Who We Are What We Do Activities Brochure Visit Us Links Home

August 2006

Genoa and Federal and State Cooperators Make Large Strides in Endangered Mussel Recovery in 2006

Recovery efforts for the federally endangered Higgins' Eye Pearlymussel made significant progress during 2006 in the Upper Mississippi River system through the concerted efforts of multiple federal and state natural resource agencies. Under the guidance of the 2002 relocation plan, formulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Mussel Conservation Team (a consortium of state and federal agencies charged with mussel conservation efforts on the Upper Mississippi River), over 2.2 million juvenile Higgins' Eye mussels were released into multiple recovery sites within the Upper Mississippi river watershed.

In addition to the millions of young mussels stocked by the Mussel Conservation Team (MCT) during 2006 the group completed harvest operations on their advanced growth cage culture operations located in Lake Pepin, MN and Dubuque, IA.

Combined production of yearling mussels at the two sites yielded over 22,000 sub-adults. These mussels will be cultured for an additional two years before being stocked out into relocation and recovery sites within the Upper Mississippi River watershed in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. Placement of advanced stage sub-adult and adult mussels from these operations first began in 2004 and since that time have been responsible for the establishment of six additional populations of these endangered animals in the Mississippi River and several tributaries.Skip navigation links

Largemouth bass are inoculated with larval mussels and released or placed in cages as part of the Higgins eye recovery efforts

Higgins eye pearlymussels recovered from cages in Lake Pepin

During 2006 an additional 2,443 adult and sub-adult mussels produced from the Lake Pepin culture operation were released into recovery areas in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has been a key player in these recovery efforts by being an active participant in the MCT as well as providing technical assistance through its Ecological Services - Twin Cities Field Office, Minneapolis, MN, La Crosse Fisheries Resource Office, La Crosse, WI, and the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, Genoa, WI.

Tony Brady (Genoa NFH), Mike Davis (MN DNR) and John Sobiech (USACE) harvest cages from Lake Pepin

Floating cages used in Ice Harbor, Dubuque, IA for Higgins eye culture

Cooperative efforts between these offices, as well as the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the state department of natural resources of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois stand as a example of how different programs, agencies, and people can come together and overcome great challenges.

— Roger Gordon

Volunteers Put Mussels to Bed in the Cedar River

The old adage many hands make for light work was proven when 31 volunteers from the Waterloo, IA area showed up on August 8th to assist the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, Hartman Reserve Nature Center, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources in mussel restoration efforts on the Cedar River in eastern Iowa.

Volunteers comprised of interested local residents, a local Boy Scout troop and students from Hawkeye Community College were eager to assist in tagging the mussels and placing the animals in the Cedar River. The mussels for this restoration effort were cultured in cages floated in Ice Harbor, Dubuque, IA in a joint effort in 2005 between Genoa NFH and the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. These mussels were harvested from the floating cages in the fall of 2005 and placed back into submerged cages in Lake Pepin, MN to over winter below the ice. With assistance from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the mussels were harvested from Lake Pepin in June of 2006 and were transported to Genoa NFH.

Volunteers working together to tag 3500 mussels to be released into the Cedar and Wapsipinicon Rivers. Photo by Lyndsey Anderson

Adult volunteers assist boy scouts in placing mussels into the Cedar River. Photo by Lyndsey Anderson

At Genoa NFH the mussels were scrubbed to remove any zebra mussels, then quarantined for 30 days to insure that no zebra mussels would be transported to the Cedar River. In total 3500 mussels of two species, the plain pocketbook and the black sandshell, were tagged and released. The mussels were divided into three equal groups, with beds being established upstream of Waterloo, IA, at Palisades-Kepler state park, and a third site on the Wapsipinicon River near Central City. This bed will be used as a control site to compare survival and growth with those in the Cedar River. These mussel beds will be monitored over the next several years to answer questions about the low densities of mussels in the Cedar River.

— Tony Brady

Local Scout Earns Eagle by Assisting Hatchery Outreach Program

Alex Derrickson, Genoa, of De Soto/Wheatland Troop 31 achieved the rank of Eagle Scout this summer and assisted the Genoa hatchery in its outreach program at the same time. Alex was awarded his Eagle at a ceremony held at the Wheatland Community Center on Saturday, August 5. He fulfilled the community service requirements of his Eagle Scout badge last summer by helping design and complete an interpretive walking trail at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. A service project is part of the requirements of fulfilling the Eagle rank, and Alex teamed with the Genoa hatchery to make an interpretive walking trail that describes ongoing conservation efforts at the station.

Alex Derrickson stands by trail interpretive sign

The trail encompasses one mile of gravel roads that encircle the hatchery grounds, and includes 16 interpretive signs and bases. A trail map was also prepared to guide visitors along their way. The walking trail should serve the community and hatchery visitors for years to come. As it is in all of life, Alex had assistance along the way in completing the project. Jenny Walker, the hatchery SCEP student and the crack maintenance crew at the hatchery, Dan Kumlin and Jeff Lockington, were instrumental in helping Alex along the way. Alex is a 2006 graduate of De Soto high school, and will be attending the Wisconsin Technical Community College in La Crosse, studying computer electrical technology. — Doug Aloisi

Hatchery Assists Corps of Engineers Blackhawk Park with Kids' Fishing Day

The Genoa hatchery assisted our neighbors on the River by staffing an outreach display during the educational portion of their Kids' Fishing Day held on August 5th. The Corps of Engineers Blackhawk Park facility holds an annual Kids' Fishing Day that typically draws participants from the three-state (Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) area. The hatchery was on hand to set up an aquarium and display featuring Upper Mississippi River fish and mussels for over 100 kids to see and touch live sturgeon, mussels, and flathead catfish. The group was broken into five separate groups which were each given a 15-minute presentation on fish identification, fish habitat requirements, and fish behavior. They were then turned loose to try their luck in the River. This cooperative effort is a unique opportunity to partner with a federal agency to promote a conservation message to the next generation of natural resource stewards. – Doug Aloisi

Biologist Nick Starzl shows a fish to kids

Genoa Intern Project Provides Hatchery with Depths of Understanding

Walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass are three of the many species of fish reared at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH). These fish are integral in the propagation of endangered mussels such as the Higgins' eye pearly mussel, as well as fulfilling commitments for fishery management requests throughout the Midwest. Each of these species requires the utilization of the hatchery's outdoor rearing ponds, which range in size from a half an acre to 34 acres. Pond management during the growing season is critical for their survival and harvest.

Throughout the season, the nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the ponds need to be adjusted in order to promote phytoplankton and zooplankton communities which are beneficial as forage for young fish. By taking water samples weekly, biologists can calculate the amount of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus needed to add to the pond in order to attain a favorable ratio.

Genoa National Fish Hatchery Interns Brandon Keesler and Ashley Umberger

Construction worker showing the amount of dredge which was removed from the bottom of the hatchery ponds during the winter of 2003. This removal altered the pond volume information, which had been used for decades.

However, the amount of fertilizer added is dependent on the water capacity of the pond. Unfortunately, the last time the water volume of the ponds was calculated was decades ago. Since then, many of the ponds have been dredged and revamped, creating unknown pond volumes. In July and August of 2006, Genoa NFH interns Brandon Keesler and Ashley Umberger began surveying the ponds in order to develop new values. All nine of the renovated pond surveys were completed over the summer. The new values will be a great asset in determining safe and efficient fertilization and treatment levels.

– Nick Starzl

For additional information about any accomplishment report please contact Genoa National Fish Hatchery.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service