TCTU Streamkeeper Report - May 2022

Greetings from your TCTU stream-keepers, and welcome to the spring season.  We look forward to expanding our “targeted” streams and will be monitoring these streams in 2022:  Bell, Hay, Little Cannon, South Vermillion, and Trout Brook.  In addition, we have several “general” Streamkeepers monitoring other streams on a more random and spontaneous manner.  In the coming months, we hope to give you updates on stream conditions in the TCTU area and beyond.  

Good news.  According to our stream-keeper reports, the water temperatures are warming up and the hatches are in full swing.  The trees are budding to life, birds are completing their migrations, and the landscape is greening nicely.  Looks like the drought of 2021 is hopefully in our rear-view mirror.
Overall, most stream temperatures are now in the upper 40 and lower 50-degree range.  We are well past the 42 degree and 45 degree rise temperatures!
Also, water chemistry appears to be in the normal range in most streams, except there are some with elevated nitrate levels.  Water levels are baseflow to mid-stream, and clarity is mostly clear.  Precipitation has helped replenish our streams, and the cool spring has kept the water temperatures relatively low for this time of year.
Below are our latest reports!

1. TARGETED STREAMKEEPERS.  Our twenty-one “targeted” Streamkeepers are monitoring Belle, Hay Creek, Little Cannon, South Vermillion, and Trout Brook. 
2. Belle Creek- Team of Dean Albrecht (Captain), Paul Frank, and Todd Hustad.  

Belle Creek was added to our “targeted” streams for the 2022 monitoring season.  The stream is located south of the Welch Village Ski Area and north of Highway 19.  We just determined our monitoring site and will soon be “flagged” as a site on the WISEH2O app with the preference of TCTU locations.  Two pictures of this creek have been included.   
April 4. 2022, water quality normal except high levels of nitrate and moderate level of phosphate, water clarity was murky, water level was base-flow, water temperature of 42 degrees.
April 7, 2022, water quality all normal except for elevated nitrate levels, water clarity was murky, water level was mid-stage, water temperature of 40 degrees.
May 1, 2022, water quality all normal except for elevated nitrate levels, water clarity was clear, water level was mid-stage, weather had regional rainfall, water temperature was 48 degrees.

1. Hay Creek- team of Mike Stinson (Captain), Keith Ketchmark, Josh O’Tool, Larry Olson, and Mitch Abbett.

This is our second year of monitoring Hay Creek.  The stream is located just south of Red Wing and west of highway 58 with two monitoring stations that have been “flagged” on the WISEH2O app.
April 9, 2022, water quality all normal range except for low alkalinity, water clarity was clear, water level was mid-stage, water temperature was 45 degrees.

1. Little Cannon- team of Hillary Pennalla (Captain), Meredith Gallagher, Joe Page, and Ron Richardson.

This is our first year of monitoring this stream, and there has been a new easement in this area as part of the Minnesota DNR Little Cannon River Aquatic Management Area.  
We are still in the process of establishing the “flagged” location on the WISEH2O app for monitoring.

1. South Vermillion- Thomas Walkington (Captain), Doug Moran, Matt Klein, John Klesch, and Toni Thomas are the volunteer stream keepers for the South Branch of the Vermillion River.

This is our second year of monitoring this stream.  Located south of Coates off highway 52, the stream has been the site of extensive stream restoration in recent years.  
April 7, 2022, water quality all normal range except for elevated nitrate level, water clarity was clear, water level was mid-stage, and water temperature was 40 degrees.

1. Trout Brook- team of Matt Lowe (Captain), Dan Erickson, Andy McRae, and Richard Varco.

This is our second-year monitoring Trout Brook, and the stream is located near Miesville Ravine Park Reserve.  The monitoring site is flagged on the WISEH2O site.
April 19, 2022, water quality all in the normal range except for elevated nitrate levels, water clarity was clear, water level was baseflow, and water temperature was 51 degrees.
May 2, 2022, water quality was all normal except for elevated nitrate levels, water clarity was clear, water level was mid-stage, recent regional rainfall, and water temperature was 45 degrees.  

1.  GENERAL ANGLERS.  About thirty “general” Streamkeepers are busy conducting more random and spontaneous monitoring of streams in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Here are some of those observations in April 2022…

GENERAL STREAM-KEEPING IN MINNESOTA

    Cold Creek
    April 22, 2022, water quality in the normal ranges except for nitrites and nitrates, water
    clarity was clear, water level was mid-stage, weather had regional rainfall.

    Eagle Creek
May 1, 2022, water quality in the normal range for pH, alkalinity, hardness, phosphate, nitrite, and nitrates.  Water clarity was clear, and the water temperature was 48 degrees.

WISCONSIN
Kinnickinnic.
April 30,2022, water quality was normal except for high levels of nitrites and nitrates, water level was mid-stage, water clarity was murky, and the water temperature was 47 degrees. May 2, 2022, water quality had nitrates and phosphorus elevated, water clarity was murky, weather had regional rainfall, and the water temperature was 47 degrees.

IOWA
Upper Iowa River
April 15, 2022, water quality had low alkalinity and hardness levels and elevated nitrates, water temperature was 42 degrees.
Are you interested in becoming a stream-keeper?  Those who are interested in TCTU Streamkeeper and WiseH2O App monitoring in 2022 can take the steps indicated below.  Also, online training and onsite training is available, and we have a limited number of kits available if you have limited resources- just contact me. 

1. Download the WiseH2O App:  Android and iPhone versions of the WiseH2O App are available for free download at the Google Play Store and Apple Store (search WiseH2O). Instructions for downloading the WiseH2O App can be found in the WiseH20 App User Guide, located on the MobileH2O website: https://www.mobileh2o.com/mh2oapp.
2. Complete On-Line Training:  Detailed on-line instructions for use of the WiseH2O App can be found in the WiseH20 App User Guide and the Video Tutorial for Using the WiseH2O App, both located on the MobileH2O website: https://www.mobileh2o.com/mh2oapp.
3. Obtain Water Chemistry Test Kits:  Depending on each participant’s level of interest and desired extent of involvement with water chemistry monitoring, 3 types of test kits are available. These three test kits can be ordered directly from MobileH2O, at: https://www.mobileh2o.com/shop.  

A reliable thermometer for WiseH2O App temperature measurements can also be purchased at: https://www.mobileh2o.com/shop.
For more information on the TCTU Streamkeeper Pilot Project, please contact Jim Sauter at:  jim.sauter@twincitiestu.org. 

Belle Creek, Photos by Pau Frank

​South Vermillion, photos by tthomasphotography.com