areas, such as Buffalo and Richland counties in Wisconsin and Jackson County, Iowa.
Fundraising for Water Level Gauges
Fundraising is ongoing for the gauges that monitor water levels and warn residents of flooding downstream on the flood-prone Kickapoo River. The Monroe County (Wis.) Climate Change Task Force is about a third of its way toward its $60,000 goal to provide monitoring stations on the upper reaches of the Little La Crosse and Kickapoo rivers. They also hope to upgrade monitoring at the Norwalk Dam. Other donations also contribute to the maintenance of National Weather Service gauges at Ontario, LaFarge and Readstown. LaCrosse Hydrology Monitor
Help in planting pollinator gardens
A step-by-step guide to planting a pollinator garden from the Fish & Wildlife Service.
A list of nectar plants best suited for your region of the United States from The National Wildlife Federation.
Birdsong ID
Are you looking for a quick tool to identify common Midwest birds by song and appearance? The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has an interactive online illustration of 24 birds by Bill Reynolds. Click on the bird to hear its song, supplied by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Rough Fish
Rough fish may disappear from Minnesota waters, not because they get removed but because they get redefined. The 2021 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet includes a pitch touting the value of rough fish. The pitch in the beginning of the booklet notes the ecological roles that these fish play, and says “Killing and dumping rough fish is considered wanton waste (needless killing) and is illegal. Only kill a rough fish if you plan to use it.”
Links from the March-April 2021 issue
River Cam Philanthropist — You can watch the Mississippi from the Sawmill Museum in Clinton, Iowa, whenever you want, thanks to the generosity of a Fort Wayne man who has now sponsored webcams at three Upper Mississippi River museums. Craig Herold, formerly of Winona, Minn., is donating the webcams in memory of relatives, museum director Matthew Parbst told the Clinton Herald (1-5-21). Herold-funded webcams also watch over the river at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa, and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn.
Dirty Songs? Lewiston, Minn. — Austin, Minn., singer-songwriter Bret Hesla and the band Six Feet Deep have recorded two songs commissioned by the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) to help farmers tune in to soil health. Hesla immersed himself in the subject at farms operated by LSP members in Austin and Goodhue, Minn. “Got Cover Crops” and “Back to Soil” have accompanying videos online. Winona’s Kobi Dansingburg produced and edited the videos. There is no charge for public use of the music or videos.
RV Explosion St. Croix, Minn. — Sales of recreational vehicles for camping took off in the pandemic, and the industry expects sharp growth to continue in 2021 — but where will all those RVs find a camping place?
At least one Minnesota campground is adding more RV spaces. Veterans Campground on Big Marine Lake is acquiring 2.4 acres from Washington County’s Big Marine Park Reserve to get more RV camping space for military veterans.
The 30 additional RV spaces would relieve a three-year wait for the current 156 spaces. Veterans Campground is 12 miles north of Stillwater, Minn., and six miles west of Marine on St. Croix.
Once known as Disabled Veterans Rest Camp, the 69-acre Veterans Campground is run by a nonprofit for veterans and their families. The camp dates to 1926, when it was donated for World War I soldiers who lived with “shell-shock,” now known as post-traumatic stress disorder. The campground drew 35,000 visitors in 2019.
After a two-month pandemic shutdown in early 2020, RV manufacturers hustled as sales jumped six percent over 2019. This year the industry expects a stunning 17 percent rise, to more than 500,000 units.
Travelers craving a safe vacation may have trouble finding an RV camping space. Reserve early, urges Monika Geraci of the Recreational Vehicles Industry Association. Camping numbers rose in Wisconsin in 2020. Bookings for 2021 are up again, according to Craig Trost of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Wisconsin takes reservations up to 11 months in advance.
“We do remind RV campers that our state parks do not have full water and sewer hookups, so plan ahead!” Trost cautioned.
Wisconsin RV campgrounds with electric hookups include Interstate, Willow River, Perrot, Merrick, Wyalusing and Nelson Dewey state parks and Governor Knowles State Forest.
If locked out of early reservations, keep an eye out for “last-minute cancellations,” Trost advised. Wisconsin’s campground finder is at TravelWisconsin.com. Minnesota’s is at ExploreMinnesota.com. Both Iowa and Illinois use ReserveAmerica.com.
Bumble Bee Spring — A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
To learn more about native bees and native plants, check out the beautiful and very complete book, "Bees — An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide," by Heather Holm, published by Pollinator Press, 2017. Also see https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com
Growing the Right Plant in the Right Place — Prairie Moon Nursery
Links from the January-February 2021 issue
Take a virtual trip on the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Follow the attempt to reel in the state fish in every state. FishAllFifty
Watch Shane Westen pedal down the river in a Hobie Outback Kayak.
Keep up on Mississippi source-to-sea paddlers with the Facebook group Mississippi River Paddlers.
Links from the November-December 2020 issue
Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance website
The WDNR is seeking volunteers for its self-service Adopt-a-Kiosk program for CWD testing.
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Here's more info on River Actions's River Webinar series:
2020 Upper Mississippi River Webinar Series
Archaeologist Ernie Boszhardt will lead us on a virtual introduction to beautiful Little Bluff in Trempealeau, Wis. Sponsored by Mississippi Valley Conservancy. Discover Little Bluff
Check out Lake Pepin Alliance's membership drive.
Links from the September-October 2020 issue
• River Action will forego its annual in-person Upper Mississippi River Conference this year, opting instead for three online webinars. Webinars will cost $10 per session or $25 for all three.
• The Conservation Grazing Map helps farmers and ranchers find public lands that are available for grazing livestock. The tool is a joint effort by the MDA, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
•Like the overlook story in this issue? See overlook stories that we have published in the past. See all the overlooks on our Travel Map
Introduction to Overlooks 2009 Map and description of overlooks (pdf) September 2009 |
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Looking Down on the River—What is the highest overlook on the river? By Duke Addicks |
Links from the July-August 2020 issue
Mississippi River area webcams
Headwaters of the Mississippi at Itasca State Park. (Minnesota DNR)
National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn.
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa
St Louis Arch viewed from Illinois. (Camera installed by the local government.)
The eagle trio near L&D 13, Fulton, Ill. (Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge)
Mississippi River Flyway Cam, Brice Prairie, Wis. (Raptor Resource Center)
Watch the river at St. Paul. (City of St. Paul)
Driftless Area Education Center at Lansing, Iowa
Dubuque County Courthouse Peregrine Falcons
Fishing information
Fishing information is available at “Learn to fish” on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.
Explore fish in streams and climate data with FishVis by the USGS.
Links from past issues:
Paddler Sampling:
LouAnn Harris stand-up paddle— What I Learned; The Mullet
Jay Kangler - Escape with Jay videos
Max Berthou and Mark Pozlep link to Waterways Journal
Maya Dizak and Michael McGuire and The Big Wet Trip on Instagram
Dan Faust - Glory Days
Mississippi River Paddlers Facebook Group
From Big River
Download complete issues from 2006 and 2007 (PDFs)
Back Issues - Highlights and ordering information
Stories from past issues of Big River
Links to more information from stories in Big River
Links to Mississippi River Resources
Links from Reggie's Canoecopia presentation
Big River Source-to-Sea paddler page - accounts, stories and resources
Upper Mississippi River Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Corps of Engineers Upper Miss Navigation Charts
Mississippi River Paddlers (Facebook group)
Floatzilla(River Action, Quad Cities)
Upper Mississippi River Restoration - Environmental Management Program (UMRR-EMP)
Mississippi River Organizations
Down the Mississippi: People taking all kinds of trips down the river
Weather on the Upper Mississippi
Water levels on the Upper Miss.
90-Day Journey of a Raindrop on the Mississippi River by Gayle Harper. Blog, Surrendering to Serendipity
Download complete issues from 2006 and 2007
More Stories Published in past issues of Big River
Waiting for the Julia Belle Swain (pdf)
By John Gabbert The hard, gritty, expensive work of rescuing one of the finest steam sternwheeler packet boats ever built is nearly finished. Jan-Feb 2017Effigy Mounds of the Wisconsin River Valley
By Sara Millhouse September-October 2016Coldwater Cave May-June 2016
By Capt. Ted PeckNighthawk Twilight
By Molly McGuire July-Aug 2015Carp Poetry Winners - July-Aug 2015
12 Great Rivertown Gardens (pdf) - May-June 2015
Where's the Carp? Commercial fishermen have noticed an overall decline in the number of common carp - May-June 2015
Sex Life of Floodplain Trees March-April 2015
Carp Catch 22 - where can you buy wild-caught smoked carp, and why isn't it at your local grocer's? (pdf) March-April 2015
When Big Mama Ruled the Rivers - the Sprague Jan-Feb 2015
River Pilgrims Nov-Dec 2014
Outdoor Dreams Come True - North America Squirrel Association Nov-Dec 2014
Mapping Time and the River (PDF) by Ryan Johnson March-April 2014
The Living Caves of Kickapoo Winters Jan-Feb 2014
Ike Hasting's and his Picket Hastings Jan-Feb 2014
CD Review: Can You Canoe? By the OkeeDokee Brothers
Reviewed by Naomi RathLeo and Marilyn Smith: River Dreams in Wood (pdf)
March-April 2012Sand Dollars — Mining Frac Sand in the River Valley (pdf
July-Aug 2011Summer of Weeds Nov-Dec 2010
Boykin Spaniels and Box Turtles July-Aug 2010
The Almost-Built Canal: Linking Lake Superior to the Mississippi (pdf)
March-April 2010Flood Run also PDF
March-April 2010The Day WWII Came to Lake Pepin
Nov-Dec 2007Iceboating on the Mississippi
Jan-Feb 2007Look down on the river
Overlooks, lookouts, precipices and blufftop peaksHand-Carved Decoys (pdf)
