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"Searching for the needle in the Haystack"
2005 August 29, 30, 31
2005 September 1, 2
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Iowa River, Cedar River transformed Higginsii Survey:
When: August 29 through September 2, 2005.
Where: Start at the Hills Access on the Iowa River. South of Iowa
City, take Hwy 218 south to Hills exit F62 (or 520th SE) go east through the town of Hills to the Johnson County Conservation Board Park called Hills Access.
Start Time: Organize and Rally at 10:30 a.m. Monday August 29, 2005. At the Hills Access.
Tentative Plans: Search the Iowa River August 29 and August 30th
possibly September 1. Switch over to the Cedar River August 30th and
September 1. September 2 is a rain date.
Be prepared for changing plans. Water levels can vary greatly in a
short period of time. Site locations and sampling regimes will change as the week progresses.
Contact Numbers: Paul Sleeper (Area Fisheries Biologist)
1-319-624-3615 office, 1-319-350-8399 cell, Scott Gritters 1-563-252-1156 and 1-563-590-8872 cell. Tony Brady and Roger Gordon, Genoa NFH 1-608-689-2605 and 1-608-769-2606 or 1-608-769-2605 cell.
Hotel information: A good central hotel location is the Heartland Inn in Coralville, Iowa
The telephone number is 319-351-8132.
In addition, tent camping is available at the Hills Access
What has been stocked to date?
The first higginsii inoculated fish stocking of the Iowa River was
conducted in the fall of 2001. A total of six fish stockings have
taken place, four spring stockings (2002-2005) and two fall stockings
(2001 and 2003). A total of 5,970 inoculated fish have been stocked.
Fish species stocked are mostly smallmouth bass and walleye.
The first stocking of the Cedar River was conducted in the spring of
2001 and it has been stocked each spring up to 2005. A total of 5,181 higginsii inoculated fish have been stocked into the Cedar River system.
This Sampling Effort:
If any young higginsii have survived we expect the size to range in
size from dime-sized to three or four inches. We plan on utilizing
several techniques to sample for these mussels. The effort will consist of basic pollywoggin (wading), diving, brailing and sieving sediment.
You do not have to be a mussel expert to do this sampling. Experts from the US Fish and Wildlife, Corps of Engineers and Iowa DNR will be on
hand to help with sampling efforts. The Iowa DNR will have boats on
site to shuttle people if needed.
Sampling will start on the Iowa River because a number of live species of mussels were found near Hills. It is hoped that our transformed
mussels will inhabit this location as well. We will organize the event
on Monday at 10:30.
What to bring:
Stream wading shoes and cloths
Gloves (some will be provided)
Sack Lunch
Water
Bug Repellant
Life jacket (some will be provided)
First-aid kit.
Warning: Both of these Rivers contain dangerous items in the water
and sediment such as broken glass and rusty wire. Always be cognizant
of these hazards and dress accordingly. Trash bags will be available
and do plan on leaving these rivers cleaner then when we found them.
Scott Gritters
Iowa DNR-Fisheries Biologist
PO Box 250
Guttenberg, Iowa 52052
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Event: "Searching for the needle in the Haystack"
Posted - 08/18/2005 : 1:06:44 PM 
