Useful Links
USA National Phenology Network | USA National Phenology Network
Local weather--Minburn, Iowa (50167) Conditions & Forecast : Weather Underground
Van Meter monitor--level and Nitrate--USGS Real-Time Water Data for USGS 05484500 R...
US Geological Survey: BUSGS Links for 07100006 -- North RaccoonVU web site http://web.bvu.edu/faculty/coogan/
Events:
June 2--RRWA Meeting. 10:00 a.m. Buena Vista University. Topic: Wetlands
Iowa DNR Water Quality Plan: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/water/watershed/files/npsmp_main.pdf
Please send comments to Mike Delaney (mikedelaney1@mac.com) and to Jeff Berkes, Iowa DNR.
Walleye caught in North Raccoon in Sac County. The nitrogen and phosphorus levels were high in Coon at Sac City, however a Crappie and a Walleye were caught in the area. Roger Quail, Riverside Park manager caught two nice Small mouth earlier this year. There is life in the Raccoon. It is not what it use to be. But rivers can heal themselves if we stop polluting them.
Sac City Float –May 16-18—Mike Delaney, Don Propst, Mark Mettelman
The North Raccoon River in Sac County, Iowa had cut a new route through a stand of old Oaks to cut off a long hairpin turn in the river. Before us were a dozen large trees crisscrossing the river from bank to bank. It was cool in the shade of the forest trees. Don, Mark and I decided to slide under the first 30-inch diameter trunk. If you have done this before in a kayak or solo canoe you know how tricky the balance becomes as you lean forward or back to duck a tree. WE made it. We then hauled our Wenonahs over the next couple trees, however when we reached the last blockade in the gauntlet it was so massive that I suggested to Don that he climb the 7 foot bank and take a look to see if a portage was an option. It was. We hauled the boats over the bank and down again into the old river channel and walked them over the sand to the flowing water that came from under the mass of trees. Little did we know that a much bigger “wood pile” was a few turns down-stream. A mass of trees ten feet high and fifty feet deep were wedged up against the great boulders of the rock dam at Sac City Access. The river trail guys had posted a portage sign assuring us that a portage was the only option. Up the bank we went with our gear and boats. After a 50 yard portage we were back in the river below a beautiful secluded rock dam. Great place to fish, but time was getting short. This float/hike was taking longer than we planned. The rest if the float was free of wood-piles, sweepers or strainers. However, we had a stiff south wind that took away some of the fun.
Riverside Park is on the North Raccoon off highway 20 on the river. It is a beautiful floodplain park with nice Oaks and Walnuts. It has great old buildings including an 1854 log cabin that had been used as a trading post with the Native people of the area, an 1908 religious revival pavilion, an a 1939 WPA stone shelter house. There is also a Victorian Era fish cleaning and cooking station. A porcelain sink and a cast iron stove were provided for picnicking anglers to prepare their catch.
There are still some good fish in the area. Park manager, Roger Quail said that he caught two Small mouth bass over four pounds each in the North Raccoon in the Area. I caught a 10 inch Crappie and a 20 inch Walleye on our visit to the river.
The previous day the three of us drove up from Des Moines put in at Vogel Access, which is about 19 miles upstream from our campsite at Sac City Riverside Park. The section of river with the wood piles is between Riverside Park and Sac City Access. I can recommend it only to the most hardy adventurers. The float from Vogel to Sac City Park, however, was delightful and I can recommend it to the average experienced paddler. The water level gauge downstream from Sac City measured 91 cubic feet per second. However this was enough water to float our solo royalex canoes. There were loads of rocks and riffles on this stretch to challenge even experienced paddlers. The high clay bluffs, huge oaks and wildlife provide plenty of entertainment.
We saw an eagle nest with a parent and youngster just after we put in at Vogel. On the whole 12.2 mile first day float we saw seven or eight more eagles, a mink, raccoons, lots of deer crossing the stream and on sand bars. Over the two day float we saw a snowy egret, blue and green herons, loads of pipers and plovers and as is typical for mid-may the Orioles called for us the entire way.
It was a great trip except for one thing. The river looked grey. I did not like the color. I did chemical tests on the water and found Nitrates over 10 mp/l and a phosphate level of 3 at Sac City and 2 at Hagge. I have never seen such high readings in the Raccoon watershed before. There a lot of hog confinements in the area. I suspect N and P are leaking into the river from the fields. Since Iowan are adding large numbers of new confinements to the watershed we must find a way to get the appropriate amounts of N and P on the landscape in such a way that the corn and beans can take up the nutrients rather than have them run off into the river. Levels of Nitrogen over 2 mp/l kill some aquatic life and P causes algae blooms that kill life in lakes and ponds. The river can cleanse itself of these chemicals if we stop putting them in, however the phosphorus accumulates in our marshes, ponds, lakes and reservoirs and they cannot naturally get rid of it.
Farmers are required to fill out manure management plans if they are spreading manure from large CAFOs and since 2008 they are suppose to apply manure according to the phosphorus needs. I have been told that the DNR does not have the staff to adequately review these plans. Also, I don’t believe there is near enough water testing to know where all of our pollution is coming from. Here is a link for more information on manure management.
The good news is this (based on direct evidence from this float):
-The eagles have returned and are nesting in the watershed
-Herons are finding fish to eat and appear healthy
- at least one live clam is in the upper Raccoon
--Crappie and Walleye ( and 59 species of fish overall according to research by Bryan Bakevich of ISU) exist in the North Raccoon.
There is hope that we can save the Raccoon from further degradation and maybe even bring it back to the days when the folks of Sac City had fish fries in Riverside Park with the fish they caught in the river.
HOTLINE NUMBERS
TIP # 1-800-532-2020 (ATVs, poaching)
Fish Kills--515-281-8694
Illegal Dumping--888-665-4887
Illegal ATV operation:
Polk: Jeff Swearinggin, 515-238-4849; Kirby Bragg, 515-238-5006
Dallas: Craig Lonneman, 515-238-5005
Greene/Carrol: Dan Pauley, 515-370-0422
Sac/Calhoun: Dan Mork, 712-260-1016
IDNR Field Offices are also a very important resource. The Field Services and Compliance Bureau has six field offices throughout the state (three of which oversee portions of the Raccoon River watershed), and you can find their information at http://www.iowadnr.gov/fo/index.html
These guys do all of the permitting and monitoring of NPDES permit holders, and respond to spills, etc. Don't ever hesitate to call them if you observe anything awry.
Field Office #3
Counties Served:
Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Ida, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pochontas, Sac, Sioux, Woodbury
Ken Hessenius: Supervisor
1900 North Grand Ave, Suite E17
Spencer, IA 51301
Phone: (712) 262-4177
Fax: (712) 262-2901
Field Office #4
Counties Served:
Adair, Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Cass, Fremont, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Taylor, Union
Dan Stipe: Supervisor
1401 Sunnyside Lane
Atlantic, IA 50022
Phone: (712) 243-1934
Fax: (712) 243-6251
Field Office #5
Counties Served:
Appanoose, Boone, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Polk, Poweshiek, Story, Tama, Warren, Wayne
Jim Stricker: Supervisor
401 SW 7th, Suite 1
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 725-0268
Fax: (515) 725-0218
“---The Raccoon River Watershed Association is a group of citizens dedicated to the stewardship of the Raccoon River. It seeks to preserve and enhance the river and its watershed. It will strive to improve the quality of the river and its watershed so that citizens can safely enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, hunting, hiking, bird watching and other outdoor recreational activities. The association will engage in education, networking, cleanup, assessment and policy making to achieve these ends.”
contacts: Steve Roe, president--515-229-1669 Mike Delaney, vice president--515-339-0438
