Streamkeepers Update: February 2025

by Jim Sauter
"Esmeralda Lives!"  thedadchats on Instagram
Greetings from the TCTU Streamkeepers. 
February is a unique month. It’s the shortest month of the year.  We celebrate a lot. This year is the year of the snake for the lunar new year.  February has two president’s birthdays – Lincoln & Washington, plus we celebrate Black History month.  Also, catch and release season is open for trout in many Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa streams!
I managed to catch my first Brown Trout for 2025.  I ventured across the border to Wisconsin on a warm 50 degree day in January.  This was my first time fishing in a stream since last October.
​There were at least two other anglers trying their luck on this clear, calm, and warm winter day.  The water was very clear, and the fish were extra skittish.  One of the anglers reported catching a couple trout using Copper Johns.  Another one did not follow good etiquette and walked right across the riffle that I was fishing.  I decided to be " Minnesota nice" and not make a big deal of this and moved on to the next riffle and pool. After watching trout refuse a multitude of wet nymphs, I finally had some bites and landed my first Brown of the season with one of my favorites, the Bloody Mary nymph.

After sharing the story last month about the Green Heron that traversed the Gulf of Mexico covering over 1,200 miles in 36 hours by catching the tail winds of Hurricane Helene, I discovered the whole new world of animal tracking. I found that purchasing an inexpensive bracelet and using the Fahlo app is one easy way to learn about different animals and their movements.  The Fahlo organization partners with nonprofits to promote conservation and provides funds for protecting at-risk animals and habitats.
I decided to buy two of my grandsons Fahlo bracelets, and they will be tracking a shark and elephant over the next year or two.  I will let you know how this goes...
I decided to venture into this realm of following animals after learning about the travels of a rather famous Sloth named Esmeralda.  At first, one of the "bracelet" owners thought the animal was dead due to lack of activity.  After some RIP moments and several days of patience, there was finally life.  The sloth traveled an amazing 385.8 feet or about 125 yards over three days.  That's about 25 yards per day! 
One of my goals when trout fishing is to "move like a Heron."  They are the ultimate stalkers.
For a good laugh from "thedadchats" on Instagram, you can hear the whole story!
Esmeralda, the Sloth.  She Lives!​

STREAM MONITORING IN 2025
As we begin the 2025 stream monitoring season, this is a good opportunity for you to get involved.  We have two categories of stream monitors.
1.  Targeted Streamkeepers- TCTU has stream monitoring teams that are taking chemical tests on eight streams around the metro area.  The streams are:  Belle Creek, Brown's Creek, Eagle Creek, Hay Creek, Ike's/ MOA Creek, Little Cannon River, South Branch of the Vermillion, and Trout Brook. 
2.  General Streamkeepers.  These are members that are randomly monitoring streams during the season at times and locations of their choosing. 
The chemical monitoring season begins in April and concludes at the end of October.  We have a need for more "targeted" streamkeepers on all of our 8 streams. 
 
If you have an interest in becoming a Targeted or General Streamkeeper monitor in the upcoming season, please contact me at: j[email protected]
 
We plan on conducting on-stream training in April.  Be sure to check the event page in the coming month for the time and location.  More information will also be in the March newsletter.
 
REPEATER MACRO STUDY
Our Macro invertebrate team has been invited to conduct a bug study at two sites on the South Fork of the Whitewater River in May.  This is a "repeater" study in the sense that we will be replicating a macro study from the past.  What will the data show as far as trends in macro invertebrates on the South Fork?  We'll keep you posted on our findings.
 
SALT WATCH, JANUARY, 2025
I hope that you were able to minimize the use of salt during the Winter Salt Week at the end of January and beyond.  With the lack of snow this winter so far, this has not been a big challenge.  As a recap, we apply about 20-30 MILLION tons of salt per year in the US.  The cost for road and bridge degradation due to salt is about $3,140/ ton of salt, or over $60 billion per year.
 
Plum River (Wisconsin)
January 30, 2025
Salt/ Chloride Reading:  Less than 25 mg/l, Excellent
Water was clear, Day was sunny, Temperature was 50 degrees F
 
Chloride (Cl), mg/L readings
·      excellent= 0-20
·      good= 21-50
·      fair= 51-250
·      poor>250
 
That's all for now.
Tight lines.
 
Jim Sauter
TCTU Streamkeeper Coordinator
 
Photos
Plum Creek (Wisconsin), Habitat work has been completed
Photos by Jim Sauter