Document Type

Research

Keywords

Iowa, fishes, fisheries, endangered fish species, habitat alteration

Abstract

Settlers in Iowa found a rich and diverse fisheries resource in its creeks, rivers, and lakes. However, for nearly a century, degradation of the aquatic environments and their fishes occurred as a result of agricultural and urban development. Since the 1930's management efforts have improved the interior sport fishery resources but many nongame species have been extirpated or are imperiled in the state. Various forms of pollution and habitat alteration remain as threats to the well-being of stream and lake fishes in Iowa. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers bordering Iowa have been drastically changed by navigation improvements and other influences. At least 17 Iowa fishes may be regarded to be in danger of extirpation from these waters, and stocks of many others have been depleted. Fisheries production of the Upper Mississippi River has been relatively stable for the past several decades and is improved in some respects but that of the Missouri River has declined to relative insignificance. Efforts are presently under way to mitigate the damage caused to the fish and wildlife resources of these rivers by the navigation alterations.

Publication Date

March 1981

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

Last Page

Copyright

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File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Menzel, Bruce W. (1981) "Iowa's Waters and Fishes: A Century and a Half of Change," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 88(1), 17-23.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol88/iss1/7

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Iowa's Waters and Fishes: A Century and a Half of Change

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