January 1995
~
the monthly newsletter for people who live, work or play on the Upper Mississippi River
Vol. 3, No. 1
$2
Ice Harvesting the Old-fashioned Way
What Bait are You Using?
By Gene Purcell
By Lee Kernen
In the days before mechanical refrigeration,
Fishing is a big business in Wisconsin, worth over $800 million a year to the state's economy. A major part of that money is spent on live bait like minnows, worms and hellgrammites. In fact, Wisconsin anglers spend over $35 million a year for bait! This figure and many other interesting facts are in a study recently published by a University of WisconsinStevens Point graduate student, Tom Meronic. In his report, Meronic examines the 1992 bait industry in seven Midwestern states. His findings not only describe the number and kinds of bait sold, but they give interesting insights into what kind of fish we pursue. The seven states include Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Minnesota leads the pack in minnows sold, with $45 million worth a year. Wisconsin is second with $35 million. The most popular min-
the ice on rivers and ponds was a crop. When January rolled around and the ice was ripe, it was time to harvest. Ice harvested from Midwestern rivers, lakes and ponds served many purposes during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The growing meat packing and brewing industries needed it. People needed ice at home, too. Iceboxes - large wooden coolers using blocks of ice - were common well into the 1930s and 40s. Most people today would have trouble harvesting their own ice. In fact, few would know where to begin. Therefore I will bring the 1990's art of business consulting to the 1890's art of harvesting ice and tell you how to start your own ice business.
Getting Started First, we have to wait for winter. This is important since all of the best natural ice is found in northern states, such as Wisconsin and Minnesota, where winters are long and cold. Next, find a suitable ice field. This may have been a problem 100 years ago, because ice dealers would already have specific fields they used year after year, but in 1994 those fields should be readily available. You must keep in mind factors like water quality and aeration. Ponds were often avoided because the water didn't move enough to provide aeration and formed what was called "pond ice," murky ice with holes in it that was of poor quality for cooling purposes. Most people looked for shallow, slow moving water, which would form solid, clear ice. After locating the perfect ice field, you must work to keep it clear of snow, which tends to slow down the freezing
(Bait continued on page 5)
What's Inside ... Lettertothe Editor Who is Resporisil:>le for Trenton Island?
4
Food with a View Diamond Jo Warehouse
5
Current Events Bambi's Revenge, Missouri. Water War
Ri'-l'erCalendor & Alrn<:mac Anqler Educptiol)'. §a~Je .watches ..•.
(Ice Haroestfog continued on page 2)
2
BIG RlvER
January 1995
(Ice Harvesting continued from page 1)
process. To harvest ice the old fashioned way, I recommend using a horse-drawn plow to keep the ice clear of snow. Helpful hint: Make sure your ice field is solid enough to support men and horses, and be prepared to get them out when they fall in. Although horses wore special shoes to help pull equipment and to cut down on slippage, it was still
Once the horse had calmed down, other horses would pull the animal (and driver) out. common for them to fall through the ice. According to one history of the industry, horses wore ropes around their necks so that if a horse fell in, the driver could pull the rope tight, cutting off air and causing the horse to stop struggling. Once the horse had calmed down, other horses would pull the animal (and driver) out. The first step in harvesting is to mark the ice with a specially designed, horse-drawn "ice marker," which cuts lines several inches deep into the ice. Pictures of the process show
that many harvesters cut blocks about two feet wide by six feet long. You can cut them any size you like, but for storage purposes, it's a good idea to make sure they are the same size. The next step is to cut nearly through the ice using a horse-drawn "ice plow." Cut through the rest by hand, using a kind of cross-cut saw with a handle on only one end. Two people (or one really strong one) are needed to do the actual cutting, since sawing ice is just about as hard as it sounds. Now, using a variety of tools that bear a remarkable resemblance to medieval weapons, you break the blocks apart, set them free and start them on their journey. Oh, hey, I forgot to mention that you'll need to float your ice to a place where you can get it out of the water. I hear you saying, "It's winter and the water's frozen, so how do we get the ice blocks to float?" Good question! The answer is both simple and time consuming. You must cut a channel through the ice, wide enough to float the ice cakes through. A La Crosse Tribune article from January 1905 described the procedure. "The ice is being marked and cut between Black River and Colman's Slough and has to be poled through a six-
Courtesy Area Research Center, UW-La Crosse.
.;
January 1995
BIG RlvER
hundred-foot canal, which is a great handicap to speed. Even with this handicap, thirty-five cakes of ice can be put in each minute." In ten days, this ice crew cut 20,000 tons of ice. Helpful hint: Depending on the weather, the ice channel may freeze over during the night. As a profit-motivated ice harvester, you'll have to decide whether to keep employees working through the night to keep the channel open, or take time in the morning to break it open again. Until now, the work has been wet, cold, and difficult. Guess what? It doesn't get any easier. The next problem is to get the ice out of the water. With enough capital, you can afford a steam-powered conveyor system, which will lift the ice out of the water so it can be loaded onto sleighs or trucks.
Watch out for sabotage The La Crosse Tribune of January 23, 1905, reported that a "Dastardly Deed Endangers the Lives of Many Workmen." It seems employees of the People's Ice Company were cutting ice at the foot of Cass Street in La Crosse. Instead of a steam-powered conveyor, they used heavy rope cables with a horse-powered block and pulley system to lift the ice out the water. Manager Eugene Derr discovered that those heavy ropes had been cut, almost all the way through. "Had the cable parted while the tons of ice was being hauled up the slide the entire mass would have crashed down with lightning speed onto the three men and teams employed at the bottom and would without question have crushed them to atoms before they could leap out of danger." Helpful hint: Check your ropes before hauling tons of ice out of the water.
But how do you store the ice? If you' re really into this business, you have a specially constructed building to store ice through hot summer months. Put some type of insulating materials between the blocks to help insulate them and keep them from freezing together. The principle is that a whole bunch of ice in the same place will take a long time to melt. In his book America's Icemen, Joseph Jones, Jr., shows photos of a huge ice house in New Jersey that burned back
Despite the intensity of the fire, piles of ice remained that took several weeks to melt! in 1912. Despite the intensity of the fire, piles of ice remained that took several weeks to melt! By summer, people will be clamoring for ice. You'll deliver it in ice wagons, after cutting blocks in standard sizes to fit different iceboxes.
3
If this sounds complicated, remember, it is. Warm winters in the late 1880s almost killed the ice industry and helped speed the development of mechanical ice plants. "Pure" ice was considered a good thing - after all, how pure can ice be after horses walk all over it? Mechanical ice
"Pure" ice was considered a good thing - after all, how pure can ice be after horses walk all over it? plants had problems with chemicals, though, so natural ice harvesting continued well into the 1930s. In Onalaska, George Herrmann, a former alderman and county supervisor, bought his ice business in the 1930s and ran it until the late '30s and early '40s. If you want to try harvesting your own ice, it's still possible with the right tools. In her history of Mindoro, Wisconsin, Mildred Allen outlines the process her family used in the early 20th century: "In January the ice would be frozen strong enough to hold a team of horses and sleigh. The ice was cut in chunks about 15 inches all ways, depending on thickness of ice. The chunks were pulled out of the water and placed on a sleigh to be hauled home to the ice house, which was probably made of cement blocks. Sawdust was gotten from the saw mill to pack it in. It would not melt all summer." There you go. Good luck and happy ice harvesting! Gene Purcell is a freelance writer and program director of WLSUFM in La Crosse.
4
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Who is Responsible for Trenton Island? Dear Editor: Your article last month, "Who Owns Trenton Island - Longtime Residents or the River?," was entertaining, but missed some crucial points that readers may need to formulate their own opinions on the situation. The great flood of 1993 was not a great flood for Trenton Island, as it was only a 15- to 20-year event on that stretch of the Mississippi River. The great flood of record for Trenton Island was 1965, which was a 100-year event. Many other areas of the nation were also severely flooded that year. As a result of the extensive damage and expense, the U.S. Congress passed floodplain management requirements, which were mandated to each state. States such as Wisconsin passed these requirements on to local units of government, such as Pierce County. Pierce County had no choice but to adopt a floodplain management ordinance, and it did so in 1968. The county has thus had floodplain development restrictions for more than 26 years, as have other local units of government up and down the River. All human habitation uses in floodways like Trenton Island were prohibited. Only open space, non-habitation uses were allowed. Existing human habitation land uses, such as homes and businesses were, and are, allowed to continue as "nonconforming uses." Restrictions were placed on them so they will be gradually phased out. It must be made clear that nonconforming uses can be maintained and kept in excellent condition. Items such as re-roofing, new siding and other nonstructural improvements are permitted and, indeed, encouraged. The problem with Trenton Island, in my view, is that Pierce County reluctantly enacted the required floodplain regulations, as did most local jurisdictions. Officials also chose to not enforce the regulations in
Bm RlvER
a consistent and fair manner. In some cases, permits were issued by the County for projects that were clearly illegal. In many other cases, the County chose to simply ignore what was occurring on the island, and major new structures were built without permits. They thought they were "helping" residents and businesses. As a result of the numerous and serious problems, the DNR and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put pressure on the county to properly enforce its floodplain regulations. Pierce County's floodplain ordinance was revised to meet newer requirements. I personally argued for the bare minimum regulations, which saved floodplain residents both time and money. But we could not be less lenient than permitted by state or federal law. My personal unpopularity with many floodplain residents and "property rights" allies stems from the fact that I have steadfastly refused to grant special favors or to
In many other cases, the County chose to simply ignore what was occurring on the island, and major new structures were built without permits. They thought they were "helping" residents and businesses. look the other way in the administration and enforcement of ordinances. Had Pierce County diligently and properly upheld its own laws, Trenton Island would not be the difficult problem that it is today. The "baited and snared" concept mentioned in the article last month referred to the fact that floodplain property owners feel betrayed by the federal government fo r subsidizing floodplain insurance and building levees, which was interpreted as encouraging floodplain development. The crucial information missing from this discussion is that local units of government, in exchange for these measures from the federal government, were to enforce restrictions on new development to decrease the amount of aid needed in the future.
January 1995
Last month's article claimed that there was a "distinct possibility" that Pierce County would turn over any acquired property to other private interests to operate a campground "because Pierce County wants to continue to collect taxes on the property." These statements are simply not true. By law, a local unit of government must assume title of any property purchased from willing sellers. Trenton Township does not want this honor, nor does Pierce County. Furthermore, by law the county cannot sell any property it reluctantly acquires. I have recommended to the county board that they replant floodplain forest vegetation on any acquired parcel and let it revert to its natural state. Bald eagles can then once again roost and nest instead of having to fly over the Island. Campgrounds, marinas, and other non permanent habitation uses are permitted activities in the f!oodway, however. Any landowner on Trenton Island, or other floodplains, could consider these uses. This will certainly not be the last winter on Trenton Island . There were many winters before human habitation, and there will likely be many more after human habitation . With the relocation of willing residents to higher ground, there will be fewer flooded wells endangering ground water supplies, fewer septic systems threatening public health, fewer fuel oil and LP gas tanks, less floating debris, fewer repetitively damaged homes, fewer damage claims, and less turmoil in the lives of people who chose to move. Nature, indeed, happens all over the place. If residents in areas prone toward earthquakes, hurricanes and floods all follow the prescribed building requirements and development restrictions, environmental protection is enhanced, social problems are reduced and our wallets will be a little thicker. If local units of government find it politically difficult to handle their responsibilities, then the states and federal government must assume greater control in these matters, or repeal the laws that help to protect us all from the darker side of Mother Nature. Sincerely, Jim Hulbert Pierce County (Wis.) Administrator
BIG RlvER
January 1995
e:.::lllii 4•• <z.
(Bait
m
continued from page 1)
5
Foon WITH AVIEW Diamond Jo Warehouse By John Sagan
nows used by our anglers were fathead minnows, followed by white suckers, chubs and mudminnows. But it's the non-fish bait that really gets interesting. Ohio anglers spent over $30 million on nightcrawlers alone! Those of you who have journeyed to Lake Erie know that a weight-forward spinner dressed with a nightcrawler is the most popular lure for walleyes on that shallow Great Lake. By comparison, Wisconsin anglers bought only $750,000 worth of nightcrawlers during 1992. Leeches have always been a favorite walleye bait in Minnesota. In 1992, over $8 million was spent on these creepy looking blood suckers. Wisconsin anglers only bought about $400,000 worth that same year. But let's talk about a Wisconsin tradition - hellgrammites. Any perch angler worth his or her salt knows that in inland lakes during the summer, the various species of dragonfly larvae, called hellgrammites as a group, are the best bait for perch. Wisconsin anglers love perch far more than their counterparts in neighboring states. In 1992, over 8,000 dozen hellgrammites were sold in that state while most of the other
Any perch angler worth his or her salt knows that in inland lakes during the summer, the various species of dragonfly larvae, called hellgrammites as a group, are the best bait for perch.
The next time you are in Guttenberg<as in "gut"), stop in at the Diamond Jo Warehouse and get yourself one of their huge sandwiches. The restaurant's large windows present a dazzling view of Lock and Dam 10, the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin bluffs. The perspective almost tricks you into believing you are on a riverboat rather than in a restaurant. Located in Guttenberg's quiet, well maintained downtown, the Diamond Jo warehouse was built in 1856 by the Grants of Galena as a warehouse for their hide purchasing operation. The building rises three stories above the old levee elevation, built with stone quarried out of the nearby limestone cliffs. After the Grants came Joseph Reynolds,
The perspective almost tricks you into believing you are on a riverboat rather than in a restaurant.
six states reported no sales at all. On the other hand, Ohio anglers bought 3,456 dozen salamanders for bait. Each state and region has its favorites. There are over 1,100 people in Wisconsin licensed to sell live bait to retail establishments. About two-thirds of the bait fish sold in the Midwest were captured in the wild, while the remainder were cultured. Wisconsin's 2 million anglers spend twice as much on bait in one year as it takes to run the entire state fisheries program, including the operation of our 14 hatcheries. That's an awful lot of minnows, worms, hellgrammites, grubs, leeches and crayfish! _
owner of the Diamond Jo line of packet boats, who shipped tons of grain, mountains of produce and vast quantities of general merchandise out of the building. From 1864 until 1911 the warehouse was the center of shipping in Guttenberg. When the grain business declined after a speculative frenzy, Reynolds turned his attention to passenger traffic, and steamboat excursions became the major part of the business. After that, admit owners Dave and Sue Schmitt, they couldn't say what the place was used for. Since they bought it, in 1991, they have served up a varied fare of Midwestern cuisine typical of the area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served as well as a special Sunday Captain's Breakfast Brunch. There was a meager salad bar that afternoon, so I ordered the club sandwich, which was so large it was difficult to eat, but I managed somehow. Other selections on the lunch menu include The Tug Boat, which is a hamburger, and The Mississippi Whaler, a fish sandwich. After lunch I visited the Guttenberg Museum, a completely restored lockmaster's home from the 1930's. My lunch hour was well spent. _
This is one in a continuing series of "Wisconsin Fishing" columns by Lee Kernen, Director of the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management.
John Sagan is a freelance writer and proprietor of Fountain City Art and Antiques, in Fountain City, Wis. He aspires to become the Austrian consul to that river town.
BIG RlvER
6
CURRENT EVENTS By Pamela Eyden
I
Missouri Water War
t's common for Departments of Natural Resources to be in conflict with the Army Corps of Engineers, but the two are taking unfamiliar stances in Missouri these days, according to an article in River Crossings (11-12-94). In its Preferred Alternative Plan for the Missouri River, the Army Corps of Engineers proposes to let the river return to its annual spring flood cycle. David Shorr, Director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, opposes this because it would make bottomland farm fields too wetto cultivate for three months each year. The plan also calls for decreasing the amount of water released into the river from reservoirs in western states in the late summer and fall. Shorr says this would sink the barge industry and raise farmers' shipping costs. The U .S. Fish & Wildlife Service agrees with the Corps' Plan, saying that a return to the flood cycle will significantly increase the amount of wetlands in the lower river, promote nutrient cycling, restore natural levels of turbidity and suspended sentiment, and provide habitat for fish and invertebrates. Many species of fish and birds dependent on the Missouri River ecosystem are on endangered lists, such as the least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon. The Missouri DNR's Shorr may be looking for ways to use the pallid sturgeon as his "spotted owl." He filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for information on the pallid sturgeon and its listing as an endangered species.
P
Free Park
eople in Washington County, Minn., want more parks; they just aren't sure how much they want to pay for them. Now they might get one for free, according to an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press (12-2-94). The Metropolitan Council recently
approved a plan to develop a park on Lower Grey Cloud Island and pay for it by mining gravel on the island. A gravelmining company has been working there for years. The plan calls for mined-out portions of the island to become features of the park, such as artificial lakes for swimmers. Lower Grey Cloud Island is in the Mississippi River, southeast of St. Paul.
Busier Wisconsin Parks
W
isconsin residents bought 33.8 percent more annual admission stickers for their state parks in 1994 than they did in 1993. Out-of-staters bought 50.5 percent more park stickers. What's making these parks so popular all of a sudden? Is it something in the water gushing from those blue bubblers? Officials explain that many parks were partially flooded during 1993, while the weather was fine in 1994. Trail pass sales skyrocketed, too, thanks to new laws requiring bicyclists, cross-country skiers and horseback riders to purchase trail passes before using state trails.
Cruise Ship Boomerang?
F
irst there was an excursion boat in Winona, then it left. Then a new one came to town, but it didn't stay long. It changed its name and went to Red Wing to give river rides to casino gamblers. Now it's back and will change its name again, this time to The Winona Island Princess. The 149-passenger boat will dock at the town's levee, which will be modified so that passengers can get on and off more easily. After all, what's a river town without a river boat?
T
Where's the Fowl?
he Minnesota DNR has recently confirmed what most waterfowl hunters on the Mississippi River already knew - that the duck hunting season was kind
January 1995
of strange last fall. According to a press release from the Wildlife Research section, mild weather caused an unusual migration pattern among geese and ducks. They weren't where they usually are. Blue-winged teal and wood ducks, usually early migrators, stuck around well through the hunting season in many areas. Other ducks and geese stayed in the north, where lake waters were still open and food was still available. Ring-necked ducks didn't show up at many of their traditional staging areas in north central and northeast Minnesota, but record numbers - more than a million ring-necks and mallards -were reported at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the central part of the state. Many hunters were disappointed, but never mind. The DNR says habitat conditions in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and parts of the Canadian prairie look good for next spring's nesting season.
A
Clip the CRP?
farm program that conservation groups say is one of the most successful ever is up for reauthorization by Congress next year. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which began in 1985, encourages landowners to take highly erodible land out of production a nd plant it with grasses, legumes or trees that hold the soil and provide wildlife habitat. The program emphasizes creation of large blocks of habitat (greater than 80 acres), planting native grasses on prairie land and restoring of diverse habitats, including drained wetlands. CRP land is estimated to have produced 3 million additional ducks in the Dakotas and Montana in 1994, according to a report by Ducks Unlimited. Bobolinks, bitterns, ring-necked pheasants and Western meadowlarks and other birds have also benefited.
T
Fixing the Minnesota
he Minnesota River Citizens' Advisory Committee, convened by Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson two years ago to find ways to clean up the highly polluted Minnesota River, has come up with an ambitious plan to do so. It only costs $200 million.
BIG RlvER
January 1995
The committee recommends: •buying 200,000 acres of river floodplain, much of which is currently being farmed; • restoring wetlands to slow and filter water heading to the river; • limiting the amount of pollution that enters the river from storm sewers, and drainage and farm ditches; and •improving land management practices by businesses, farms, developers and home owners. The $30 million needed to start the program may be hard to squeeze out of the Legislature. Farmers, predictably, are expected to oppose any new restrictions that would increase their costs.
H
Bambi's Revenge
ave you heard the story about the woman who was sitting in a tree, minding her own business, hunting for deer, when she was attacked by a road runner? No? Well, according to an Associated Press story in the Wisconsin State Journal (11-25-94), the woman was sitting in a live oak tree outside of Waco, Texas, when the roadrunner flew up, ran to the other end of the limb and charged her . It did this several times before she shot it with her .22. The story included other news reports of animals attacking humans: An eight-point buck mauled a 61-year-old
We hadn't been there but five minutes. I had just popped my first beer and put my first minnow out. It totally ruined my day," said the angler. 0
man to death in a thicket alongside a rural road, then stood over the bod y for seven hours. A woman in Arkansas got rammed by an eight-point buck right in her own back yard. "He came at me like he was really ·mad, just dipped his head and rammed me," she said. Two fishermen watched as a deer swam up, got out of the water, circled behind and lunged at them . It pushed one fellow into the spillway, waded in
after him, followed him out and then pinned him to the ground with its antlers, puncturing the guy's hand. "We hadn' t been there but five minutes. I had just popped my first beer and put my first minnow out. It totally ruined my day," said the angler. Are animals starting to fight back? This sort of story may become more common as the end of the millennium nears, but, meanwhile, let's be careful out there.
Restoring the Old Depot
R
estoration work has begun on Prairie du Chien's old rail depot, which is one of the older depots in Wisconsin. The old wooden building originally accommod ated both freight and passengers. Enthusiasts want to create a museum inside, where men and women once sat in separate rooms, warming themselves by large stoves while waiting for trains to arrive.
Ice Video, Lake Report, Easement Guide
Y
our pal skis toward an island and the next thing you know, she's gone right through a patch of thin ice. How can you get her out? If you fell in, could you get yourself out? How can you tell if ice is thin? The Minnesota DNR has recently produced a 10-minute video that illustrates the answers to these and other icerela ted questions. "Danger, Thin Ice" gives sports enthusiasts from age 9 to 90 a basic idea of what to do in case of emergencies. It's available on loan, free of charge, to Minnesota organizations. Call the DNR Film Loan Library at (612) 296-0899 or 800-766-6000. Lake lovers might be interested in A Model Lake Plan for a Local Community, a new guide that explains the w ho, what and how of local decision-making on behalf of lakes. It's available from Cooperative Extension Publications, Rm. 245, 30 N. Murray St., Madison, WI 53715. Want to know how a conservation easement works? To order Conservation Easements, A Landowner's Guide to Easements, Purchased through Wisconsin's Stewardship and Priority Watershed Programs, call Bruce Webendorfer, UW Environmental Resources Center, (608} 262-1369.
7
River Curriculum
W
ant to help develop a Mississippi River curriculum project for late elementary and middle school grades? The Center of Children and Technology in New York City has started work on the project, which will include history, ecology, literary and music traditions. PBS will develop a television series based on it. For more informa tion, contact Sam Gibbon, Education Development Center, 96 Morton St., New York, NY 10014; (212) 807-4200.
Zebra Mussel Water Treatment
W
hen the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drained the water from Lock and Dam 7, at Dresbach, Minn., in December- a maintenance and repair routine done every 18 years - inspectors discovered more zebra mussels than they expected - about 2,000 mussels per square meter. "It was like walking on gravel when we first went down there," said lockmaster Terry Jessessky. The mussels, which drop off of barges, have not yet interfered with the structure or function of the lock. Meanwhile, researchers at the Center for Great Lakes Studies in Milwaukee are studying the mussel's water-cleaning capabilities. Zebra mussels breathe and
Zebra mussels breathe and eat by sucking in and spitting out about one quart of water a day. eat by sucking in and spitting out about one quart of water a day. Zebra mussels are especially efficient at removing contaminants. In tests, they removed 95 percent of the Cryptosporidium parasites and 70 percent of the coliform bacteria. If they could be contained in special chambers at the entrance to water treatment plants, they could be put to work. The Milwaukee Journal (11 /20 /94) reports that canals in Poland and lakes in the Netherlands are u sing zebra mussels as contaminant-filterers. =
8
I
BIG RlvER
RIVER CALENDAR January Special Events
7 Bald Eagle Watch, Clinton, Iowa. Call (815) 259-3628. 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 Bald Eagle Watch, Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, Wis., on the Wisconsin River. Most events are scheduled for Jan. 7, including tours, slide shows and children's activities. Call (608) 643-4168 or (608) 266-7012. 13-15 Iowa Boat Show, Cedar Falls, UNI-Dome. Call (319)
January 1995
$25, register by Jan. 5. Call John Lamb, 800-366-4793 or (612) 645-6159. Jan. 19 Minnetonka Community Center Jan. 25 Pine Edge Inn, Little Falls Conservation Forums on 1995 Farm Bill, Soil and Water Conservation Society and EPA, Washington Hotel, Washington, D.C. Call Doug Kleine, (515) 289-2331or800-THE SOIL. Jan. 13 Soil quality Jan. 27 Nonpoint-source water pollution control Feb. 10 Future of wildlife and wildlife habitat Mar. 9-10 Conference on 1995 Farm Bill
232-0218. 25-29 Minneapolis Boat Show, Minneapolis Convention
Center. Call (612) 542-9707. 28 Candlelight Ice Skate, 5 p.m., Merrick State Park, Fountain City, Wis. Call (608) 687-4936. 28 Archeology of the Blufflands, interpretive program, Whitewater State Park, Altura, Minn., reservations required. Call Dave Palmquist, (507) 932-3007. 28 & 29 Bald Eagle Days, Riverside Park and Nelson Dewey State Park, Cassville, Wis. Activities include eagle watching, indoor displays and hayrides. Call (608) 725-5399. through Jan. 8, 1995 Display of wildlife stamp contest entries, including top entries from Minnesota's first Junior Duck Stamp competition, sponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bell Museum of Natural History, Minneapolis, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tues. - Fri.; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat.; noon - 5 p .m. Sun. Call (612) 624-7083. through Feb. 14, 1995 Magnificent River: The Mississippi from Minnesota to Missouri, photographs, artifacts, interactive exhibits and two full-sized boats, Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science, Davenport, Iowa.
Meetings 12 Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board, monthly meet-
ing, 5 p.m., Muscoda, Wis. Call 800-221-3792 or (608) 7393188. 27-28 Mississippi River Parkway Commission mid-winter meeting, Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, Baton Rouge, La. Call (612) 224-9903. Feb. 1-3 A River Runs Through It: Sustaining Wildlife Populations of Minnesota's River Basins, Minn. Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual membership meeting, Kelly Inn, St. Cloud. Call Kurt Haroldson, (507) 642-8478. Feb. 9 Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board, monthly meeting, 5 p .m., Muscoda, Wis. Call 800-221-3792 or (608) 739-3188.
Workshops, Conferences and Hearings Working with PrinUBroadcast Media, Mississippi River Environmental Training School, The Minnesota Project,
Angler Education Instructor Workshops, sponsored by the Wisconsin DNR, free, equivalency credits for teachers. Call Theresa Szabo, (608) 266-2272, or local coordinator. Jan. 14 Wausau, Ray Kirschoffer, (715) 848-4241 Jan. 28 Brookfield, Paul Dittbrender, (414) 785-4500 Feb. 11 Madison, Ron Barefield, (608) 242-5700 Feb. 25 Wilmot, Ron Bonenberger, (414) 862-2331 Mar. 11 Appleton, Tom Keenan, (414) 731-9400 Mar. 25 Eau Claire, Tim Chmelik, (715) 833-7500 Hearings on Boat House Repair Rules, will consider new limitations on repairing severely damaged Wisconsin boat houses. Call Ken Johnson, (608) 266-8036. Hearings from 3 p.m. to 7 p .m. Jan. 10 Hayward, Courthouse, Assembly Room Jan 11 Eagle River, Courthouse Jan 17 La Crosse, Courthouse, basement auditorium Jan 18 Oshkosh, Courthouse, Room 60 Jan. 31 Pewaukee, Waukesha Technical Institute, Business Occupations Bldg., Room B0201. ~
I \' ~