Eddy Magazine - FEBRUARY 2012

Volume 1, Issue 4 | February/March/April 2012

A PUBLICATION OF RIVER ACTION, INC. www.riveraction.org

Connecting people to the river

GO FISH! INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

:: Geo-Caching :: Slow the Flow! :: Vroom! Vroom! Boats! :: 19th Century Steamboat Cruises :: Go Green Guide – Green Gardening

Fishin’ the Mississipp’ Pg. 8

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better community!

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PUBLISHER’S LET TER

Make Room for the River his is how they do it in Nijmegan, the oldest

T February/March/April 2012 _______

Volume 1 Issue 4

KATHY WINE, Publisher / Executive Director BETH CLARK, Managing Editor (Milepost Ventures, LLC) BECKY LANGDON, Copy Editor JEFF VanECHAUTE / pi design, inc., Design MICHELLE O’HARA, Calendar Editor Contributing Writers JEFF CORNELIUS, River Action Staff MIK HOLDERESSON BECKY LANGDON CURTIS ROSEMAN JULIE SEIER CHEF TODD KENT Contributing Photographers/Photographs BETH CLARK JEFF CORNELIUS, River Action Staff MIK HOLGERSSON JULIE MALAKE DEAN MATHIAS JEFF VanECHAUTE STOCK: 123RF.COM AND PHOTOS.COM ©Eddy Magazine and River Action, Inc., all rights reserved, 2012. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, without express, written permission, is prohibited. The views expressed herein, whether expressed as fact, fiction, opinion, advice or otherwise are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of this magazine. This magazine is sold with the understanding that neither it, nor River Action, Inc., its owners or managers, are engaged in rendering legal, accounting, tax, medical, technical, or any other advice, professional or otherwise. The publication of any advertisement does not reflect the endorsement of any products or services by the ownership or management of this magazine unless it is specifically stated in such advertisement and there is written approval for such endorsement. Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material to Eddy Magazine for consideration should not send originals. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted materials must be accompanied by a self addressed, postage paid envelope in return of materials is requested. Return of materials is not guaranteed. Eddy Magazine is published quarterly

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Eddy Magazine Published by River Action, Inc. 822 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA 52803 563-322-2969 www.riveraction.org To Advertise: Contact Beth Clark 309-269-3455. For rates, ad dimensions and deadline information email bethcolbyclark@gmail.com To Subscribe or become a member of River Action: call 563-322-2969 or visit www.riveraction.org

COVER: Fishin’ the Mississipp’ (photos from 123.rf.com)

city in the Netherlands. I’m talking about lowering flood levels and mitigating decades of floodplain development.

Recently, a representative from the Netherlands spoke at Urban Waterfronts 2011 in New York City and led the audience through an amazing project entitled “Room for the River Waal.”

The country began building dikes and levees to control flooding 800 years ago, but 1993 and 1995 floods caused $300 million in damage and the evacuation of 250,000 people. An analysis of flood Kathy Wine control strategies was undertaken, and in 2007 the Dutch government approved a new $3.3 billion strategy for dealing with flood threats. The plan will improve the environmental quality of riverfronts, eliminate 3,163 acres of farmland, and increase natural land area by 4,586 acres. It will also reduce high water levels in the Rhine, Meuse, and Ijssel rivers. By 2015, these rivers will be given more room at thirty-nine locations.

This is where the audience really started to take note. Knowing the US Army Corps of Engineers will undertake a management plan for the Missouri River and a more comprehensive plan for the Mississippi River, the similarities of the flooding in both countries caused us to listen up.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE In the Netherlands, they are using the

following strategies: 4 River Action Updates • Relocating dikes or levees further inland – BIKE TRAILS: The latest updates on to widen floodplains.

QC area bike trails! — by Jeff Cornelius – GEO-CACHING: Join in for lots of • Modifying dikes or levees in certain fun and education along the river! areas to allow for flooding.

— by Jeff Cornelius • Lowering floodplains to increase depth – SLOW THE FLOW (DUCK CREEK and flow.

BUFFER): Slowing down run-off into • Creating side channels as alternate Duck Creek helps to clean the river. routes for high water.

— Mik Holgersson

• Deepening riverbeds, removing 8 Fishin’ the Mississipp’ obstacles that obstruct flow, and creating

Chef Todd tells some BIG fish stories! temporary water storage areas.

— by Chef Todd Kent • Heightening and strengthening dikes or

levees where slumping and subsidence 10 History Column can be avoided.

Full Steam Ahead! – 19th Century Steamboat Cruises This plan was moving forward, and I — by Curtis Roseman could see it could be an example for the

world.

12 Nahant Expanding Many of these strategies are in use here Nahant Marsh to get new field station. today but not in a comprehensive way.

— by Julie Seier

For us, it could mean a Corps and perhaps 15 Go Green Guide – Greener FEMA project in the Quad Cities. Think for Gardening Tips a minute about Credit Island. A causeway How to grow gardens while helping now stretches across the Credit Island the environment. slough. If it was removed, a bridge put in

— by Becky Langdon

its place, and the slough dredged, it would 18 Vroom! Vroom! Boats! make room for the river. Certainly it would

What’s new in motor boats this year! diminish flooding on the island itself.

— by Julie Seier This is the time to involve the com 20 Eddy Calendar: February–March munity in a highly technical engineering

Lots going on in the Quad Cities before solution. It would be a bold move, but spring! making room for the river, or something like it, deserves consideration.

Our Mission: River Action strives to foster the environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of the Mississippi River and its riverfront in the Quad City region.

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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RIVER AC TION UPDATES

Mississippi River Trail Blazes Ahead

By Jeff Cornelius, River Action Staff

T

he Quad Cities area has a world-class set of multi-purpose trails boasting nearly ninety miles of paths along the Mississippi River, Rock River, and Duck Creek. While most of the development has been on the Illinois side of the river, Iowa made great progress in 2011 pointing toward a bright future of more trails and access to our great waterways.

Bettendorf has been hard at work constructing a section of Mississippi River Trail (MRT) from the Isle of Capri Casino to Riverdale,

New Duck Creek Bridge under construction.

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which will connect to Duck Creek Parkway.

Construction includes two miles of trail and a scenic overlook. These projects have received over $2 million in grants including a Scenic Byways Grant for the Live Work and Play overlook. Grading issues delayed construction in the fall, but the project should be completed in Spring 2012.

Work has begun on the new Credit island In July 2011, Davenport awarded conBridge project. tracts to build the Credit Island Bridge project.

Currently, Credit Island is the end of the line for to complete the engineering for the project. the Iowa side of the Quad Cities’ multi-purpose After the study is completed, grants can be trails. The planned bridge will connect the written for construction funds. island with Concord Street across the slough, While Riverdale worked with Bettendorf allowing pedestrian and bike access to Nahant to construct the MRT/Duck Creek Parkway Marsh, to the city limits of Buffalo farther connection, it also has plans for a 1.3-mile downstream, and eventually to Muscatine. section of the MRT on Alcoa property along Initial work on the bridge was scheduled to US Highway 67. River Action helped the city begin in December. The bridge should be comsubmit a grant for $539,000 to Iowa Scenic plete in early summer depending on weather Byways that includes a $135,000 match from and spring river levels. the city. When constructed, the trail will run in The City of Buffalo was between US Highway 67 and recently awarded a $108,500 the railroad tracks from South grant from the Iowa State Iowa made great Bellingham Road to Fenno Rec Trails Program, which Road. Should grants be awardwill be used as the local progress in 2011 ed, construction is not likely match to a $500,000 fedto start until 2013 to coincide eral earmark from 2006. The with planned improvements pointing toward money will fund detailed to South Bellingham Road. engineering for a trail that Let’s hope 2012 is as prowill run from the Buffalo/ a bright future of ductive as 2011 was.

Davenport border to Muscatine’s Wild Cat Den. more trails and This spring, the city will work with its Trail Committee access to our great and Bi-State Regional Commission to request bids

waterways.

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New Duck Creek Bridge nearing completion.

RIVER AC TION UPDATES

RiverWay Geocaching: A Twenty-first Century Treasure Hunt

By Jeff Cornelius

I

t’s unfortunate we live in an age when Xbox and Wii have taken the place of building a fort in the backyard or playing kickball at the corner lot.

But fear not – there is a great way to get your young children and teens outside again while enjoying the latest developments in technology. Geocaching is a fun year-round activity for the entire family that won’t break the bank.

In simple terms, geocaching is a high-tech version of a treasure hunt. All you need is a GPS (Global Positioning System) enabled smartphone or hand-held GPS device, an Internet connection, and a sense of adventure.

Geocachers retrieve longitude and latitude coordinates from a website, plug them into their GPS system, and let the system guide them to a “cache.” These coordinates can lead you to many different places such as nature trails, botanical gardens, parks, or even museums.

River Action launched the new RiverWay Geocaching program in 2011 to promote recreation along the Mississippi River by planting twelve caches in the wild. The caches range from beginner finds that can be located in five to ten minutes to expert hides that require a kayak or canoe to uncover.

Finding a geocache can take anywhere from five minutes to hours of expert navigation and sleuthing.

The RiverWay series offers a new twist on geocaching that has caught the attention of even the Quad Cities’ most veteran cachers. It integrates some of River Action’s public art, interpretive signage, RiverWay Cell Phone Audio Tour, and automated email responders to create a truly unique experience. For these more challenging “multi-caches,” hunters search out the answer to a clue from the website, email the answer to a special address, and receive an automated reply with the next set of coordinates within seconds if the answer is correct. If the answer isn’t correct, they go back to find the right answer and send another email.

The RiverWay program has received positive feedback from numerous geocachers. One cacher says, “We learned a lot from doing this cache and it was lots of fun.” Another writes, “This was the most fun cache we have found in a long time. We were overjoyed when we found it, and it was one of the most clever hides we have seen in a long time. This was great. Keep them coming.” Finally, a third says, “This hide is an extremely interesting use of technology for this twentyfirst century hobby we call ‘geocaching!’ For the

unique design of this cache, and the fact it is my 1,500th find, a favorite point is awarded!”

So, how do you begin geocaching?

Go to the RiverWay Geocaching website, www.RiverAction.org/Geo, to watch a short intro video and check out a map of available caches. The site has links to all of the RiverWay caches as well as maps where you can locate other caches in the Quad Cities. There are thousands of them in the area right under your nose.

You can create a search for caches to display results by distance from your zip code, by level of difficulty, and by other details you find interesting. These caches have all been submitted by a person or organization for your enjoyment and many have put a lot of time into making their caches worth your while.

Families, individuals, and organizations can participate in this trendy activity and enjoy the outdoors, visit unique places, and collect treasures they will talk about for years to come.

With spring right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to check out everything RiverWay Geocaching has to offer. So get out there and have some fun on the Mississippi River.

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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RIVER AC TION UPDATES

Slow the Flow Duck Creek Buffer Improves Water Quality

By Mik Holgersson hough the specific school grade escapes me, when I was a budding young student I recall during a geography lesson the teacher asking, “Which way do rivers flow?” The seeming simplicity of the question triggered hands and murmurs from even the quietest students. Soon all of the cardinal directions began being blurted out though the consensus was most certainly “South!” The map of the United States of America on the back wall seemed to be the mutual cheat-sheet since it was quite clear that the Mississippi River flowed south to the Gulf of Mexico. Although my hand was never called upon, I kept thinking to myself, “That’s not the answer! Downhill!

The answer is downhill!” Of course, after a bit of convincing, the teacher demonstrated quite clearly that rivers could in fact flow in every direction, but always downhill with the pull of gravity. For that matter, all water flows downhill, from off your roof, to across the yard, down the street gutter, and eventually into our streams and rivers and beyond.

Duck Creek is a modest stream that meanders from the high croplands in western Scott County Iowa and flows eastward through the heart of Davenport and Bettendorf before emptying into the Mississippi River. Contrast this with the Mississippi as it flows westward through the Quad Cities, and you might be

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left scratching your head. Duck Creek takes this roundabout way to the Mississippi River because a more direct route is blocked by a ridge of bluffs that rises from the Mississippi River floodplain. The bluffs connect to the high ground to the west and subside to the east along the bank of the Great River. In the valley behind the bluffs Duck Creek collects most of the rainwater that falls on Davenport and Bettendorf before it rounds the bend at the eastern tip of the bluffs toward the Mississippi River. Duck Creek’s watershed, or the geographic area that drains into Duck Creek, is roughly sixty-four square miles, nearly half of which is urbanized and within city limits, and the other half is mostly agriculture.

In the early 1800s, prairie and forest dominated Duck Creek’s watershed. As the story goes, the prairie and its underlying soils were exploited for grazing and growing crops, and the forests were harvested for timber.

These once plentiful resources helped build the Quad Cities into the thriving community that it is but certainly at a cost. Duck Creek, like other streams in the Midwest, has experienced a historical increase in flow volume due to the removal of native vegetation that naturally absorbed precipitation. This removal of vegetation, when combined with encroachment on the stream itself, has resulted in more intense

flooding, unstable and eroding stream banks, damage to remaining wildlife habitat, and influxes of pollutants into the water. The pollutant of most concern has been E. coli bacteria, which typically originates in pet and livestock waste or leaks from aging sewage infrastructure. Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District along with Partners of Scott County Watersheds and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are tracking E. coli and other pollutants in Duck Creek to identify the primary sources.

In most cases, the key to improving stream health is slowing the flow of runoff following rain events to allow natural processes to filter and absorb water into the ground. One basic solution is to reestablish native vegetation. To this end, River Action spearheaded the Duck Creek Buffer Program from 2009 to 2011 to install prairie strips along Duck Creek. This project was funded in part by the Iowa Watershed Improvement Review Board and with in-kind contributions by the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The prairie strips installed through this joint effort function as buffers to intercept water flowing downhill from the surrounding landscape before it enters Duck Creek. The prairie plants provide thick foliage to slow runoff and deep roots that can absorb large quantities of water and filter out pollutants.

Having come to its conclusion in December 2011, the Duck Creek Buffer Program established nineteen acres of prairie across five sites at Brady Street, Eastern Avenue Park, and Jersey Ridge Road in Davenport and at Palmer Hill’s Golf Course and Devil’s Glen Park in Bettendorf. These prairie installations will continue to mature over the next two to three years and produce dynamic displays of wildflowers during the growing season while leaving earth-tone remains of native grasses through the fall and winter. River Action encourages Quad Cities residents to visit the Duck Creek Buffers and consider establishing a prairie of your own. Prairie areas can come in all shapes and sizes with various colors and sizes of flowers and grasses. Regardless of how they appear, the collective impact of prairie areas and other similar stormwater management practices incrementally reduce the amount of runoff entering into our streams and rivers, and they improve the health of these natural resources.

Ultimately, improvements to our streams and rivers translate into a better quality of life for the wildlife that call them home and for us, too, as we spend time recreating in and around them.

To learn how to build a prairie or discover other ways you can slow down runoff and improve our water resources, contact River Action by email at RiverAction.org or by phone at 563-322-2969.

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February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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B I G F I S H S TO R I E S

By Chef Todd Kent with Nate Herman

Tips from a Lifelong Enthusiast

W

hen Huck Finn and buddy Joe jumped on the raft on the mighty Mississippi to get out of Dodge, fishing was probably the last thing on their minds. I, on the other hand, would have had all my fishing gear with me on that trip, and Joe would have been doing all the paddling. I can’t get within eyesight of the Mississippi without daydreaming about all the fish that lurk beneath the surface. The river back in the good old days had to be full from top to bottom with many different species of fish, and these days it still boasts many amazing fish and angling opportunities. With a few tips on how and where to catch some of the best species the Mississippi has to offer, you can get outdoors and hopefully enjoy the river as much as I do.

I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River, and as a kid my grandfather was a diehard catfish fisherman. I enjoyed catfish fishing while exploring the river with him, but I always wanted to see and catch more of what the river had to offer. As I got older and was allowed to explore on my own, I learned the best times and places to catch congregated species of fish. Figuring out the fish of the Mississippi was much more educational than walking uphill to and from the schoolhouse.

Chef Todd Kent

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B I G F I S H S TO R I E S

They are eating machines.

I first started my own exploring by catching big drum off of the neighbors’ docks. Then I learned exactly when and where to catch buckets full of bullheads during periods of high water. In the summer I would chase giant bluegills in Clover Slough. Once I got my driver’s license I started casting for bass along any shoreline I could find covered with riprap. After I learned about the schools of walleyes and sauger at Lock and Dam 18, I went missing for days at a time. All year long something was biting somewhere on the river, and I always figured out how to capitalize on those opportunities. If I wasn’t on the water, I was thinking about the water, especially during school hours. The Mississippi was my real teacher then and still is now.

Today, I believe the king of the river is the flathead catfish.

He is a mega predator who thrives in the Quad Cities’ waters. This time of year he is sitting pretty inactive with his buddies in his deep winter hole and not feeding much. Occasionally, though, when the water warms up a few degrees you can have tremendous wintertime flathead fishing if you can find those holes. The warmer the water, the more the flatheads need to eat. Sometimes an increase of merely a few degrees can spark a feeding frenzy. The best places to find wintertime and early spring flatheads are by the dams, deep holes, bridge pilings, logjams, and in the eddies along islands. Just remember that during the winter and early spring, flatheads will be in large schools and will feed during warming trends. As the temperatures rise, so do the metabolisms of the flathead catfish.

Typically I use large live bait, such as suckers, shiners, chubs, and bullheads to target large flatheads. Sturdy rods and heavy line are a must. Then, simply use enough weight to keep your large bait in position on the bottom and sit back on the banks of the river. The Quad Cities area is the flathead capital of the Mississippi, so having an encounter with a large flathead will happen if you keep your bait lively and in a good position. Make sure you have a good sturdy landing net, and definitely take some photos of your trophy in hand.

I always practice catch-and-release while fishing for big flatheads, but as a chef and avid consumer of fish, I know full well that smaller flatheads are fantastic eating. I work at a fine steakhouse, but my passion is wild game catering. My recipe book has several exquisite flathead catfish recipes that are out of this world. Don’t ever let your freezer full of fish or game go to waste. Resources these days are not unlimited, so be a steward of the land and water by only taking what you’ll use.

Flatheads may be king of the Quad Cities, but these days my favorite winter fishing involves walking on the water. Ice fishing is a great way to get outdoors and enjoy tasty panfish from the Mississippi backwaters. Ice fishing may sound crazy, but some of the most peaceful, breathtaking days of the whole year are during the dead of winter sitting on a bucket out on the ice – not to mention some of the best fishing as well.

Once the backwaters freeze solid, I target bluegills and crappies in two to six feet of water. Typically the panfish are concentrated in very shallow water this time of year, and you simply have to find where they are. They do move around quite a bit throughout the winter, so a common Mississippi ice-fishing expression is, “here today and gone tomorrow.” The best place to find information on where the panfish schools are located is your local bait shop. Internet reports are often delayed, and the fish have already moved on.

Safety is obviously a concern when talking about ice fishing the Mississippi waters. I never ice fish alone, and I always have appropriate safety gear. Rope, ice cleats, and even a PFD are essential. I use a six-inch hand auger to drill my holes and a twenty-seven-inch Jason Mitchell meat stick fishing rod spooled with six-pound test line. My favorite bait is an old, hard-to-find lure called the Little Cecil.

I simply head out to a promising fishing spot, drill a dozen holes in an area, and drop my Little Cecil down each one. I slowly jig my bait up and down about twelve inches off the bottom, and if I don’t catch a fish in about ten minutes, I move to the next hole. I repeat the process all day long until I find a hole that has a lot of hungry fish in it. Winter is the best time of year to eat panfish from the river. The meat is cold and firm and oh-so-tasty.

Happy fishing! And, remember again to be a steward and only keep a few from the bounty the river provides.

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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Romantic or ?

H I S TO R Y

S T E A M B O AT T R AV E L I N T H E N I N E T E E N T H C E N T U R Y:

Frenetic

The side-wheeler War Eagle was built in Cincinnati in 1854. It was captained by Daniel Smith Harris on the 1854 Grand Excursion and burned at La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1870 with the loss of six lives. [Photograph courtesy of the Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin La Crosse.]

By Curtis C. Roseman n the mid nineteenth century, the Upper I Mississippi River was teeming with steamboats. The waterfronts at Davenport, Rock Island, and every other sizeable river town were busy, sometimes hosting several boats at one time.

While supplying efficient travel up and down the river, steamboats also provided interesting experiences for their passengers.

Although steamboats were plying the Lower Mississippi for a few previous years, it was not until 1823 that the first one ventured as far north as today’s Quad Cities. The Virginia made the voyage from St. Louis to Fort St. Anthony (Minneapolis) and back, erasing the general feeling that the Upper Mississippi was too treacherous for steamboat travel. An especially dangerous stretch of the river was the Rock

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Island Rapids, extending fifteen miles upstream from Rock Island. After stopping for the night at Fort Armstrong, the Virginia went through the rapids with the assistance of Colonel George Davenport. At one point the boat was hung up on a rock. Because the work required to free it was so exhausting, the captain held the boat over for a few hours near today’s LeClaire, Iowa, to let the crew rest.

By the 1840s hundreds of steamboats comprised a vast transportation system on the Upper Mississippi and its major tributaries. Most of the boats were called “packets” and carried both passengers and cargo. A typical packet had a broad, flexible wooden hull and drew no more than four feet of water. Their minimal draft was ideally suited for the river, which was very shallow in many places, particularly in the late summer. Packets had a main deck, one or two cabin

decks, and a pilot house. Stern-wheelers had one large paddle wheel in the rear, and side-wheelers had two narrower paddle wheels, one on each side of the boat. Side-wheelers could turn quickly and in general were easier to maneuver in the water. The wheels were turned by steam engines with one or two boilers. Fueled by wood, packets would stop to “wood-up” three or four times a day.

Present day images paint a romantic picture of steamboat travel, with passengers having luxurious accommodations. This was true for those who could afford to pay for a first-class cabin on the finer boats. They were served meals, and life on board was pleasant for them. Large numbers of other passengers, however, were confined to the main deck with the cargo. Livestock was also kept on the main deck, often including chickens and hogs that would

H I S TO R Y

be slaughtered on the spot to provide food for cabin-deck passengers. Main deck denizens had to bring their own food or scrounge for leftovers from meals served to cabin-deck passengers. They slept where they could find available space. Their experiences were widely varied; those who were well-prepared enjoyed the trip, at least in good weather, whereas others found it wearisome.

“Stories about life on the cabin decks reflect a full range of superlatives and criticisms, with most of the superlatives appearing in company advertising.”

Especially in the 1850s and 1860s, packets carried large numbers of European immigrants upstream to settle in northern Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Most could not afford a cabin and travelled as deck passengers, but the experience on the river may have been rather pleasant as compared to crossing the Atlantic in steerage class. Crossing in steerage often meant living for several days with hundreds of people packed into one area in the hold of the ship.

Even for many passengers occupying cabins, steamboat travel may not have been quite as romantic as we might think. Edwin Hill writes: “Stories about life on the cabin decks reflect a full range of superlatives and criticisms, with most of the superlatives appearing in company advertising.” Sanitary conditions in the kitchens were dreadful by today’s standards, and, of course, everybody drank water drawn from the river in buckets. Sediment had to be removed on a regular basis from the boat’s boilers, which used the same water. On most boats toilet facilities were nothing more than outhouses that drained directly into the water below.

Depending on one’s viewpoint, the romanticism of steamboat travel would be either enhanced or diminished by a persistent risk of something going wrong on the boat. The average packet lasted only about seven years, and few aged beyond twenty-five years. In numerous incidents, exploding boilers not only destroyed boats, but also caused instant death or severe burns to passengers. In August 1837 the Dubuque was approaching Muscatine, Iowa (then called Bloomington), while steaming upriver from St. Louis to Galena, Illinois. At that point, according to William Petersen, its boiler “…burst with terrific force, throwing a torrent of scalding water and steam over the deck passengers.”

Twenty-two people were killed.

Made primarily of wood, packets were also prone to fires. The infamous Effie Afton,

The Golden Era was built at Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1852. It was one of five boats on the 1854 Grand Excursion, a trip sponsored by the Rock Island Railroad that took hundreds of easterners from Rock Island to St. Paul and back. The side-wheeler served as a troop transport during the Civil War and was dismantled in New Orleans in 1868.

[Photograph courtesy of the Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin La Crosse.]

after striking the new Rock Island railroad bridge in 1856, was destroyed by a fire caused by an overturned stove. Boats also were damaged or sunk after striking rocks, large logs, or other obstructions in the river. Because many passengers could not swim, lives were often lost.

Storms sometimes would sweep a deck passenger overboard never to be seen again, and collisions between boats occasionally occurred under foggy or stormy conditions.

A steamboat accident at Rock Island was particularly fateful for Daniel Smith Harris, perhaps the best known steamboat captain on the Upper Mississippi before the Civil War. Harris was particularly renowned for his speedy, and sometimes daring, voyages. He captained over twenty boats during his career, won some major boat races, and in several spring seasons captained the first boat to break through the ice to reach St. Paul. He maneuvered boats through shallow water on Mississippi tributaries, and in 1836 he was the first to pilot a boat on the Rock River as far as Dixon, Illinois.

In May 1861 the Grey Eagle, captained by Harris, struck the Rock Island bridge and quickly sank. Six or seven people were killed including a man who had been chained to the deck because he was considered insane. Captain Harris was devastated by the incident and immediately

retired. One of his prized possessions was recovered, a large carved wooden eagle that had been posted at prominent positions on several of his boats. The eagle is now on display at the Putnam Museum in Davenport.

By the 1870s much of the packet boat business, both passenger and freight, had been taken over by the railroads, whose network had expanded dramatically during the previous decade. On the river, packets were replaced by excursion boats, which carried passengers on daytime or overnight recreational cruises.

Although they were far fewer in number, the excursion boats did carry on the tradition of steamboating on the rivers for well over one hundred years. The last of the wood-hulled excursion boats to ply the Upper Mississippi was the Delta Queen, which ceased cruising in 2008 and is now a hotel docked on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga.

Note: Much of the above is drawn from two sources, both of which make very interesting reading: William J. Petersen, Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi (State Historical Society of Iowa, 1968); and Edwin L. Hill. “Steaming Up the River,” in Curtis C. and Elizabeth M. Roseman, eds., Grand Excursions on the Upper Mississippi River (University of Iowa Press, 2004)

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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NAHANT MARSH

t

Nahant Marsh Expanding

By Julie Seier

An important feature of the house and the surrounding 1.6 acres of land that comes with it is that it gives the opportunity for public access to Carp Lake.

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hese are exciting times at the Nahant Marsh. The acquisition of a new field station at 3706 Concord Street has been announced, and significant contributions having already been made by community leaders and organizations such as the Riverboat Development Authority, Scott County Regional Authority, Quad City Conservation Alliance, the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend as well as an anonymous donor. Contributed funds currently total just over $130,700 of the $200,000 needed to fund the purchase and renovation. The addition of the field station offers great opportunities for expanding public educational and recreational opportunities at the marsh.

One of the more thrilling features of the house is that it comes with a fourteen-foot boat ramp on the Mississippi River. The connection

between the Mississippi and Nahant Marsh is an important component of maintaining a healthy ecosystem for both. The ramp will provide researchers with easy access to the river and help them uncover and better understand the relationship between the waterways. Nahant Marsh, as all marshes do, serves as an area of natural storage for flood and high waters. This means that what is happening on and in the river water will have a huge impact on what will take place in the marsh. High incidences of pollutants or even fluctuations in naturally occurring substances such as calcium, sodium, and iron change the chemical composition of the water and the plants and animals in and around it.

Monitoring those changes is a part of the process for understanding how systems work together and how we need to manage human activity

NAHANT MARSH

to best preserve our natural resources. The boat ramp will help researchers explore changes along the Mississippi and help them predict how they might impact the marsh.

Another important feature of the house and the surrounding .6 acres of land that comes with it is that it gives the opportunity for public access to Carp Lake. The purchase of the field station property will allow for plans to complete a trailhead and connect Carp Lake and the marshy wetland surrounding it with public lands.

River Action has already obtained funds totaling $50,000 from a McKnight Foundation grant and other contributors to install a water culvert to allow water to run under the roadway and to take other stabilizing measures that will ensure unencumbered access. Providing the public with ease of access to marsh areas on the other side

who can add new insights and ideas to the research being done. For instance, a student who has been conducting research on the impact of chemical detergents on the swamp areas in the Mississippi Delta can bring fresh ideas and research findings to light on the studies currently being done here.

The purchase of the house will also allow the creation of additional meeting and classroom space for the current education programs.

Currently, the Center offers a wide variety of environmental education programming for K-12 all the way through to college-level coursework.

Some of the programs presently being offered in the K-12 area include turtles of Iowa, guided hikes and water testing, wild edibles, and medicines, which give children the opportunity to learn and appreciate more about the natural

One of the more thrilling features of the house is that it comes with a fourteen-foot boat ramp on the Mississippi River. of Interstate 280 will not only help expand their opportunities to see and appreciate the varied forms of marshland, but it will help them see the connection between the two areas and view them as a whole ecosystem.

The purchase of the house will also allow the Nahant Marsh Education Center to offer on-site housing for Americorp teams and for students.

Being able to provide housing will not only ease the financial situation for many students, it will help increase the reach of recruitment efforts.

By ensuring that students have a safe place to stay and easy access to their work, the Education Center can attract students from far-flung places

world. The current center has a fully equipped lab, a classroom/meeting room, and a computer room. The expansion into the field station will accommodate more groups at one time and provide more opportunities for hands-on study.

It will also allow for the expansion of the current higher-education programs and research at local colleges and universities.

One of the hopes that comes with the new field station is the addition of a second educator to be located there. As of now the marsh education programs serve over 10,000 people per year.

With the addition of the new field station, it is hoped that number can double over the com-

ing years. The addition of more staff will support the educational and community outreach work currently being done by Brian Ritter, Naturalist at the Nahant Marsh Education Center. As Ritter says, “The Nahant Marsh field station will provide unique opportunities for students, researchers, and visitors alike. Considering its proximity to the Mississippi River, Carp Lake, and Nahant Marsh, it will allow us to expand our educational offerings and to improve accessibility to some incredible natural areas.�

Of course, the greatest advantage of the purchase is the fact that it allows current restoration and preservation efforts to continue their expansion. Out of the 513 acres that are considered part of the Nahant Marsh, only 265 of those acres are currently public lands. The rest are being used for residential, agricultural, or industrial purposes. This puts pressure on the diverse wildlife and plant species that inhabit the area, and the creation and maintenance of broader areas of marsh helps ensure that more species can survive for the enjoyment of later generations.

Nahant encompasses various types of wetland, from bottomland forest to marsh to open-water habitats. Each of these areas supports different plant and animal species. The addition of land that connects the primarily marsh land east of Interstate 280 to the open-water areas west of the Interstate creates many advantages in the study and understanding of how the wetland types work together and which species need what specific conditions to survive. In short, the acquisition of more land, and in particular, the area connected with the property on South Concord, helps ensure that the entire marsh area remains intact and the many types of species can continue to survive.

Although many of the funds needed for acquisition and remodeling have already been secured, the Nahant Marsh Educational Center is still in need of public donations to raise the additional $70,000 needed to complete the work.

Those wishing to make a contribution to the fund can send donations directly to the Nahant Marsh Education Center, 4220 Wapello Avenue, Davenport, Iowa 52802 or by contacting the River Action office.

For more information on the Marsh and existing education and preservation programs, please visit their website at NahantMarsh.org. You may also choose to make a personal visit to the Education Center on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or by special appointment.

Even if a donation is out of the question, take an hour or two to visit the marsh and see first-hand the ecological wonders and joys it encompasses. The wonder and enrichment the Nahant provides its visitors will surprise you and help foster an appreciation for just what the new acquisition means to the survival of this great natural waterway.

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GO GREEN GUIDE

Go Green

Guide

Native Plants for Rain Gardens

With the trees still bare, the grass brown, and our gardens looking more like plant graveyards than lush landscapes this time of year, it’s hard to believe spring is just around the corner. Despite appearances, warmer temperatures and showers will soon transform our gardens, making them green again – but why stop there? This year, why not make your garden “go green” in even bigger ways? With a few tips and ideas from local experts, you can make your property more environmentally friendly, all while saving time and money. > > >

Courtesy of Aunt Rhodie’s, Davenport, Iowa

Photo: Jeff VanEchaute/pi design, inc.

Tips for a greener garden.

By Becky Langdon

Flowering Forbs

Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta

False dragon’s head Physostegia virginiana

Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica

Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa

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GO GREEN!

O

ne of the biggest environmental issues we face in cities is storm water runoff. Historically, our land was able to absorb much more of the rainwater we receive each year. Our modern urban landscapes, however, feature paved roads, parking lots, and rooftops, all surfaces impervious to rainfall. In addition, the typical homeowner’s lot is built on compacted soil, which doesn’t allow as much water to percolate through it.

Scott County Master Gardener Dan Mays says that a lawn will absorb only about twenty percent of the rainfall it receives. That’s one reason why you will notice water running into the storm sewers for several hours after the rain has stopped. When you consider the fact that an urban lot in this part of the country can receive over 400,000 gallons of rain per year, that’s a vast amount of water draining into our sewers.

Those storm drains empty directly into our rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Besides causing damaging flash floods, storm water runoff picks up oil, bacteria, and other pollutants from our streets and rooftops degrading our natural water sources.

One of the best ways homeowners can help stop the damage is by planting rain gardens. Mays has three rain gardens on his own property and regularly teaches others how to install them. He believes it’s important to take responsibility for storm water runoff, rather than passing the problem downstream.

“Every drop of rain that falls on my property – I want it to stay on my property,” Mays says.

A rain garden works by capturing runoff from roofs, driveways, or yards. A typical rain garden is a depression or shallow bowl about six to eight inches deep that covers a ten-by-ten or ten-by-twenty-foot area allowing water to temporarily collect rather than run into streets and storm drains. The water doesn’t stay pooled for more than twenty-four hours, instead infiltrating the soil. A ten-by-twenty rain garden can handle about 700 gallons of water. By installing a rain garden, homeowners can create a beautiful landscape while helping to manage storm water.

Mays advises gardeners to install a rain garden at least ten feet away from your house or more and

More Native Plants for Rain Gardens

never uphill to avoid having problems with your foundation.

Todd Wiebenga is a landscape architect at Aunt Rhodie’s Landscaping and Design Studio in Davenport who has a lot of experience installing rain gardens. He believes that plant selection is one of the most important keys to success.

Wiebenga says, “What we recommend using is native plants or improved derivative native plants.”

Because native plants thrive naturally in the Midwest, they are adapted to both very dry and very wet conditions that occur here. Mays, who teaches classes on native plants, says they can dramatically reduce your maintenance.

“There are two big mistakes people make in gardening,” he says. “Making it too complicated and making it too much work.”

Wiebenga says that in the first year of installing a rain garden, you will need to water about once a week, but after the garden is established, you shouldn’t need to continue supplemental watering.

Mays says, “When we had that ten-week drought a few years ago, my native plants didn’t care.”

The advantages to native plants are numerous. They shouldn’t require fertilizer although you can incorporate compost to improve soil quality. From an aesthetic standpoint, these plants are relatively uncommon in residential gardens, allowing gardeners to create a landscape that truly stands out. Mays says that choosing the right plants and grouping them the right way can create that “wow” factor he strives for in his own gardens.

“Native plants have a texture and visual presence you’re not going to find on the nursery shelf,” Mays says. “A lot of my motivation for using native plants is that they’re part of our heritage. It’s what our forefathers saw here.”

In his business, Wiebenga finds that he often needs to educate consumers and dispel misconceptions they may have about rain gardens.

“One question we get is does it attract bugs,” Wiebenga says. “If it’s properly designed, a rain garden attracts predatory bugs, like dragon flies, that will eat mosquitoes. You want to plan

a grouping of plants that completes the circle – that utilizes the water and attracts predatory insects.”

Contrary to what many people think, mosquitoes are more attracted to cut grass and gutters than rain gardens.

In addition to helping to control mosquitoes, Mays says that native plants will also attract more birds. Adult birds feed on seed, but baby birds feed on worms and larvae, which like native plants. Mays says that because they need food for their young, adult birds are more likely to nest in areas with native plants, adding another dimension of beauty to your landscape.

There are ample resources available for those interested in installing rain gardens.

Do-it-yourselfers can find a manual with detailed instructions, plans, and recommendations at CityofDavenport.org. Mays and other master gardeners can provide coaching and classes.

Since many traditional nurseries don’t sell native plants, he has found a lot of his plants by hiking in natural areas or through nurseries that specialize in native plants. He will often divide plants and share them as well, and he encourages other gardeners to do the same. You can also buy native plants and grasses from the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). For more information, visit ScottCountySoilAndWater.wordpress.com.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to do all – or any of it – yourself. Local landscape architects like Wiebenga at Aunt Rhodie’s can help with some or all phases of creating a rain garden, from design to installation. From a cost standpoint, do-it-yourselfers can expect to spend about five dollars per square foot on materials, Wiebenga says. To have someone else do it professionally, you can expect that cost to increase to about ten dollars per square foot.

There are programs available to offset the cost in the interest of promoting sustainability. The City of Rock Island will reimburse homeowners up to four dollars per square foot for installing a rain garden. For more information, visit CityofRockIsland.org. If you live in Scott County, the SWCD will fund fifty percent of the cost of a rain garden up to $2,000. In order to

Courtesy of Aunt Rhodie’s, Davenport, Iowa

Flowering Forbs

Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnate

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Pale purple coneflower Echinacea pallida

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Prairie smoke Geum triflorum

Red cardinal flower Lobelia x cardinalis

Grey-head coneflower Ratibida pinnata

Cup plant Silphium perfoliatum

GO GREEN!

qualify, seventy-five percent of storm water runoff must be managed on site.

Wiebenga predicts that rain gardens will become more common in the future, rather than being a fad. Additionally, he expects that more and more property owners will capture water and reuse it.

“Eventually, the resource that we all try to get rid of, that’s seen as a nuisance, will become valuable,” he says.

Some individuals are already taking advantage of this resource that’s so ample in the Midwest, water, and reusing it by adding rain barrels to their property. While they aren’t a great storm water mitigation system due to their small capacity – a typical rain barrel holds only about fifty to sixty-five gallons – rain barrels can reduce tap water usage, which cuts down on both energy consumption and water bills.

Art Bettis, Associate Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Iowa, uses rain barrels on his own property and recommends them to others.

“They’re really great for watering your gardens or your house plants,” he says. “You don’t have to use your tap water. It’s perfectly good water for anything that’s not drinking water use, like washing your car.”

Bettis says there are many places to get rain barrels, such as River Action, nature centers, cities, landfills, farm and fleet stores, hardware stores, and more. To get the best price, don’t wait until April, he suggests, when everyone else is thinking the same thing. You can even find instructions online to

build your own.

When it comes to green gardening, Bettis also advocates composting. Adding compost to your garden makes for great soil quality without using expensive fertilizers loaded with chemicals and pollutants.

“If you have decent compost, you don’t need to fertilize your garden at all,” he says.

You can purchase compost from the city by the truckload for a very small cost, but you can also make your own compost and reduce the amount of waste your household generates.

“If you throw it away in the garbage, it goes to the landfill,” Bettis says. “If you use it, you’re putting less material in landfill, so we don’t have to build as many landfills.”

Compost barrels will process compost faster, in about a third of the time as a standing composter.

Bettis says to keep it away from your house during the warmer months to avoid odor issues. In the winter, odor isn’t a problem, so you can put it right outside your door for greater convenience.

“The main thing to having a good garden is to have healthy soil,” Bettis says.

Adding compost can be more effective than fertilizer without adding harsh chemicals to the environment. If you’re having problems with bugs, Bettis recommends contacting the Iowa State Extension Services before applying pesticides. If you do need to use something, he suggests going with a substance that’s safe for the environment, such as Diatomaceous Earth.

You may not be in a position to totally transform your garden this year, but the key is to do something. Whether it’s using compost instead of fertilizer, buying a rain barrel, or installing a rain garden, you’ll be able to save time, money, and the environment by making your garden greener this year.

Grasses

Prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya

New England aster Aster novae-angliae

Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis

Switch grass Panicum virgatum

Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepsis

Wildflower and grasses Images courtesy of : Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (www.wildflowers.org)

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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Vrooom–

R I V E R B O AT I N G

What’s New in the World of Motorboats

By Julie Seier

PHOTOS — COUNTER-CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: Hovercraft 19RD Sport; Sun Tracker live well; Sun Tracker fishing pontoon boat, Fishing boat built for speed!, Tracker Marine Group – water board storage; Hovercraft Renegade; Sun Tracker changing room; Hovercraft Hoverwing.

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s spring approaches and the memories of the holidays fade, boaters and nonboaters alike begin to daydream about the possibilities for fun in the sun. For anyone who has lived in the Upper Mississippi Valley for more than one summer season, at least a little part of that fun is going to be getting out on the water. From Mississippi to Lake George, there are nearly as many ways to enjoy and explore our waterways as there are waterways themselves.

Looking ahead to those warm, wonderful summer months, Eddy Magazine has taken a look at some of the latest and greatest motorized toys available and is ready to give you the lowdown on what is new and red-hot for summer 2012. Whether you just want to spend a few hours relaxing on the water with family and friends or are a serious sports fisherman, today’s motorboats offer some amazing features, and their much improved fuel efficiency make them a realistic choice both economically and environmentally.

Let’s begin with a look at some of the more traditional types of motorboats, starting with the family-friendly pontoon boat. Designed to hold anywhere from eight to fifteen people, the pontoon boats of 2012 offer a unique combination of power, comfort, and other amenities that will keep the whole family happy for hours.

Ted’s Boatarama in Rock Island offers a complete line of Suntracker pontoon boats for 2012. The most luxurious of these models offer areas that can be converted to beds for overnight stays and galleys with a fridge, microwave, and sink to give their owners nearly all the luxuries of home. Other features include a lockable changing room with toilet – a major selling point for the women onboard – and reclining oversized captain’s chairs to keep the skipper happy. Even

the lower-end models, however, offer some surprising technological features, such as aerated livewells under the seats to keep your fish fresh and alive and MP3 jacks so you can power your music through your phone. These are definitely not your father’s pontoon boats, and with prices ranging from $10,795 to $50,695, there is a boat for nearly every budget.

Of course to the avid fisherman, the pontoon boat is for amateurs only, and those who take their fishing seriously want a boat equipped with a trolling motor. Today’s fishing boats come with loads of features designed to make fishing a breeze. The 2012 models of the Nitro and Tracker boats, for instance, come with some fun technological features such as Lowrance fishfinders that take out the guesswork and bring on the science.

Fishfinders allow users to find fish and debris and to chart the bottom of the water using SONAR technology. Some models even have history trackers that allow fisherman to back up to take a closer look and re-plot locations. Even the livewells on these boats are more advanced with pump-out and recirculation systems that keep tournament catches alive and healthy.

Some models even offer boat operator controls so boaters can ensure that their livewell systems are functioning at top efficiency. Serious fisherman will also appreciate items such as built-in tournament rulers that allow fish to be measured quickly and conveniently. Top-of-the-line fishing boats like the Nitro and Tracker models can run anywhere between $15,000 and $42,000.

Watersport enthusiasts are looking for speed and power, and today’s speedboats offer tons of both, plus a growing list of options and features to address nearly every situation.

Manufacturers such as Tracker Marine Group and Yamaha Marine both offer a solid line of

–Vrooom!

R I V E R B O AT I N G

high-powered boats that give watersport enthusiasts the chance for non-stop fun. Even the boats on the more modest end have features such as in-floor storage for waterboards, stereos equipped with MP3 jacks, and built-in coolers.

For those able or willing to spend more money, the more expensive models offer great features such as removable, wirelessly controlled trolling motors, removable fishing seats that allow you to swivel with your catch, and livewells to keep those same catches healthy. Although these boats would never suit the serious sports fisherman, they do offer families who like variety the versatility they need to get the most out of their time on the water. Boaters can expect to spend between $22,000 and $36,000 on one of these high-powered models.

A completely different type of contemporary boating option is offered by local manufacturer Universal Hovercraft. Hovercrafts are air cushion vehicles (ACV) that glide above surfaces on a cushion of air. An engine provides the lift cushion and the power thrust to get and keep the craft moving. Hovercrafts offer unprecedented flexibility since their unique construction allows them to travel over land, water, or ice.

Unlike traditional motorboats, Hovercrafts travel over the surface of the water, which eliminates concerns about water depth and hidden objects in the water. Hovercrafts can even pass safely over swimmers or skiers in the water. Since they can be driven onto the land, Hovercrafts let you go where you want to go when you want to, and its owners avoid the time hang-ups at crowded docks or ramps.

Although all the models in the Universal Hovercraft line – from the two-passenger Renegade to the 19XR sport – walk the line between the present and the future, the model

that far and away boggles the mind is the 19XRW Hoverwing. This model literally allows boaters to take a leap into the air. As the name might suggest, the Hoverwing adds wings to the Hovercraft allowing the driver to create a “flying in ground-effect.” The addition of the wings allows users to move over obstacles and rough water at altitudes of three to six feet and at speeds reaching over seventy-five miles per hour. The craft can even jump as high as twenty feet when there is a need to clear taller obstructions. If you ever wanted to fly, or had the desire to pretend you were Richie Rich, the Hoverwing offers you the opportunity to fulfill some of your wildest childhood fantasies.

Prices for Universal Hovercrafts fall in line with the mid-line prices of the new pontoon, speed and fishing boats, but if you are longing to try out the Hoverwing, you can expect to dig much deeper into your pockets.

Whether you are the avid fisherman, the weekend boater or simply someone looking for the latest and greatest toy, the newest water vehicles offer some truly amazing choices.

Just be sure that along with those fun-in-thesun daydreams you take time to consider how, where, and with whom you want to spend your time on the water. Those hours on your favorite river or lake should fit both your personality and your interests. The time to start looking is now. You’ll want to have that new boat or water vehicle delivered long before that first beautiful spring day. The truth is, once you start exploring your options, you’ll find the days leading to warm weather will start flying by. The next thing you know, you’ll be lolling in some hidden alcove relaxing and letting the sun ease out the tensions of your day-to-day life. Have fun, stay safe, and appreciate the moment.

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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EVENTS CALENDAR

February

ing to interior decorating, is all on display at the home show. Admission is $7 for adults. $6 advance tickets sold at local Hy-Vee stores. Sixteen or under free with paid adult. A portion of the proceeds go to local charities and non-profit groups. Call (563) 441-4692 for more info.

Toddler Tales

Thursday, February 16, 10-11 a.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center Join us for story and craft time at the marsh! Each month we will introduce a new, nature-related theme and the stories and crafts will center on that theme. It will be a great way to stimulate your child’s imagination while allowing him or her to learn about nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors. Cost: $5 per child; $3 per child if member. To register please call (563) 3235196 or e-mail nahantmarsh@eicc.edu.

Hunting, Fishing, & Outdoor Show 2012

Make Friends with the Marsh – Animal Tracking

Saturday, February 4, 9 a.m.-Noon, Nahant Marsh, Davenport During this program, we will be learning and enjoying the wildlife. The session will begin with a brief presentation on furbearers with the opportunity to touch some of our pelt collection. The Friends of Nahant Marsh, along with members of Nahant staff, will lead a hike to search for and identify animal tracks. We will be doing a service project afterwards related to this event.

Nahant Marsh is located at 4220 Wapello Avenue, Davenport. For more info, call (563) 323-5196 or go to NahantMarsh.org.

Nahant Marsh Guided Winter Hike

Wednesday, February 8, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Nahant Marsh, Davenport If you are interested in learning more about life at Nahant Marsh during the winter, staff at Nahant Marsh will be providing guided winter hikes around the marsh. Cost is $5 for non-members or free for members. If the snow is deep, snowshoes will be available to use. Binoculars will be available to use that day as well.

To register, call (563) 323-5196 or email nahantmarsh@ eicc.edu.

2012 Home Show Expo

Friday-Saturday, February 10-11, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday, February 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., QCCA Expo Center Everything for the home, from plumbing to drapes, remodeling ideas to new construction, and landscap-

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Thursday-Sunday, February 16-19, QCCA Expo Center From boats and tackle to decoys and gear, it’s an Outdoors Show with seminars and presentations from big name fishing professionals. Bring the family to Kids Kamp with a real trout pond, minnow races, and archery. $7 adults; $1 children 6-16 years; under 6, free.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend

Friday-Monday, February 17-20, Quad Cities Stay in town for a fun-filled weekend of discounts during the annual “Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend.” Over fifty Quad Cities businesses and organizations have issued coupons that are good for these

weekends. Over twenty hotels/motels in the Quad Cities area are offering special rates and packages, and thirty other area attractions, businesses, spas, and restaurants are offering great discounts. Go to the QCCVB website for a list of the specials and discounts for the weekend and to easily print the coupons you’d like to use. Or pick up a coupon booklet from any of the participating businesses including the QCCVB Visitor Center locations. Go to VisitQuadCities.com/BeATourist or call (309) 277-0937 for more info.

Mammals & Their Tracks Homeschool Program Friday, February 24, 2:30-4 p.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport Students will learn about animal tracks and how to read them. They will then go out and try to find their own animal tracks in the snow as well as learn about the mammals that created the tracks. Students will even make their own animal track field guides to take home. $6 per child per session; $50 per child for all sessions. For more info call Brian at (563) 323-5196 or e-mail nahantmarsh@eicc.edu.

River Action’s Environmental Book Club

Tuesday, February 28, 7 p.m., River Action office, Davenport Discuss Eco Barons: The Dreamers, Schemers, and Millionaires Who Are Saving Our Planet, by Edward Humes. Open to the public and meets at the River Action office, 822 E. River Drive in Davenport, between Tremont and Federal Streets. For more info, please call (563) 322-2969.

9th Annual Quad Cities Henry Farnam Dinner

Friday, March 9, Jumer’s Casino, Rock Island The program for this event celebrates the 150th anniversary of Arsenal Island. Featured speakers for the event will be: Regena Schantz, local expert on Fort Armstrong and the life and career of Colonel Davenport, and Les Jensen, Curator of Arms and Armor, West Point Museum. The Farnam Dinner also will include a variety of railroad and Arsenal Island-related displays.

Cocktails (cash bar) and displays 5 p.m.; dinner 6:30 p.m.; program 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person; reserved table of 10 is $375. For reservations, go to RiverAction.org, or for more info call Jeff at River Action, (563) 322-2969.

EVENTS CALENDAR

March

River Action’s Environmental Book Club

Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m., River Action office, Davenport Discuss Great Disruption: Why the Climate Crisis Will Bring on the End of Shopping and the Birth of a New World, by Paul Gilding. Open to the public and meets at the River Action office, 822 E. River Dr. in Davenport, between Tremont and Federal Streets. For more info call (563) 322-2969.

Enchanted Art Exhibit

March-April, Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 12-5 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center The Quad City Botanical Center will feature an enchanted art exhibit by area artist Megan Crandall Cooper.

Megan’s exhibit will feature fairy doors and wings along with other charmed works or art. Guests may view the exhibit with paid admission to the Botanical Center. Free admission for members of the Quad City Botanical Center.

Quad City Arts March Madness

Friday, March 27, 6:30-10 p.m., Modern Woodmen Park Quad City Arts Visual Arts Programming Annual fundraiser/art auction and costume party. Details can be found at QuadCityArts.com closer to the event. Call (309) 793-1213 ext. 108 for more info.

Spring Plants Homeschool Program

Don’t forget to buy a “Retain the Rain” Rain Barrel for April showers!

Friday, March 30, 2:30-4 p.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport Students will be planting seedlings in our Greenhouse to prepare the plants for summer. They will also learn which plants and flowers are popular in the spring at the Marsh. Cost it $6 per child per session; $50 per child for all sessions. For more info call Brian (563) 323-5196 or email nahantmarsh@eicc.edu.

Rain Barrels hold 60 gallons and come with a diverter, mosquito netting, and spigot for a hose.

Cost is $75, which includes a standard sized diverter, or $80 for a large diverter at 822 E. River Drive, Davenport, or online at RiverAction.org.

Flower & Garden Show

Friday-Saturday, March 23-24, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday, March 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., QCCA Expo Center Come visit with over 250 exhibitors showcasing all the latest and up-to-date gardening techniques, supplies, and equipment for landscaping companies and DIY projects. Advance tickets from Hy-Vee stores.

Make Friends with the Marsh – Bird Migration & Birdhouses

Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m.-Noon, Nahant Marsh, Davenport This program will cover Nahant’s place in the Upper Mississippi River migration route. Following the presentation, we will build birdhouses that will be installed at the marsh to increase habitat for our feathered friends.

Nahant Marsh is located at 4220 Wapello Avenue, Davenport. For more info, call (563) 323-5196 or go to NahantMarsh.org.

Toddler Tales

Thursday, March 15, 10-11 a.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center Join us for story and craft time at the marsh! Each month we will introduce a new, nature-related theme and the stories and crafts will center on that theme. It will be a great way to stimulate your child’s imagination while allowing him or her to learn about nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors. Cost: $5 per child; $3 per child if member. To register please call (563) 3235196 or e-mail nahantmarsh@eicc.edu.

7th Annual Environmental Film Festival

Saturday, March 17, Olin Center at Augustana College The public is welcome to attend any or all of the films being screened at the festival. There is no charge for admission although donations are accepted.

Refreshments will also be available. For more information on films and directions, call Kathyrn Allen at kasavelie@aol.com.

Easter Egg Hunt!

Sunday, April 8, 1 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center Children will love to join the search for prizes and candy in the tropical indoor garden as well as the outer gardens. $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 children 5-12; $1 children 2-4; children under 2 years old, free. Members of the Quad City Botanical Center free.

February/March/April 2012 | Eddy Magazine

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EVENTS CALENDAR

wildlife, and the great outdoors. Cost: $5 per child; $3 per child if member. To register please call (563) 3235196 or e-mail nahantmarsh@eicc.edu.

Earth Week Fair

River Action’s Fish & Fire Fundraiser and Friendraiser Friday, April 20, Watch Tower Lodge in Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island This annual catfish fry combines fundraising and friends. Bid on dozens of silent auction items, enjoy the dinner and entertainment, and be a part of the 13th Annual Eddy Awards Presentation – awards given to those in our community who go against the current to get things done. For more info, please call River Action at (563) 322-2969 or go online at RiverAction.org.

Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., QCCA Expo Center The Earth Week Fair is open to the public and free of charge. In addition to interactive booths from various environmental professionals, there will be a workshop focusing on outdoor recreation. There will be plenty of hands-on activities for children. For more info call Rob at the QCCA, (309) 788-5912.

River Action’s Earth Day Cleanup

Saturday, April 21, Black Hawk State Historic Site Come join us and make a difference this Earth Day! Clean up the grounds of Black Hawk State Park and the trails. For more info, visit RiverAction.org closer to the date.

Treasures of the Earth

Sunday, April 22, 1-4 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center Join us on Earth Day to celebrate the treasures of the Earth. Children can dig for treasures and much more.

Cost is $5 for adults; $4 seniors; $3 youth 5-12; $1 children 2-4; under 2 years and members of the Quad City Botanical Center, free.

River Action’s Environmental Book Club

April Plants of the Bible Tour

Sunday, April 1, 1 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center Join us on Palm Sunday for one of our most popular group tours. There are more than 100 references to gardens and plants in the Bible. Many of these plants are present in the Quad City Botanical Center’s tropical “Sun Garden.” This tour features various palm trees, the Acacia Tree, and more. Members of the Quad City Botanical Center free.

Make Friends with the Marsh – Iowa Native Plants

Saturday, April 7, 9 a.m.-Noon, Nahant Marsh, Davenport This session will include a lesson on native Iowa plants and their benefits for local wildlife. For the service project, we will plant nut and fruit bearing trees to provide edible landscaping. This event is hosted by Friends of Nahant Marsh. Nahant Marsh is located at 4220 Wapello Avenue, Davenport. For more info, call (563) 323-5196 or go to NahantMarsh.org.

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Pixie Tea

Sunday, April 15, 1-4 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center According to folklore, springtime is the best season for pixie spotting! Children are invited to join us in the lush enchanted garden for tea and pixie treats. Attire is garden party dress with glitter and wings optional. This magical afternoon includes pixie size sweets, cakes, tea, and punch. There will be many magical crafts for the children and the gift of a pixie wand for remembering the day. Cost is $10 per person; children 2 and under, free. Please RSVP to Beth at (309) 794-0991 ext. 30 or email vs@qcgardens.com.

Toddler Tales

Thursday, April 19, 10-11 a.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center Join us for story and craft time at the marsh! Each month we will introduce a new, nature-related theme and the stories and crafts will center on that theme. It will be a great way to stimulate your child’s imagination while allowing him or her to learn about nature,

Tuesday, April 24, 7 p.m., River Action office, Davenport Discuss Cultivating Delight: A Natural History of My Garden, by Diane Ackerman. Open to the public and meets at the River Action office, 822 E. River Drive in Davenport, between Tremont and Federal Streets. For more info, please call (563) 322-2969.

Pond Study & Crawdad Traps Homeschool Program

Friday, April 27, 2:30-4 p.m., Nahant Marsh Education Center, Davenport Students will use our nets and see what they can catch in the marsh, study the critters under microscopes, set crawdad traps, and try to catch some. Cost is $6 per child per session; $50 per child for all sessions. For more info call Brian (563) 323-5196 or email nahantmarsh@ eicc.edu.

Medieval Herb Festival

Sunday, April 29, 1-4 p.m., Quad City Botanical Center Families will learn about medieval herbs and May Day folklore. Children will make simple, tasty herb snacks, celebrate May Day by dancing around the May pole, make flower garland, and much more. Cost is $5 per guest; children 2 years and under free.