|
by Jim Sauter "And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. But one thing is certain, When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about." Haruki Murakami, Fly Fisherman, Aug-Sept, 2026 When reading a recent article in Fly Fisherman, my mind immediately wandered back to a fateful day while trout fishing when I was caught in a terrible storm. The fishing was very good that day, and I was not paying close attention to the weather. I was fishing the Root River on a beautiful summer day in SE Minnesota. I was preoccupied with a caddis hatch and the brown trout that were actively feeding. The next thing I knew, the storm moved in quickly. Threatening clouds moved in. The winds kicked up. Gusts exceeded 50 mph. The torrential rain began. I felt completely helpless as I struggled to remain standing. I was leaning into the wind at about a 45 degree angle and finally ended up on the ground. By the time it was over, I was exhausted and totally soaked from the waist up. Luckily, I had my waders on and did not get hit by any flying debris or lightning! The storm came abruptly, and just as quickly, it was gone. The peonies and other flowers from a neighboring farm were destroyed and scattered all over the road. Branches from nearby trees were strewn over the roadway. My immediate thought was, "Holy CRA_! I didn't see that coming." Have you ever had this kind of experience? The lesson was clear. Be careful, especially during this stormy time of the year where we have some of the warmest summer days. And be sure to check river conditions and water temperatures following a major rain event. If the water temperatures are above 68 degrees, "give trout a break" by either coming back on another day or finding colder water. Time to listen to "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors. I dread being caught in the storm but really enjoy the rumbling sounds and majesty of a good storm. Good luck as you face storms on area streams, rivers, and beyond. NITRATE POLLUTION AWARENESS WEEK IS COMING Source: Sam Puckett, Clean Water Program Director, Izaak Walton League July is here, and that means Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week is right around the corner! Nitrate is an invisible, tasteless contaminant with serious impacts on human health and environmental quality. In streams and lakes, nitrate pollution causes an ecological imbalance that is responsible for producing algae blooms and areas devoid of oxygen, called dead zones. In our drinking water, elevated nitrate contributes to increased incidence of thyroid disease, pre-term births, neural tube birth defects and cancers. Despite these harmful impacts, nitrate from sources like fertilizers, manure, and sewage continues to be added to the landscape, polluting waterways and threatening communities nationwide. That’s why the TCTU Streamkeepers supports our partner organization, the Izaak Walton League of America, as they spearhead Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week, from July 26- August 1, 2026, to raise awareness about the sources and impacts of nitrate pollution and to connect members of the public with opportunities to monitor nitrate pollution and advocate for solutions. Read on to learn more about what Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week will entail and how to get involved by clicking the embedded links above! You can join by learning, monitoring, and/or becoming an advocate for cleaner water. We encourage you to participate in Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week, and there are even chances to win valuable prizes! Help us as we strive to get the nitrates out of our streams and rivers. That's all for now. Tight lines. Jim Sauter TCTU Streamkeeper Coordinator STREAM READINGS 2026 TCTU Streamkeeper monitor volunteers have been busy. We have recorded 78 readings so far this year and 25 more readings over the last month. Our coldest water temperature of the year so far was recorded at Brown's Creek on April 21st and came it in at 5.9 degrees Celsius and 43 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmest water temperature reading so far this year was at Little Cannon at a whopping 23.5 degrees Celsius on June 30th and a balmy 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit. There have already been a few readings on our area streams where we need to "give trout a break." Here is a sample of some of our more recent readings... Stream: Belle Creek Date: 6/29/26 Observer: Brian Hanson Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, good Water Temp: 17.2 degrees C, good Nitrate: 5 ppm, fair Nitrite: 0.0 ppm, good Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Notes: None Stream: Brown's Creek Date: 6/27/26 Observer: Tony Gantenbein Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 13 degrees C, good Nitrate: 20 ppm, poor Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 80 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7.5, good Phosphate: 0 ppb, good Notes: Water temperatures increased Stream: Eagle Creek Date: 6/29/26 Observer: Robert Logelin Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, 100 cm, excellent Water Temp: 13.8 degrees C, good Nitrate: 0 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7.5, good Phosphate: no reading Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Notes: Seed planted for habitat improvement are sprouting Stream: Hay Creek, 305th St Date: 7/2/26 Observer: Mitch Abbett Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 17 degrees C, good Nitrate: 10 ppm, poor Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.0, good Phosphate: 200, poor Chloride: 30 ppm, good Notes: Beautiful, some color to the water Stream: Little Cannon, MN Date: 6/30/26 Observer: Mike Stinson Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Murky Water Temp: 23.5 degrees C, poor Nitrate: 10 ppm, poor Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.5, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Stream Disturbance: Logs jutting out into the river, no rises and saw no fish Stream: Little Rock Creek Date: 6/18/26 Observer: Joe Chovan Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 13.8 degrees C, good Nitrate: 5 ppm, fair Nitrite: 1.5 ppm, poor Alkalinity 120 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7.5, good Phosphate: 100, poor Chloride: No reading Stream Disturbances: Barrier Notes: 3rd rain event Stream: Mall of America/ Ike's Creek Date: 7/4/26 Observer: Harold Slawik Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear, 60 cm with Secchi Tube, excellent Water Temp: 19.2 degrees C, fair Nitrate: 2 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.0, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 297 ppm, poor Notes: The restored section of the stream is completely covered with vegetation. Primarily watercress. Stream: South Branch Vermillion Date: 7/4/26 Observer: Rowe Winecoff Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Murky, 60 cm with Secchi Tube Water Temp: 17.0 degrees C, good Nitrate: 10 ppm, poor Nitrite: 0.0 ppm, good Alkalinity: 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7, good Phosphate: 100, poor Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Notes: Stream is up since last reading and flowing freely Stream: South Branch Whitewater Date: 7/2/26 Observer: Mike Tanguay Weather: Intermittent Rain Water Clarity: Muddy Water Temp: 19.72 degrees C, fair Nitrate: 2 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 120 ppm, good Hardness: 120 ppm, good pH: 7, good Phosphate: 300, poor Chloride: No reading Notes: Livestock in water Stream: Trout Brook Date: 6/24/26 Observer: Dwight Smith Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 13 degrees C, good Nitrate: 40 ppm, poor Nitrite: 1 ppm, poor Alkalinity 210 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8, good Phosphate: 0 ppm, good Chloride: 34 ppm, excellent PHOTOS Thank you to some of our TCTU Streamkeeper volunteers for sharing some pictures of our streams. From Top: Photos by Todd Christenson, Eagle Creek Habitat Restoration, June 24, 2026 Photo by Mike Stinson, A Calm Day on Little Cannon, June 30, 2026 Photo by Jim Sauter Family of Ducks on Lac de Mille Lacs, Upsala, Ontario, June 19, 2026 Knife River near Two Harbors, June 7, 2026 
1 Comment
Yves Charron
7/16/2026 09:35:05 am
Thank you for the temp info and recommendation chart. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2026
Categories |
RSS Feed