Over the last two decades, this part of the river has shifted toward clearer, plant-filled waters, which helped yellow perch thrive alongside the long-established bluegill population. But as both species expanded in these shallow, vegetated areas, scientists began to wonder: were they competing for food—or even eating one another?
One of Lake Pepin’s Wisconsin tributaries, Isabelle Creek starts near the Village of Ellsworth, flows south through Pierce County, and enters the Mississippi at Bay City. Abundant groundwater springs, located around the midway point of its 13-mile run, feed Isabelle’s waters.
Lake Pepin serves as a catchbasin for sediment and other pollutants released throughout 48% of Minnesota, but local action is the first line of protection for this important stretch of the Mississippi River. Check out and commit to one or all of these actions, which include three ways to win a Kernza (R) prize package (cookbook + ingredients).
Of the five Minnesota streams that drain directly into the Mississippi River Lake Pepin watershed (MRLP), Hay Creek is likely the best known. With its abundant brown trout population, one-hour proximity to the Twin Cities, and multiple easements creating easy public access, Hay attracts both local and metro-area anglers, who can easily stop by for an afternoon of casting. Restoration efforts over the past several decades have bolstered both the quality of its fish habitat and its correlating popularity.
Bullard Creek is a coldwater trout stream and one of the smallest creeks in the Mississippi River-Lake Pepin watershed. Like others, it is considered impaired for high levels of e-coli and is vulnerable to precipitation runoff and erosion. A long legacy of conservation efforts focused on water storage has protected Bullard from major erosion problems and the stream is considered to be in good condition overall. Sediment concentrations meet water quality standards, but it still carries sediment to Wacouta Bay, an area at the head of Lake Pepin that is also impacted by sediment from the Mississippi River via the Minnesota River.
Jayden Jech graduated from Red Wing High School in 2019 and is currently pursuing a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Over the last two years, he completed a high school and college internship with the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance. Learn what Jayden discovered about Lake Pepin this past summer, how it connects to what he observes along the coast of Florida, and what it all means for his future aspirations!
Wells Creek flows into Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River after passing through Frontenac State Park in Minnesota. Naturally dynamic, its flow and course have exhibited big changes over time. It runs through erosive terrain where sediment flows easily and is exacerbated by a century+ of agricultural land use. Its trout populations have been successfully re-established, but sediment concerns are rising again. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now poised to designate Wells as impaired for aquatic life due to excess sediment.
In a year defined by lows, Lake Pepin water level is no exception. This year’s drop in water level is somewhat dramatic because it comes on the heels of last year’s record high water, which together, illuminates the sedimentation problem in Lake Pepin. High water pushes sediment to the lake and low water uncovers it, along with a slew of transportation issues. The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance (LPLA) responded to recent boat groundings by visiting affected areas and discussing channel maintenance with the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE).
Gilbert Creek is a small trout stream that flows through northern Wabasha County, cuts across the easternmost corner of Goodhue County, and enters Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River just north of Lake City, MN. In 2011, it was listed as an impaired tributary due to elevated E-coli and poor fish populations and habitat. Since then, the fish populations and habitat have improved remarkably.
For decades, many people have yearned to see Lake Pepin benefit from restoration via the dynamic Upper Mississippi River Restoration program. But the dream has been thwarted largely because the area is not federally owned. So, unlike projects on federal lands, the Lake Pepin restoration requires a substantial local funding contribution, a non-federal sponsor to manage the area after construction, and the complex coordination of numerous project stakeholders—all formidable challenges. LPLA has instrumentally paved the way for restoration to proceed through its hard work to remove or mitigate obstacles. Its leadership and accomplishments showcase the irrefutable value in having a local voice for the river.
Miller Creek is one of several small tributaries flowing into Lake Pepin out of the Mississippi River-Lake Pepin (MRLP) watershed. Originating about five miles southwest of Lake City in northern Wabasha County, it meanders northeast for several miles then turns east near County Hwy 9, entering Lake Pepin about a half mile south of Lake City. Its 11,000+-acre watershed includes an upland landscape of gently rolling croplands and pastures and a downstream landscape that drops steeply through forested valleys and grasslands. Like several other MRLP tributaries, Miller Creek is a designated cold-water trout stream. Also like others, in 2012 it was listed as impaired by fecal coliform bacteria, specifically E. coli.
For more than half a century, our family lived off the fruits of the lake. That’s why this is personal.
Our mobile app, SPAVE is designed to help consumers give more to the causes they care about, while at the same time empowering nonprofits to generate new revenues without spending precious overhead. We invite you to join us. Together, we’ll accelerate LPLA’s mission to improve water quality, habitat, and accessibility in Lake Pepin. Find more information here.