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by Jim Sauter "Even if they are not members of the 'Big Four': Mayflies, Caddis, Stoneflies, Midges, they are important for us fly fishers. They are year round residents in the water, are some of the biggest insect morsels for trout, and they are also members of the last major emergence in a stillwater year. Some say the best is saved for last." Břetislav Kašpar, Global Flyfisher DRAGONS & DAMSELS Greetings from the TCTU Streamkeepers. Tis the season for dragons and damsels. Monitoring these aquatic macroinvertebrates can offer insights into water quality. As a bonus, they can help us identify hatches on area streams when they entertain us with their amazing aerial acrobatic skills. They also eat a lot of mosquitos! Dragonflies and damselflies act as crucial bio-indicators of stream and wetland health in Minnesota. Because their larval (nymph) stage spends months or years underwater, the presence and diversity of specific species reveal a lot about water pollution, habitat degradation, and overall ecosystem balance. [1, 2, 3] The good news is that we have consistently found these macros in many of our area streams and in streams where we have conducted macroinvertebrate testing. Why Their Nymphs Indicate Stream Health
So, next time you see a dragon or damsel putting on an aerial display while fly fishing, be sure to smile and enjoy the show. They can be great indicators that the stream and water is healthy, and there may be some large trout lurking in the area and looking for a snack or lunch. Source: MNDNR NITRATE POLLUTION AWARENESS WEEK IS COMING Reminder- Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week is coming soon. The dates are from July 26- August 1, 2026. Stay tuned for more information in July.
That's all for now. Tight lines. Jim Sauter TCTU Streamkeeper Coordinator STREAM READINGS 2026 Streamkeepers have recorded 53 readings so far this year. Here is a sample of some of our more recent readings... Stream: Belle Creek Date: 6/2/26 Observer: Brian Hanson Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 20.7 degrees C, poor Nitrate: 5 ppm, good Nitrite: 0.15 ppm, fair Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8, good Phosphate: 100, fair Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Notes: None Stream: Brown's Creek Date: 5/19/26 Observer: Tony Gantenbein Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 13 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 0 ppm, good Nitrite: Alkalinity 80 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7.0, excellent Phosphate: 0 ppb, good Notes: None Stream: Eagle Creek Date: 6/4/26 Observer: Todd Christenson Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Clear, 100 cm Water Temp: 12.5 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 0 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 7.5, excellent Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 64 ppm, fair Notes: Beaver dam remains above testing site. Stream restoration work started near 126th street Stream: Hay Creek, 305th St Date: 6/6/26 Observer: Mitch Abbett Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 18 degrees C, fair Nitrate: 5 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.5, good Phosphate: 200, fair Chloride: Not taken Notes: Beautiful Stream: Little Cannon, MN Date: 5/13/26 Observer: Ginger Flaten Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 16.38 degrees C, fair Nitrate: 5 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Stream Disturbance: Erosion Stream: Little Rock Creek Date: 6/4/26 Observer: Joe Chovan Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 19.8 degrees C, poor Nitrate: 1 ppm, good Nitrite: 3 ppm, elevated Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.5, fair to poor Phosphate: 100, fair Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Stream Disturbances: Barrier Notes: .5 inches of rain on previous night Stream: Mall of America/ Ike's Creek Date: 6/6/26 Observer: Wade Johnson Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 15.9 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 0 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 240 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.0, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: 339 ppm, High, elevated Stream: South Branch Vermillion Date: 5/30/26 Observer: Rowe Winecoff Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Clear, 90 cm, excellent Water Temp: 15.5 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 10 ppm, good Nitrite: 1.5 ppm, poor Alkalinity: Hardness: pH: 8, good Phosphate: 180, fair Chloride: 25 ppm, excellent Notes: Water level down at least 18” since my last testing Stream: South Branch Whitewater Date: 5/20/26 Observer: Mike Tanguay Weather: Sunny Water Clarity: Murky Water Temp: 15.6 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 10 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8, good Phosphate: 300, poor Chloride: Notes: Three inches of rainfall in past three days Stream: Trout Brook Date: 5/19/26 Observer: Paul Rundquist Weather: Overcast Water Clarity: Clear Water Temp: 10.7 degrees C, excellent Nitrate: 20 ppm, good Nitrite: 0 ppm, good Alkalinity 180 ppm, good Hardness: 180 ppm, good pH: 8.5, good Phosphate: 0, good Chloride: Notes: .4 inches of rain overnight
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