Winter 2015

Winter 2015

Natural

Iowa

HerĹtage Protecting and restoring Iowa’s land, water and wildlife

Our Legacy.

Will it be Clean Water?

OPENING THOUGHTS In 2010, Iowans were determined to address water quality and soil conservation issues challenging our landscape — voicing their concerns and supporting organizations working to help everyone understand the urgency for conservation measures. The legislature listened and did their part by putting the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund on the ballot in November 2010. We Iowans did our part by casting our votes to support the Trust Fund — 63% voted yes.

The Trust Fund created a constitutionally protected, dedicated and reliable source of funding for Iowa’s unmet conservation and outdoor recreation needs. Iowa took a unique approach to the amendment process. Unlike other states, the Iowa amendment requires a critical second step; the legislature must fund the trust.

As Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation continues to do our work that you support year after year, project after project, we see the rising need and interest for all of us to do more: · tremendous increase in the number of projects coming to us at INHF · landowners wanting to implement more conservation practices · counties looking to improve their lakes, rivers and wetlands · communities interested in creating outdoor recreation opportunities for their citizens and to attract visitors · statewide interest in improving water quality.

We know projects like the Cedar River Crossing Addition work (see page 6). And, we know if we all could do more, we could improve our land, lakes and waterways in Iowa. Our board, staff, members and partners realize that to protect Iowa’s land, water and wildlife we must work together on the solution. We know what projects work — we need the funding to make them happen. The solution is clear. Funding the trust provides the means to implement more of the projects we know result in conservation progress.

Conservation really is a nonpartisan issue. Talk to your friends, call or write your legislator. Let them know funding the trust is important to you. Tell them funding the trust will be the defining piece of legislation for our generation.

Joe McGovern President Ross Baxter Land Projects Specialist Andrea Boulton Trails Coordinator Brian Fankhauser Blufflands Director Marian Riggs Gelb Public Policy Director Cheri Grauer Major Gifts Steward Diane Graves Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist

Erin Griffin Events Coordinator and Development Specialist

Lisa Hein Program and Planning Director Hannah Inman Communications Director Joe JayJack Communications Specialist Heather Jobst Land Projects Director Melanie Louis Land Stewardship Assistant Stacy Nelson Membership Coordinator Anita O’Gara Vice President and Development Director

Andrea Piekarczyk Program and Development Assistant

Mary Runkel Volunteer Coordinator Tylar Samuels Land Stewardship Specialist Duane Sand Floodplain Outreach Coordinator Ryan Schmidt Land Stewardship Specialist Patrick Snell Mark Ackelson Fellow Kerri Sorrell Digital Outreach Assistant Erin Van Waus Land Stewardship Director Kari Walker Administration Director Mark Ackelson President Emeritus

Office

505 Fifth Ave., Suite 444 Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2321 Phone: 515-288-1846 E-mail: Info@inhf.org Website: www.inhf.org Facebook.com/iowanaturalheritage Iowa Natural Heritage is published quarterly by Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation for its members and friends.

Circulation: 10,000 Articles appearing in Iowa Natural Heritage may be reprinted with permission of the publisher.

Publisher: Hannah Inman Editor: Lori Howe, Share Marketing Designer: Brian Shearer, Plum Communications

Sincerely, Joe McGovern, INHF President

Our Mission

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation protects and restores Iowa’s land, water and wildlife.

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Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

On the cover

Photographer Gary Alan Nelson’s image displays the crystalline beauty of frigid Mississippi River waters. Fairport State Recreation Area near Muscatine.

12

contents

4 A Mother’s Legacy

INHF's Hannah Inman shares her dream for the world we leave our children.

6 Clean Water Projects 6 Turning Back Time

Restoring remnant sand prairie and wetlands will return the Cedar River Crossing area’s hydrology to pre-settlement conditions in Johnson County.

9 Lake View Rallied To Clean up Their Treasured Lake

Lake View citizens took action to restore the water quality of Black Hawk Lake, so important for recreation and the local economy.

10 Water & Habitat Protection x 2

The opportunity to restore remnant prairie and an oak savanna that was near Burr Wildlife Area was even more special because the Clay County property is a part of one of Iowa’s five Protected Water Areas.

11 Water Quality Matters 1 2 Cover Crops Protect & Restore Iowa’s “Black Gold”

An infographic primer on expectations, challenges, the solution and what you can do to help ensure Iowa has clean water.

Winter rye, radishes or red clover: these are a sampling of the cover crops that are changing the way farmers work their land, maintaining Iowa’s rich soil for us all.

6 14

1 4 Vitamin N: Winter Trout Fishing 1 5 Looking Out for Iowa

Top trout anglers share insider tips for successful, safe and enjoyable winter trout fishing.

Four simple ways to support conservation this winter.

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

3

Our

Legacy A

fter tucking the covers around my kids each night, I carve out a few moments to reflect and ready myself for the next day. It’s during these quiet moments that worries slip away, and my husband and I share our dreams for our family.

What we envision for our family frames the choices we make, what we support and, yes, how we vote.

We don’t fight for conservation funding because it’s easy or exciting. We speak out in support of conservation because of what our work today will mean for our children and our childrens’ children. We can secure their future.

I see what Iowa can be.

I see an Iowa where we don’t need to check for water quality alerts before taking a trip to our favorite lake to splash and swim. An Iowa where my grandkids fish in streams abundant with trout, with eagles soaring above and river otters sliding down banks. I see a future where my daughter can farm the same land her grandfather farmed, benefitting from the rich topsoil which sustained her ancestors. I see an Iowa where my son’s sons can cool down with a glass of water — without a thought about if the water is safe to drink.

This is the legacy I want to leave. This is how I want my life to be defined.

By Hannah Inman, Communications Director

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Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

Photo: Amber Salmon

Blue Heron Lake, Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

5

Clean Water Project

Turning Back Time —

Restoring Remnant Sand Prairie

and Wetlands

Black Hawk Lake County: Johnson Land: 173 acres Partners: INHF, JCCB,

Pheasants Forever Special Features: Remnant sand prairie, wetlands www.inhf.org/winter-2015magazine.cfm

6 | Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

W

hen the owner of a property along the Cedar River was interested in selling the site that contained wetlands and remnant sand prairie, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Johnson County Conservation Board (JCCB) acted quickly to acquire the property.

Photos: Larry Gullett, Johnson CCB

It was obvious the area, which had recently been used for row crops and mining sand, had the potential to become a haven for hikers, hunters and anglers.

“And because this wetland restoration project is in a floodplain, we expect huge water quality benefits,” said Larry Gullett, JCCB director.

About 900 acres of watershed, mostly agricultural land, flows in to the Cedar River Crossing Addition. Surface drainage ditches had been cut through the property, carrying the runoff straight into the Cedar River.

Above: The wetland area in the Cedar River Crossing Addition will undergo reconstruction to return it to pre-settlement conditions.

Left: Spiderwort blooms on a patch of sand prairie in the Cedar River Crossing Addition.

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015 | 7

Clean Water Project “This project will allow us to restore the hydrology of the site to pre-settlement conditions,” said Gullett. “All this water coming off 900 acres of land will come down and percolate through (the sand prairie and wetlands).”

This filtration process will help to sequester much of the sediment and nutrients that previously were heading downstream. Gullett said it will take about a year to develop a long-term plan for the site, which will include planting the cropland with native prairie plants and restoring the sand prairie and wetlands that had been previously

Gullett said the Corps has used the site along the Cedar River for wetland delineation training, in which people are certified to create wetland soil boundaries — important to identifying the land area that falls under wetland protected status. “The Cedar River Crossing project area includes wetlands that had been converted to agriculture. It’s very representative of what potential wetland delineators would experience,” Gullett said. “It’s a great opportunity to show people the dynamics and results associated with changing the landscape in Iowa.”

This project will allow us to restore the hydrology of the site to pre-settlement conditions.

Larry Gullett, Johnson County Conservation Board Director

altered. “We have to put a lot of thought into how we’re going to do this because we want it to be natural,” he said.

The 173-acre area hugs more than half a mile of the river’s west bank, just south of Sutliff. The addition is adjacent to the 235-acre Cedar River Crossing area, owned and managed by JCCB, and will expand the public space to more than 400 acres. It will also connect the habitat with the historic Sutliff Bridge on the north end of the property. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 116 year-old bridge was restored in 2012.

INHF bought the property in early 2014 which allowed the JCCB time to obtain funding and turned it over to the JCCB in December.

The conservation board funded their acquisition from INHF using a combination of money from the Wildlife Habitat Stamp program and funds from a $20 million land conservation bond issue that passed in Johnson County in 2008.

Habitat Forever, a subsidiary of Pheasants Forever focused on habitat restoration, will help the JCCB with restoring the remnant sand prairie, including removing mature willow tree stands that are crowding out native prairie species.

The site will be a great hunting area for waterfowl, pheasant, turkey and deer, according to Gullett. That section of the Cedar River also has excellent fishing, especially for Shovelnose sturgeon, a pre-historic looking bottom-feeding fish.

Discover These Uncommon Sand Prairie Species at Cedar River Crossing Addition “There is less than a tenth of a percent of Iowa’s original prairie land remaining, so when you find remnant prairie, you work to protect it,” said Heather Jobst, INHF land projects director.

Spiderwort – Usually only blooms in late spring and early summer in Iowa, but was found blooming from May 25 to mid-October at this sand prairie.

Blue toad flax – Had never been found in Johnson County before.

Fragrant sumac – The most rare type of sumac in Iowa, it bloomed from June 15-20 at the site. “It smells just like roses,” Gullett said.

Prairie lake spur – Found in much higher concentrations than usual.

Unique Opportunity “I think having a floodplain site of a major system would be really beneficial for the watershed. It’s really difficult to find a site like that in Iowa because usually there is agriculture right up to the water,” said Rachel Perrine, a project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who has evaluated the site.

8 | Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

The alluvial (water-deposited) sand prairie is also a great habitat for reptiles and amphibians, including Blanding’s turtles, Leopard frogs and Cricket frogs.

Public access area near downtown Lake View.

Lake View Rallied

Photo: City of Lake View

to Clean Up Their

Treasured Lake

B

y the summer of 2007, water quality in Black Hawk Lake in Sac County had become so poor that it was sometimes unusable.

Residents and visitors to the town of Lake View, which sits on the north side of the popular recreational lake, were often warned to stay out of the water because of high nutrient levels, bacteria and algae blooms. The community that relies so heavily on the lake for the environmental and economic health of the area decided that it was time to act.

Community members raised $40,000, which was eventually matched by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR), to conduct a study that would determine the restoration potential of Black Hawk Lake. The study was completed in 2011, and a watershed management plan emerged from the study’s assessments.

“Historically, Black Hawk Lake has had several initiatives to improve water quality, and they always met with limited success,” said Mike McGhee, now retired lake restoration project coordinator with the Iowa DNR. “So we wanted to do something a little more ambitious.”

The 2011 plan contained suggestions for best management practices for landowners and farmers in the 14,000-acre watershed feeding into Black Hawk Lake, periodic water monitoring and a public outreach strategy. Cost-share funds were made available to landowners for conservation practices through the Soil and Water Conservation District and the National Water Quality Initiative.

Lake View resident Dean Tiefenthaler has farmed corn and soybeans near the town of Breda, which is in the lake’s watershed, since the 1960s. Since he began using strip-till and no-till farming, he said that he’s reaping high yields as a result of these sound farming practices. He said it is also important to him that it is helping

the water quality in his hometown. “Land Black Hawk Lake stewardship is important.

County: Sac And farmers are finding Land: 14,0000-acre watershed out that you don’t have feeds into Black Hawk Lake Partners: Iowa DNR, Sac CCB, to work this ground to IDALS, Black Hawk Lake area death. It’s OK if you’re citizen groups tractor isn’t out there www.inhf.org/winter-2015every day.” magazine.cfm Phosphorus and sediment levels entering the lake have dramatically dropped since implementing the watershed management plan. But there is a long way to go to reach the plan’s goals.

Landowner incentives may provide the additional motivation needed to implement practices necessary to reach nutrient and sediment reduction goals. The Black Hawk Lake Citizen Assessment Outreach campaign states that incentives are important in encouraging landowners to include terraces, filter strips and stream bank restoration as part of their land management practice. The plan notes that practices such as cover crops, no till and strip till are more challenging to compel farmers to adopt even with incentives, and that when the incentives end, many will abandon these practices.

In addition to the watershed management, the Iowa DNR performed a fish kill in order to remove rough fish, including carp, gizzard chad and big mouth buffalo — species whose habitat degrades water quality. The lake was restocked with sport fish species, which has led to improving the clarity of the water in the shallow lake from six inches to nearly six feet.

“The water really cleared up,” said McGhee. “We’ve seen some dramatic changes in the water quality with these short-term measures. We still have a high nutrient level in the lake, but we expect that in the long-term this plan will pay off.”

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015 | 9

Clean Water Project INHF plans to restore the prairie and wetland along the Little Sioux River to improve water quality.

x2

Protection

R

emnant prairie. Oak savanna. A mile and a half of riverfront natural area. Even a pioneer cemetery.

There was a lot to like about this Clay County property that was put on the market last year. However, the characteristic that perhaps most compelled Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and several other organizations to secure the land for conservation and public use is that the property is a part of one of Iowa’s five Protected Water Areas (PWA). INHF is actively working in all five PWAs. Iowa’s Protected Water Areas, designated by the Iowa legislature for their “outstanding cultural and natural resources,” are land areas adjacent to stretches of river that contain some of the most scenic spaces in the state. The Clay County property, now known as Burr

Iowa’s Protected Water Areas The PWA program is a system for designating portions of Iowa waterways for the preservation, protection and enhancement of outstanding natural and cultural resources of water and associated land areas. It provides guidelines for voluntary land acquisition and establishing conservation easements in the areas.

3

4 5

1 2

1. Wapsipinicon River (Sweet Marsh to Mississippi River) 2. Middle Raccoon River (Panora to Redfield) 3. Upper Iowa River (Kendallville to Highway 76) 4. Little Sioux River (Spencer to Linn Grove) 5. Boone River (Brewers Creek to Des Moines River)

10 | Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

County: Clay Land: 411 acres Partners: INHF, Clay CCB,

Iowa DNR

Special Features: Protected Water Area, pioneer cemetery, remnant prairie, wetlands www.inhf.org/winter-2015magazine.cfm

Wildlife Area Addition, curves along the east side of the Little Sioux River between Spencer and Linn Grove.

INHF, in cooperation with the Clay County Conservation Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, purchased the land with the intent that it become a public area. The 411-acre property is adjacent to the Burr Wildlife Area, a former INHF project. The addition will nearly double the protected natural land along this corridor, allowing for increased habitat and water quality.

“It’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to purchase a tract of land that size with that kind of diversity — with the timber and the native plants and the wetlands,” said Dan Heissel, executive director of the Clay CCB. “We’re excited to partner with INHF to make this happen.”

Part of the property is currently cropland in the river’s floodplain.

The plan is to restore the area with native prairie plants and wetland reconstruction. “Because it’s in a floodplain, it’s really important to protect this land, and in turn the water quality of the river,” said Heather Jobst, INHF land projects director.

On a slope above the river valley on the addition is a piece of Clay County history. The Bur Oak Pioneer Cemetery includes at least 65 gravesites, many dating back to the 1860s.

“People comment that the cemetery is not very accessible, so it would be better if it was on public land,” said Cindy McGranahan, director of the Parker Historical Society based in Spencer. “It holds a dear place in some people’s hearts. I think it’s the setting — tucked away among the old Bur oak trees.”

The Burr Wildlife Area Addition will be a great spot for hiking, bird watching and hunting in addition to the water quality benefits restoration of the land provides. More funding is needed to complete the project and open the area to the public. To donate, contact Anita O’Gara, vice president and director of development, at 515-288-1846 or donate online at www.inhf.org/join-and-give.cfm.

By Joe Jayjack, Communications Specialist

Photo: INHF Staff

Water & Habitat

Burr Wildlife Area Addition

Water Quality

Iowa voters made their desire for cleaner water crystal clear in 2010 when 63% voted to establish the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.

Matters

Water quality is a real issue in Iowa. We know how to fix the problem — fund the Trust Fund. Trust fund monies will provide incentive funding for landowners to voluntarily use for projects that help prevent soil erosion and reduce nutrient runoff.

82 %

What Iowans Expect

%

86 95

of Iowans agree that the state’s parks, trails, wildlife areas and other public lands, including lakes and rivers, are an essential part of our economy.

%

of Iowans believe that pollution of rivers, lakes and streams is a serious issue.

Source: Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy August 2014 polling data conducted by Public Opinion Strategies

of Iowa voters believe we need to ensure our children and grandchildren can enjoy Iowa’s water, land, wildlife and natural beauty the same way we do today.

State of Iowa’s

Water Quality

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the

55

Gulf Dead Zone is

5,025

%

square miles, roughly the size of

Connecticut.

Our Problem Flows Downstream

of Iowa’s waterways were classified as “impaired” in the Iowa DNR’s last assesment (2012). “Impaired” means that it is not suitable for its designated use, i.e. fishing, swimming, drinking water, etc.

20%

of Iowa’s waterways were called “potentially impaired,” meaning more information was needed to determine if they meet standards for use.

25

%

of Iowa’s streams and rivers have a “good” quality mark.

Source: Iowa DNR, Iowa’s 2012 List of Impaired Waters

How to

Soil Conservation and Water Protection

Fix the

20% Trails

Problem The Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund is the mechanism that when funded will provide a permanent, sustainable source of funding for conservation, parks and outdoor recreation.

66

10

Allocation of NROR Trust % Fund 13 Dollars

Land Conservation Partnership

%

%

13%

Iowa Resource Enhancement and Protection Fund

of Iowans support a revenue enhancement to fill the trust fund.

Source: Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy August 2014 polling data conducted by Public Opinion Strategies

14% 7

23%

Watershed Protection

Iowa along with Illinois, Ohio and Indiana are the largest contributing states to the Gulf Dead Zone. Nutrient runoff triggers an overgrowth of algae that eventually consumes the oxygen necessary to support marine life, including shrimp, crabs and other shellfish vital to the Gulf fishing industry.

One Example: Sustainable & Permanent Funding for Wetlands

Incentivise landowners to voluntarily construct wetlands on private land, with funding via the NROR Trust.

%

Lake Restoration

Iowa DNR, Wildlife Habitat, State Parks, Natural Resource Conservation

40-90 Wetlands remove

90+%

%

of nitrates

and of herbicides in tile drainage water.

How you can help:

Find your legislators: www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators Contact your legislators by phone or email: House - (515) 281-3221 Senate - (515) 281-3371 Sign the IWILL pledge: www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org

Cover Crops Protect and Restore Iowa’s

D

riving through the countryside this winter, Iowans may notice plants on acres that usually sit empty after corn or soybeans are harvested. Winter rye, radishes or red clover: these are a sampling of the cover crops that are changing the way farmers work their land, maintaining Iowa’s rich soil — our “black gold” — for us all.

Above: Winter cereal rye is an effective cover crop in Iowa.

The use of cover crops has increased dramatically in recent years among Iowa farmers from fewer than 10,000 acres in 2009 to about 300,000 acres in 2013 — a 3,000 percent increase! In addition to positive environmental effects, cover crops have been shown to reduce input costs and improve yields for farmers that effectively implement cover crops.

As reported in the January 30, 2015, Des Moines Register story on cover crops, Sara Carlson, midwest cover crops research coordinator for Practical Farmers of Iowa said, “We’ve got maybe 3,000 farmers in the state using cover crops and sticking with it. But we’ve got 90,000 farmers in the state, and we need at least 50,000 to 60,000 to really make an impact on water quality across the whole state.”

Cover crops are plants such as small grains, legumes

12 | Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

and brassicas traditionally grown outside of the cash crop growing season. They help with soil retention, soil health and water quality. Some crops have the added benefit of being a source for animal grazing and weed suppression.

“It’s the oldest new technology out there,” said Liz Juchems, events coordinator for Iowa Learning Farms. “It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s growing in popularity, especially as we learn more about what it does for soil health.”

Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa, both part of the Iowa Cover Crop Working Group, co-sponsor field days and workshops for farmers interested in learning about cover crops. Juchems said about 30-40 farmers attended each of the 18 cover crop events they hosted across the state in 2014.

In addition to learning about what plants to use, when

Photo: Practical Farmers of Iowa

“Black Gold”

We’ve got maybe 3,000 farmers in the state using cover crops and sticking with it. But we’ve got 90,000 farmers in the state, and we need at least 50,000 to 60,000 to really make an impact on water quality across the whole state.

Sara Carlson, Practical Farmers of Iowa Midwest Cover Crops Research Coordinator

and how to seed them and how to terminate them in the spring, farmers learned about the benefits cover crops bring to soil and water quality.

Retaining Iowa’s most valuable natural resource Iowa’s topsoil is eroding at a rate of more then five tons per acre every year. Cover crops help hold soil in place, reducing erosion caused by wind and rain in the time between harvest and spring planting.

“You’ve got a list of the reasons you want to do cover crops, and I think for us erosion is probably our main concern,” said Barry Kusel, who started using cover crops on his Carroll County farm in 2008. “The problem with soil erosion is one generation doesn’t really notice it. Two generations don’t notice it. But 400-500 years from now, somebody’s going to notice it, and they’re going to look back and say ‘What the heck were those guys doing?’”

Slowing down organic and chemical runoff Cover crops reduce nonpoint source pollution caused by sediments, nutrients and chemicals by slowing erosion and runoff. Programs like the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS) and Mississippi River Basin Healthy Water Initiative (MRBI) aim to reduce nutrient runoff

that affects Iowa’s water and eventually contributes to the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

“I realized through nitrate testing that I, indeed, was part of the problem of nitrates going into the water and flowing downstream, eventually affecting the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico,” said Wright County farmer Tim Smith. To mitigate runoff, Smith has implemented cereal rye as a cover crop on his farm. “The important thing to remember about cover crops … is that it’s a very good nitrogen (retainer).”

Improving soil health naturally, minimizing the need for chemicals One of the most appealing aspects of implementing cover crops to farmers is that they can boost yields of cash crops by improving soil health.

Cover crops add organic matter to soil, encouraging beneficial microbial life. They also contribute nitrogen to the soil as they decompose, which can reduce the need for fertilizer on crops like corn and soybeans.

Gary Nelson has been using cover crops on his Webster County farm since 2011. “It’s research for us, to see if we can improve our organic matter. Keep the soil quality from going down at the very least, and we hope it improves the soil. Then good soil will still be here for our kids if they would choose to farm.”

By Joe Jayjack, Communications Specialist

State Cost Share Programs The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) set aside more than $8 million in 2014 to help farmers and landowners instill conservation practices and improve water quality through the state cost share program. The demand for the program was so great that funds ran out quickly.

In July, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that $1.4 million in cost share assistance would be available for water quality practices, including the use of cover crops. Then in August the state made available $6.75 million more in cost share money for projects that would stanch soil erosion.

“That money is usually gone almost immediately,” said Carol Brown, communications specialist for Iowa Learning Farms. “People are eager to sign up and try it. Hopefully once they see the benefit, they won’t need the extra incentive.”

Farmers and landowners planting cover crops for the first time could use the cost share program on up to 160 acres. They were encouraged to work with their local Soil and Water Conservation District office to make a plan for land conservation. “(The cost share program) is a little like crop insurance. It lessens the initial risk, because we’re operating in an unknown area,” said Larry Harren, who uses cover crops on his Webster County farm.

“So now we’re going to do something we’ve never done before.

There’s a security level there if there is a little incentive.”

Learn more about the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which could dramatically increase cost share dollars for farmers if funded, on page 11.

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015 | 13

N

Patience Pays Dividends

for Winter Trout Anglers Winter has arrived, but there’s no need to hang up your fishing rod. Trout fishing is an all-seasons Iowa pastime, and many fishermen crave the allure of winter streams. With proper technique and patience, trout anglers can haul in their catch well into the coldest months.

Trout Fishing in Iowa Counties: Allamakee, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard, Jackson, Linn, Mitchell, Winneshiek Trout Fishing Mapping Resources:

https://sites.google.com/site/ troutfishinginiowa/ www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/ WheretoFish/TroutStreams.aspx www.inhf.org/winter-2015magazine.cfm

Above: Accessible McLoud Run in central Cedar Rapids near the Cedar River Trail tempts anglers with plentiful trout and rustic beauty.

T R I B U T E IN MEMORY OF

Clifford and Cora Anderson Stephen J. Atherton Tom Ballard Kathryn and Ivyl Barker Gary Beckwith Ben Erica Berrier Larry Beving Shirley Bloom Clifford Branstad Kermit Chantland Dale N. Clapper Susan Connell-Magee Gene Cooley Dr. Mary P. Couchman Drs. Mary and Phillip Couchman

14

Between spring and fall, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stocks designated streams with over 300,000 trout. In several places, stocked fish remain through the winter months. Many of Iowa’s fast-moving streams won’t freeze, and trout are eager to bite after a months-long hiatus.

The sport flourishes in Northeast Iowa, where stunning streams — and trout — are plentiful. The region has sites for all angler tastes, ranging from tranquil and isolated to social and easily accessible.

Andrew Hosmanek manages “Trout Fishing in Iowa,” an online map of streams.

“My favorite spot for winter fishing is Spring Branch Creek near Manchester Trout Hatchery,” Hosmanek said. He prefers natural trout streams, which draw fewer anglers. “I see more eagles and wild turkeys than I do other fishermen in the winter.”

For beginners, Hosmanek recommends urban ponds and lakes stocked by the Iowa DNR. He suggests Heritage Pond in Dubuque, Sand Lake in Iowa City and Prairie Parks in Cedar Rapids.

Fishermen can choose either a spinning rod

or fly fishing. While spinning brings more bites with live bait, it lacks the mental challenge that many fly fishermen enjoy. Winter fly fishing is strategic: it involves studying trout habits, tying flies to mimic the food supply and tracking shy trout using habitat cues.

“You’re tricking them at their own game,” said Decorah resident Kent Kleckner, a fly fishing guide. In the winter, Kleckner uses the Beadhead NARly midge — his own tie — and frequents the popular North and South Bear creeks in Winneshiek County. He looks for fast-running water to cast his line.

Kleckner suggests first-timers should expect a rewarding experience, not a simple catch.

When the water temperature drops, trout eat less, and can be more evasive. “Winter fishing can be good, but generally it’s going to be slow.”

To stay safe, Kleckner advises walking until warm, then fishing until cold. Fishing between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. is ideal. Lines can freeze in frigid temperatures, so adequate planning is necessary, especially for distant trips.

By Kayli Kunkel, Contributing Writer

G I F T S

Joan Cox Sydney Dengle Rita Dudley Robert W. Dyas James T. Eastlick Marilyn & Leo Eigsti Nathalie Favreau Velma Flynn Gene & Ag Forey Jerry Foubert Lois Foutch Anna Gardner GMHR Mountain’s Top Beggar MH GMHR Mountain’s Top Wooden Nickel John Halverson Hans Hanson Bernice Heiden

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

Florence Hoffmann Charles Hulin Roger Jacobson Barbara Kimm Kathy Kittredge Sara Lahmann John S. Latta, Jr. Les Licklider Harm Loverink Dave and Ginny Lyon Dennis May J. Patrick McDonnell Katie Meredith Thomas Murphy Merrill and Gladys Nichols Joyce Nicholson Nancy Perry Marie Peterson

Kenneth Pommer Bert and Amy Pooley Sue Reichardt John David Rendleman Tresa J. Rops Williamette “Bille” Rugland James Russett Joyce Rutledge Walter L. Saur Fred Schlunz Ron Schoephoerster Richard Severson Ed Skinner Ernest E. and Fannie Smith Judy Snider Dorothy Stallman

C. Maxwell and Elizabeth M. Stanley Bessie Strong-Halverson Lawrence and Donna Tagtow Lorena Thurm Charlotte Trulson Robert Tschantz Leonard Washburn Otha & Lola Wearin Clem Werner Bill & JoAnn Wiedmann Charlene “Chuck” Wiegert Norman “Tib” Wilkerson Kathryn M. Wise Marie Wunschel

IN HONOR OF

Mark and Susan Ackelson Howard Badger Don Beneke Becky and Fritz Bohde Paul Davis David and Diana Diersen Paul Easter Norma Wesley Field The Garst Family Carol Gustine Rogers Mike and Sally Hood Richard Leeper Bud McCarville Sandra and George McJimsey Richard McWilliams

GMHR Mountain’s Top Watermarking Woody Gerald P. Morsello Dave Olson Shari Paule Ramon Runkel and Mary Jane Pearson Steve and Kate Peterson Dick and Carolyn Ramsay Dr. Jim Rathe Eagle Scout Parker Strauss Gail Turner Tom Walker

Photo: Justin Meyer and Austin Day

VITAMIN

Keep exploring online at

LOOKING OUT FOR

www.inhf.org/lookingoutforiowa.cfm

IOWA

Four Simple Ways to

Support Conservation this Winter

| Stand Up for Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy (IWILL) 1 This winter, show your support for funding Iowa’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund by signing the IWILL pledge. Receive campaign updates and information about advocating for sustainable natural resource funding. www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/sections/page/pledge

| Buy a Natural Resource Plate 2 Previously known as “REAP” plates, a portion of the $45 plate price directly supports conservation work in Iowa. There are five designs to choose from so you can show your support for the conservation issue that matters most to you. www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/REAP/LicensePlates.aspx

| Iowa DNR Workshops and Education Opportunities 3 During the winter months, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources provides teachers and students ample opportunities to learn more about nature. Book an event at Springbrook Education Center or learn how to weave conservation into a school setting.

Photo Top and Bottom: INHF Staff Photo Middle: Stanley Buman

Learn more on www.iowadnr.gov/Education.aspx

| Develop an Eye for Nature Photography 4 Try a different kind of shooting this winter. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and partner organizations always have a need for winter photos of destinations and projects around the state. You might just find your photo in a future Iowa Natural Heritage issue!

Contact ksorrell@inhf.org for specific location and photo needs.

The late Iowa nature photographer Gary Tonhouse’s photos have frequently graced the pages of Iowa Natural Heritage. Check out a few of his winter photography tips. www.reflectiveimages.com/WinterPhotoTip.htm

Iowa Natural Heritage • Winter 2015

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Sarah Hoy, age 15, submitted this winning entry of a solitary wild mushroom growing on a family acreage in Cedar Falls in the Through Your Lens Student Photography Contest.

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