Issuu

July 1999

The monthly newsletter for people who live, work or play on the Upper Mississippi River

A Long Refuge History UMRW&FR Celebrates 75 Years By Madelon Wise

tronage of long-time resident John he longest wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states and the Latsch (see "John Latsch, River Philanthropost" in Big River, May one that sees the most public 1997). A wholesale grocer and river use - the Upper Mississippi River rat, Latsch began purchasing botNational Wildlife and Fish Refuge - has a long history too. This year tomlands in the early 1900s to preit celebrates its 75th anniversary. serve them for future generations. Home to an impressive diversity In all, Latsch deeded over 18,000 acres of bottomof fish, plants, birds and wildlife, the lands and islands refuge starts at the to the states of Minnesota and Chippewa River in Wisconsin, and runs Wisconsin, and approximately five the City of miles wide and 261 11o Winona. His philj anthropy also miles along the Mis"sissippi River to ~ helped inspire Rock Island, Illinois. ~ the founding of The lands that make ~ the refuge. ยง Latsch was a up the refuge lie in the states of Mingood friend of nesota, Wisconsin, Will Dilg, a Chicago busiIowa and Illinois and consist of nearly nessman who 200,000 acres of Ray C. Steele, manager of the Upper fished for bass in wooded islands, wa- Mississippi Refuge from 1929-1958. the Winona area. ters and marshes. In 1922 a movement began to drain the Winneshiek bottoms above McGregor, Latsch and Dilg Iowa, so it could be farmed. When The refuge has its roots in Winona, Minn., because of the paDilg learned of these plans, he

(Refuge History continues on page 2)

Vol. 7, No. 7

$2.75

A Few Bites for a Few Bucks By Amy M. Mako

oats can be a hassle. Many shorelines are thick with poison ivy. How about an easy fishing trip to one of the river's deep holes? Privately-owned fishing floats below several of the locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi offer conveniences not often found on a boat. For $5 to $15 an angler can spend the day comfortably waiting for that big one. We found seven fishing floats in the river between the Twin Cities and the Quad Cities:

Great Alma Fishing Float This large float, across the channel from Alma, Wis., near Lock and Dam 4, is complete with a cafe, restrooms, benches, and sheltered (Fishing Floats continues on page 4)

What's Inside ... River Map Upper Mississippi Refuge . ... 3 Current Events Ttm Penny, Iowa Exhibits .... 5 River Calendar & Almanac Audubon Ark, Nav Study . .. . 8

Refuge History continued from page 1)

formed the Izaak Walton League (named after the 17th-century author of a book about fishing) with his business friends who loved outdoor recreation. Impressed by the way that Latsch purchased and gave away land, Dilg proposed that this model be used to preserve the endangered bottomland. Within two years the newly-

Each year the refuge receives 3.5 million visitors, who spend an estimated one billion dollars. formed Izaak Walton League became one of the nation's largest conservation groups. League president Dilg' s campaign began with an effort to stop 13,000 acres of wetlands from being drained, and it developed into a proposal to create the refuge. He propelled the league to national prominence with his campaign. While the league held mass meetings all over the country, Dilg moved to Washington, D.C., and exerted enough political influence to get the refuge authorized in 1924, with an amendment that dedared the primacy of shipping projects on the Mississippi River and prohibited "any interference with the operations of the War Department in carrying out any project now or hereafter adopted for the improvement of said river." The measure (the Hawes bill) was adopted in the House without a dissenting vote and paved the way for a greater system of refuges that could be used for fish and game. Congress authorized the Department of Agriculture to purchase land for the refuge at the price of $5 per acre. When the refuge was created, the Army Corps of Engineers maintained a six-foot channel for com-

mercial shipping, but had not yet created the system of locks and dams. In the 1930s, Congress authorized the nine-foot shipping channel. The Corps acquired floodplain land to build the locks and dams. The new locks and dams flooded much of the refuge land. By a cooperative agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army, those lands purchased by the Corps but not needed for the shipping system were to be managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

A Complex Refuge The refuge now encompasses 194,000 acres in four states. It is divided into four management districts with offices in Winona, Minn.; La Crosse, Wis.; McGregor, Iowa; and Savannah, Ill. Each year the refuge receives 3.5 million visitors, who spend an estimated one billion dollars on such recreational activities as fishing, boating, scenic drives, camping, picnicking, hunting, trapping, hiking, nature study and photography. The Upper Mississippi River provides essential habitat for birds, fish and animals in a Midwest with disappearing wetlands and forests. A major migration route for birds, the refuge enjoys the seasonal flights of waterfowl, tundra swans, canvasbacks, diving ducks, surfacefeeding ducks, raptors, marsh and waterbirds. A variety of furbearers and other mammals inhabit its floodplain forests. Jim Fisher, who oversees all four districts, explained that the districts have a good deal of autonomy and are free to respond to local concerns and issues, which is important because the refuge spans so many governmental jurisdictions. The Winona District extends from the mouth of the Chippewa River, above Nelson, Wis., (River Mile 763.5) to Lock and Dam 6 (River Mile 714.3) at Trempealeau, Wis. This area covers part of Pool 4 and all of pools 5, Sa and 6. About

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half of the district's 32,000 acres is owned by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The remainder is Corps of Engineers property managed by refuge. The Winona District bands and tracks over 150 wood ducks each year. In cooperation with the US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division and the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Winona District participates in the North American Bird Banding Program. Additionally, the Winona District undertakes prescribed burns to maintain native prairie sites and manages several areas of significant biological interest, such as the primitive bottomland forest, the Nelson-Trevino Bottoms in Buffalo County in Pool 4. The La Crosse District oversees Pools 7 and 8 (Trempealeau to Genoa, Wis.) and has been banding and recovering such species of birds as the American black duck, the green-winged teal, the bluewinged teal, Canada goose, mallard, northern pintail and wood duck since the 1920s. In coopera-

The refuge has become increasingly important to migratory birds, particularly as other habitat in the flyway is eradicated. tion with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the La Crosse County Park Department, the La Crosse District maintains the Goose Island and Long Lake Canoe Trails. It also is involved in the Lake Onalaska Voluntary Avoidance Area and the various Corpsmanaged water-level management, dredging, and habitat rehabilitation and enhancement projects. The McGregor District covers

July 1999

..,,

Pools 9, 10 and 11 (Genoa to Dubuque, Iowa) and uses such management tools as cooperative farming, wetland restoration, law enforcement, closed sanctuary areas and environmental education. The Savanna District spans Pools 12, 13 .and 14 (Dubuque to Le Claire, Iowa). The Savanna District conducts Breeding Bird Surveys, and maps rookeries of great blue herons, double-crested cormorants and great egrets. The Savanna District also surveys bald eagle nests and red shouldered hawk nests, maps territories of raptors, and surveys rails and bitterns.

Changing River

When the refuge was established in 1924, the shipping channel was only six feet deep. The river, however, was very polluted and many wetlands were being drained. "The Trempealeau River Marsh had been effectively drained," states manager Jim Fisher. "Although the driving force for the founding of the refuge was bass, an evolutionary process began to recognize the importance of migratory birds." Immediately following completion of the nine-foot channel, "the river blossomed for fish and wildlife." However, states Fisher, "Like all impounded areas, the pools have started to age," suffering such problems as sedimentation, and the loss of islands, fish passage and forests. "The river has gone into a slow decline." Fisher talks about the importance of the Environmental Management Program (EMP), which has "started to assess impacts and has started to address them in a systemic way." He expresses concerns about the uncertain funding of the EMP' s Long Term Resource Management Program, which, he says, has "been a very valuable asset to us." The refuge has become increasingly important to migratory birds, particularly as other habitat in the flyway is eradicated. Now, for ex-

July 1999

areas never dry out to rejuvenate," states Fisher. He is, however, impressed that the Corps has been very "accomLa Crosse modating in their La Crosse District willingness to look MINNESOTA at drawdown and IOWA fish passage." Fisher, who has worked on several refuges before coming to Winona in McGregor District 1992, says that this refuge has more WISCONSIN partnerships than ILLINOIS most. "Most refuges have been well-deSavanna fined, with a block of land that is clearly delineated and marked. The boundaries of the Upper Mississippi Refuge are amorThe Upper Mississippi Refuge is divided into four districts. Headquarters phous and they enfor the entire refuge is in Winona, Minn . compass Corps lands, municipalities, private holdample, 75% of the world's populaings, docks, marinas and more." tion of canvasback uses the refuge, he notes. Âˇ Many activities on the river compete for the same resources - trapIn the fall of 1997, the American ping, hunting, fishing, birdwatchBird Conservancy designated the ing, boating and commercial traffic. Upper Mississippi River National Along with the state Departments Wildlife and Fish Refuge and the of Natural Resources, the Fish and Trempealeau National Wildlife Wildlife Service tries to balance usRefuge as "Globally Important Bird es. With a staff of only 32 for the enAreas in the United States". The tire refuge, they are limited in what honor is the highest level in the designation scheme of the Amerithey can accomplish. By serving as a forum for the can Bird Conservancy's United state and federal agencies working States Important Bird Areas protogether on river issues, the state.gram. It indicates the importance of the extensive wetland and floodrun Upper Mississippi River Coordinating Committee facilitates an plain forest complex which these refuges provide for migratory waongoing dialog on river issues, terfowl, songbirds, shorebirds, and Fisher says. Fisher wants to get more people resident species such as bald eagles. involved in river affairs. He is excitAlthough the river is in an ecoed about the budding Friends of the logical decline, Fisher sees hopeful Upper Mississippi River Refuges, a signs that the Corps is willing to revolunteer group with chapters up consider how it works with the river. It manages the water level necesand down the river. sary for the nine-foot shipping Madelon Wise is associate editor of channel. "These constant high water levels impact the ecosystem, as Big River.

Big River

(Fishing Floats continued from page 1)

and shady areas. Carry-in food and beverages are permitted. The float provides minnow buckets and landing nets. Alma is the only float to always offer live bait right on the float. July should bring in more walleye, bluegills and some catfish, according to Tim Lodermeier. "I always see a good mix ... a little of everything. The record so far this summer is a 15 lb., 5 oz. walleye." 6 a.m. to 6 p.m • $10 daily, $60 7-day pass • A tip-up flag signals a shuttle boat. • Jim, (608) 685-3782, or Tim Lodermeier, (608) 685-3786

Dam Saloon

This float, near Dresbach, Minn., at Lock and Dam 7, has restrooms, benches, chairs and a shaded area. Beverages are available and carry-in food and beverages are permitted. There is limited live bait depending on water conditions. Anglers are pulling in some nice

Tremplo Fishing Float Near Lock and Dam 6 at Trempealeau, Wis., the Tremplo has a new building for shelter and shade, restrooms, tables, chairs, and snacks. Carry-in food and beverages are permitted. "It's a nice quiet, relaxing way to fish, a nice place for families with plenty of room for teaching kids," owner, Steve Hulet said. Call before coming out for fish and water level reports. 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. • $8 daily • A light pole signals a shuttle boat • Ray Burt, (608) 534-6247

Bailey & Son Fishing Float and Cafe At Eastman, Wis., near Lock and Dam 9, this float offers a full cafe. Carry-in food and beverages are also permitted. Restrooms, benches, sheltered and shaded areas are available. Tackle is sold on the float. Anglers can buy food, drink and live bait at The Falling Rock Bar and Bait Shop on shore. Night fishing is .Jil available for anglers ~ who want to spend ; the night and fish uni der the stars. The float provides shelter and bunks, but you need your own sleeping bags or bedding. Call for reservations. Anglers can expect to pull in bluegills, walleye and catfish until mid-July. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. • $10 daily • 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., $15 (night fishing) • A shuttle boat runs on the hour.• Don Bailey, (319) 880-0755

Anglers test the waters at Clements Fishing Barge, Genoa, Wis.

Hwy 35, downriver from Fountain City, Wis., below Lock and Dam SA, the Dam Saloon has a full bar and food. There are benches, picnic tables, restrooms and a pay telephone. No coolers or carry-in food or beverages of any kind are allowed. The bar is open to the public. Anglers are pulling in some huge catfish. "We had a SO-pounder already this summer," one angler said. 7 a.m. to 2 a.m • $6 daily • Park on shore and a short walk • Bob Harris, (608) 687-8286

1-90 Fishing Float

walleye and large catfish, as well stripers, sheepshead and flatheads. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. • $10 / $5 children (group rates available) • A tipup flag signals a shuttle boat. • Bill Pohl, (608) 783-2286

Clements Fishing Barge Near Lock and Dam 8, at Genoa, Wis., Clements, has a small cafe, shaded area;, restrooms, benches, stools and a double railing for safety. Carry-in food and beverages are permitted, and tackle is for sale. It is the oldest in the country and has been operating for 62 years, according to Mark Clements, owner. "My grandfather used to row customers over from shore," he said. In early July, anglers can expect to catch striped bass, bluegills and walleye, according to Clements. "Earlier this summer in a tournament, an angler was fishing here because his boat broke down, and he caught a 10 lb. 4 oz. walleye to win the tournament." 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily • $10 adults, $5 children (daily); $225 single, $325 couple (seasonal) • A tipup flag signals a shuttle boat. • Mark Clements, 1-800-903-4903

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Landing 615 The covered float, at Guttenberg, Iowa, near Lock and Dam 10, has benches and restrooms. Carry-in food and beverages are permitted, and there are vending machines in the office. It is the only float with a winter stove for cold-weather fishing. A fish-cleaning station is available on the floating office. Anglers are catching bluegills, stripers, sheepshead and catfish, according to Rose Cann, owner. "We've had some huge catfish out here, but you'll have to come and see for yourself," she said. 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. • $ 7.50 I $5 children • Raise a bucket on a pole to signal shuttle boat. • Rose Cann, (319) 252-1717

Amy M. Mako is a senior at Winona State University majoring in biology and journalism.

July 1999

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By Mi Ae Lipe-Butterbrodt

River on Exhibit

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Iowa - Two new exhibits where you can explore the Mississippi River are now open in Iowa. The Make Me a River exhibit at the Mississippi River Museum's Woodward Riverboat Museum in Dubuque depicts how human civilization has shaped the river. The exhibit features various historic river information: aquariums of Mississippi River fish in habitats changed by wing dams and locks and dams, a multimedia presentation that includes Hemy Bosse's cyanotype photographs and a River Time Traveler computer with aerial video footage of the river and maps of the river before and after the locks and dams were built. A replica of the Centennial Bridge that spans the Mississippi in the Quad Cities now resides in the Black Earth/Big River exhibit at Putnam Museum in Davenport, Iowa. Visitors can walk across the bridge and experience the sounds and sights of river environments such as wetlands, eddies, a cave and a prairie.

Dragonfly Deformities

Minnesota - Researchers surveying dragonfly populations in northern Minnesota discovered dozens of specimens last summer with deformities such as misshapen mouth parts and missing leg segments. The dragonfly deformities do not seem to be related to the frog deformities found elsewhere in Minnesota, and scientists and state officials warn that it is too early to pinpoint the cause. Pollution may be a factor, according to Wayne Steffens, an independent researcher for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Minneapolis Star Tribune 69-99). Most of the dragonflies were

July 1999

from sites along the Rainy and Upper Mississippi Rivers.

Bald Eagle Recovery Washington, D.C. and Iowa Bald eagles flew off the Endangered Species List on June 17, after the Clinton Administration decided that the species has fully recovered. A ceremony to mark the national bird's recovery is planned for July 4 at the White House, and either President Clinton or Vice President Al Gore may take part (Associated Press 6-17-99). The birds fluttered near extinction after suffering from DDT pesticide contamination in the 1960s and have recovered steadily since the chemical's ban in 1972. Over 4,500 nesting pairs are believed to exist today, compared to fewer than 450 in the 1960s. Two offspring of one of those nesting pairs were the subject of a dramatic rescue attempt in recent weeks by a fisherman and the U.S. Fis~ and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Guttenberg, Iowa. After a thunderstorm blew down a nest containing two eaglets in late May, Mark Schleicer of Cassville, Wis. spotted the stranded young birds and notified Clyde Male, acting manager of the USFWS McGregor District. Bald eagle parents usually abandon chicks who have fallen from their nest, but these adults continued to care for their young; so Male and Tim Loose, a refuge operations specialist, hammered together a new nest from 2-by-4 lumber and wire mesh and mounted it to a nearby tree. One of the eaglets broke a wing in the fall and had to be flown to the University of Minnesota's Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Minneapolis for surgery. "We just got word that the break has mended

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and the bird will be back. .. just in time to fledge with its sibling," said Male (Cedar Rapids Gazette 6-1699).

Pollution Suit Prairie du Chien, Wis. - A bulk commodities company that constructed and operated auxiliary grain handling facilities without securing necessary permits will pay $115,000 to settle alleged air quality violations. Court documents indicate that Prairie Sand and Gravel (PS&G) built a temporary facility on St. Feriole Island on the Mississippi River, which allowed more simultaneous grain loading to river barges. The PS&G, however, did not obtain the required federal and state permits. A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) notice of violation later shut down the facility. A year later the company constructed a permanent grain loading facility without notifying the DNR in writing and improperly operated

Big Riverâ„˘ Big River (ISSN 1070-8340) is published

monthly by Riverwise, Inc., 111 Riverfront, Suite 204, Winona, MN 55987; (507) 454-5949; fax: (507) 454-2133; email: editors@bigriver.com; web site: http://www.big-river.com Reggie McLeod editor/publisher assistant editor Molly McGuire Mi Ae Lipe-Butterbrodt associate editor Kathy Delano design/marketing Mary Feathergill office manager Madelon Wise associate editor AmyM. Mako intern Subscriptions are $28 for one year, $50 for two years or $2.75 per single issue. Send subscriptions, single copy orders and change-ofaddress requests to Big River, PO Box 204, Winona, MN 55987. Second-class postage paid at Winona, MN. POS'.CMASTER: send dumge-of-address requests to Big River, PO Box 204, Winona, MN 55987. Big River, Volume 7, Number 7, copyright July 1999. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Printed on recycled paper.

it for nearly two years. In agreeing to pay the civil fine and comply with air quality monitoring, PS&G has not admitted to violating federal air pollution laws, and an attorney for the company says the plant has complied with federal and state regulations since before the suit was filed in August (La Crosse Tribune 610-99).

Healthy Edge Minnesota and Wisconsin - When it comes to landscaping your shoreline property, not all plants are safe - or legal. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) warns folks shopping for aquatic plants that some species are considered exotic and may pose an invasive threat to native species. Plants regulated or prohibited as exotics in Minnesota include the flowering rush, European frog-bit, hydrilla, purple loosestrife, water chestnut and any non-native waterlily. The MDNR is also alerting retailers and wholesalers about these plants. "There are a number of exotic plant species that are prohibited in Minnesota but that might be legal in other states, and are available from major wholesale distributors," said Jay Rendall, DNR Exotic Species Program Coordinator. "Local stores may inadvertently buy these species and resell them to customers." However, don't be so discouraged by the regulations that you rush to lay sod along your shoreline. Grooming, weeding and fertilizing a manicured grass lawn subjects wildlife and water to runoffs of excess clippings, nutrients and pollutants. Also, removing brush and trees means a habitat with fewer fish and bird species, according to the Wisconsin DNR. The WDNR recommends letting natural vegetation flourish along the shoreline, even if the result looks a little untidy. Not only is it far more beneficial for your shoreline ecosystem, but you won't have

to mow or fertilize.

It's a Crime San Francisco - Polluting water, even if caused by simple negligence, can be a crime punishable by a year in jail, according to a ruling by a federal appeals court on June 18. The Alaska case involved Edward Hanousek, Jr., a roadmaster for the Pacific & Arctic Railway & Navigation Co., who allowed backhoeing operations next to a highpressure oil pipeline without sufficiently protecting the pipe. A backhoe operator punctured the pipe, releasing thousands of gallons of oil into the Skagway River in October 1994. Hanousek was convicted of violating the Clean Water Act and held responsible for his own negligence, not the backhoe operator's, since Hanousek knew the dangers of operating heavy machinery near the pipeline. He was sentenced to six months in jail, six months in a halfway house and a $5,000 fine (Associated Press 3-21-99). The ruling sets a broad standard for Clean Water Act prosecutions in nine western states. Whereas most crimes reqt1ire proof of gross negligence, the court maintained the Clean Water Act is a "public welfare" law that can be based on ordinary negligence or failure to use reasonable care, as in most civil suits for injuries.

Penny on the River Minnesota - A former congressman says modernizing the lockand-dam system on the Upper Mississippi River is critical if U.S. farmers want to remain competitive in the world grain markets. During his years as a Minnesota senator and 1st District congressman, Democrat Tim Penny made his reputation as a fiscal conservative who strongly supported farmers. He now works for the Minnesota-based public relations firm Himle-Horner, which represents MARC

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2000, a lobbying association for the tow industry. In a recent guest editorial in the Winona Daily News Penny never mentioned his association with MARC 2000. In the editorial Penny advocated "modernizing" the lock-and-dam system to expand grain shipping on the river and continuing funding for the conservation-oriented Environmental Management Program. Penny says U.S. farmers will need to rely increasingly on river shipping to remain profitable: "The alternative transportation systems [rail and truck] are not acceptable in that the transportation costs are prohibitive" (5-27-99). However, in his 1996 book Pay-

ment Due, A Nation in Debt, A Generation in Trouble, Penny and co-author Steven Schier recommend raising user fees for inland waterways by 50 percent in their proposal to reduce the federal deficit. He does not mention shifting more of the cost of the lock-and-dam system to the tow industry in his recent editorial. Penny maintains that barge shipping is efficient in terms of energy and cost, and he's encouraged by the increasing cooperation between shippers and environmentalists in the last 15 years. The editorial asserts that by enabling more exports, providing lower shipping costs and creating U.S. jobs, the Upper Mississippi River system "returns $6 in benefits for every $1 spent." During a phone interview with Big River after the editorial was published, Penny attributed the statement to MARC 2000 (which, in turn, attributed it to the Army Corps of Engineers). However, preliminary results of a soon-tobe-released study by the Corps finds it difficult to economically justify expanding the system (see Big River, January 1999). MARC 2000 wants to see 10 locks between Dubuque, Iowa, and Alton, Ill., doubled in length to accommodate more barges and ease costly delays. Environmental

July 1999

groups oppose lengthening the locks, which they say will damage the river's precarious health. Penny says environmentalists have an obligation to explain how transportation can be accommodated within a conservation plan for river resources, and that greater commercial demands on the river make the Environmental Management Program even more crucial to manage habitat diversity, which he says "incidentally resulted from the pools and backwaters created by the lock and dam system" (6-1-99).

Clamming Convictions Muscatine, Iowa - The last of eight individuals charged with illegal clamming activities by the Mississippi Valley Shell (MVS) Company were recently convicted, ending a four-year joint investigation by the Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation officers from Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio and North Dakota. The sentences bring the total penalties to the company and individuals to $257,750 in fines, $166,739 in restitution, 63 months in prison, 34 years of probation and $1,425 in crime victims' funds. The Minnesota, Illinois and Ohio departments of natural resources and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will split the restitution funds. The case involved over $1 million worth of endangered freshwater mussels, many of which were harvested from protected beds. With prices skyrocketing for the scarce mussels, whose shells are used in the lucrative Asian cultured-pearl industry, MVS president "Butch" Ballenger personally told clammers to harvest the shellfish from closed waters. The illegal harvests usually occurred at night in an attempt to evade conservation officers. Fictitious names and harvest locations were used on the paperwork to make it appear that the mussels came from legal waters. "This joint investigation and the

July 1999

total penalties send a strong message to those who violate natural resources laws that we will not allow abuses to go unpunished," said Leo Haseman, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources enforcement chief.

On the Border Minnesota and Wisconsin - The fate of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission is in the hands of the Wisconsin Legislature, now that Minnesota has approved full funding for the Commission for the next two years. Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura reversed his earlier recommendation to shut down the commission, which, along with the Citizens' Council on Voyageurs National Park, he has said is an "unnecessary duplication of effort." Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson originally announced that he would support Ventura's decision to end the Commission (see Big River, Current Events, March 1999). The Boundary Area Commission provides a forum for agencies and citizens from both states to discuss issues affecting the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. J.n response to a recent suggestion from the Wisconsin Executive Budget that the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the Boundary Area Commission serve the same purpose, the commission compared both agencies and found that only four out of 37 functions are duplicated. Personnel from the Basin Association and other agencies agreed with the analysis. At press time, the Wisconsin Legislature was scheduled to decide the commission's future by the end of June. The commission needs funding from both states to continue.

Big River Picnic Winona, Minn. - The first annual Big River potluck picnic will be on Saturday, July 24, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Latsch Island, across the Main Channel from Winona, Minn.

Big River

All Big River readers, contributors, friends and interested parties are invited to come and bring a dish to pass. Big River will provide soda and juice. Come, kick back and enjoy the river with us. Coming from Minnesota, go through Winona, cross the Interstate Bridge and turn right immediately, From Wisconsin, take Highway 35 and watch for the Latsch Island turnoff. Turn left at the bottom of the hill and follow the road to the white tent near the Wagon Bridge.

Status and Trends How healthy is the Upper Mississippi? A new, 240-page report full of great maps, photographs and illustrations gives the lowdown on the effects of human activity on the river. Released by the Mississippi River Long Term Resource Monitoring Program, Ecological Status and Trends of the Upper Mississippi River System 1998 will be used by river managers and policymakers to help decide issues involving competing uses of the river. Using ecological criteria, scientists found that habitat loss, sedimentation and competition from non-native species has degraded the river's health. The river needs constant attention to offset these problems and restore itself. Many libraries have copies of the report, or you can download it from the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center. See the Big River website for a link.

Now Available!

The Little Tow-Watcher's Guide 1999 Edition $8.50 (+$1.00 shipping) write: Big River, PO Box 204 Winona, MN 55987 fax: (507) 454-2133 call: l-800-303-8201 â€˘ Minnesota residents add 6.5% tax â€˘ Winona residents add 7% â€˘ Please pay by check, VISA or Mastercard.

Special Events & Festivals

July Through 4 Steamboat Days, Winona, Minn. Through 4 Riverfest, La Crosse, Wis. 2-4 Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, Davenport, Iowa, 1-800-747-7800. 3 Fireworks, Lock & Dam 11, Dubuque, Iowa, (319) 588-5700. 3 Stars & Stripes River Day, Guttenberg, Iowa. 3-4 Heritage Days, Bellevue, Iowa. 3-5 July Fourth Celebration, Marquette, Iowa. 8 Open House Down by the Riverside, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m., Coon Rapids Dam, Brooklyn Park, Minn., (612) 424-8172. 8-10 Summerfest, Rock Island, Ill. 9-11 Showboat Days, Minneapolis, Minn. 9-11 Catfish Days, Trempealeau, Wis. 10 Summerfest, Savanna, Ill. 10-11 Gramercy Park Blues & Jazz Fest, East Dubuque, Ill. 14 Family Fun Day, Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul, Minn., (651) 726-1171. 17 Minneapolis Aquatennial Mississippi River Canoe Adventure, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Friends of the Mississippi River, register, (651) 222-2193. 17 Lions Club Celebration, Genoa, Wis. 17 Riverfest & Art Fair, Anoka, Minn. 17 Art Fair, Stockholm, Wis. 17-18 Twin-O-Rama, Cassville, Wis. 17-19 Rivertown Days, Hastings, Minn. 24 Moonlight Hike, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Marquette, Iowa, (319) 873-3491. 24 Big River Potluck Picnic, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Latsch Island, Winona, Minn. 24-25 John Henry Buckskinners Rendevous, Bellevue, Iowa. 30 Audubon Ark Kickoff, noon, Riverfront Park, La Crosse, Wis. 30-31 Riverboat Days, Wabasha, Minn. 30-31 Prairie Dog Blues Festival, St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien, Wis. 31-Aug. 26 Audubon Ark, stops at Upper Mississippi river towns, St. Paul, Minn. to the Quad Cities, (651) 290-1695. 31 Birdwalk, 8 a.m., Effigy Mounds National Monument, Marquette, Iowa, (319) 873-3491.

August Âˇ 7 Catfish Festival Canoe Race, Potosi, Wis., (608) 763-2121. 14 SO-year Birthday Celebration, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Marquette, Iowa, (319) 873-3491. 15 Prairie Day, Great River Bluff State Park, Dakota, Minn.

Meetings & Hearings July 13 Friends of Upper Miss Refuge, Coulee Region, 7 p.m., Goose Island, La Crosse, Wis., (608) 783-4104. 14 Mississippi Wild and Scenic River Planning, Land Use RiverForum, 7 p.m., Becker, Minn., (651) 297-4951. 22 Public river discussion, Minnesota Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission, 6:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center, Winona State University, Winona, Minn., (651) 436-7131. August 11-15 Missisippi River Parkway Commission Annual Meeting, Brainerd, Minn., (612) 212-2533.

Workshops & Conferences July 8-11 Mississsippi River Basin Alliance, Universiy of Missouri, St. Louis, Mo., (612) 870-3441. Upper Mississippi River - Illinois Waterway System Navigation Study public workshops, 6 p.m - 10 p.m., (309) 794-5266. 7 /26 St.Louis, Mo. 7 I 27 Quincy, Ill. 7 I 28 Peoria, Ill. 7 I 29 Bettendorf, Iowa 8 I 3 Des Moines, Iowa 8 / 4 La Crosse, Wis. 8 / 5 Inver Grove Heights, Minn.

September Vegetation of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, La Crosse, Wis., (608) 785-8259. ~

Almanac By Kenny Salwey Thunder claps and lightning strikes resound from hill to hill, flashing across the hot, humid nighttime sky. Flickering campfires dot the sandbars. Nights are short. By the time the last shadows of darkness have disappeared the big river is alive and vibrant. Great blue herons, snowy egrets, kingfishers, bald eagles and flocks of cormorants stake out their favorite fishing holes. River folks do the same. July is one of the highest usage months on the Mississippi for commercial traffic as well. Towboats hum and chum their way past the river towns like the homeless wind, never staying for long, always moving on. The river critters are wandering too - no houses or lodges for the muskrats or beavers now. Raccoon families travel the water's edge in search of frogs, crayfish and clams. River otters play and hunt over many miles of river bottoms. At dusk or dawn white-tailed fawns may be seen with their mothers. In the afternoons and evenings, pontoons, flat bottoms and runabouts ply the waters. Plenty of time after work for biking, waterskiing, swimming, fishing or charcoal grilling - whatever we want to do. Winter's cold and the coming of autumn are all far away. Independence Day and freedom are celebrated in July right fitting wouldn't you say my friend? ~

Big River

July 1999