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[Puff]

Thank you Lisa.  I'll be watching to see it when we get the right view.  They're still just staying close to "home".  Just building extension out houses.

P

[LisaG1967]

Thank you Lisa.  I'll be watching to see it when we get the right view.  They're still just staying close to "home".  Just building extension out houses.

P

I think they are doing exactly what you said, staying close to "home".  Just building extension out houses. 

[STLbf]

Cold and mostly quiet at Decorah today.  One of the Hatchery pair perched high in a tree at the bluff base for several hours this morning.   The Pond has geese honking and swimming.  At 3:00-ish, one of the Hatcherys perched above N1 and the other in branchy area maybe near N2B; listen to the geese honking so not far from the Pond.

[Puff]

Making the rounds...

E23  Taking up more space in SWFL nest, got an identity on what lunch was yesterday.  Thanks.

New soft stuff showed up in NN, no occupants there yet today.  But the timing is getting closer, more ideas?

Not even any new prints at hatchery.

P 
 

[BrokenLug]

I know why the geese are here, they read this in the classifieds in the Minnesota Star Tribune.

2 homes for rent next to babbling brook, surrounded by beautiful farms (trout, soybeans, corn & horses, etc...) great place to raise your family - act quickly they will not last long.   

It's nice that the Retention Pond at the Hatchery remains unfrozen at this time of year for the perspective renters.   
It hasn't been above 32° F here for at least 14 days.   

[LisaG1967]

I know why the geese are here, they read this in the classifieds in the Minnesota Star Tribune.

2 homes for rent next to babbling brook, surrounded by beautiful farms (trout, soybeans, corn & horses, etc...) great place to raise your family - act quickly they will not last long.   

It's nice that the Retention Pond at the Hatchery remains unfrozen at this time of year for the perspective renters.   
It hasn't been above 32° F here for at least 14 days.   

LOL, BL!

I can't wait to see if one rents N1.

[STLbf]

Har De Har.       Lots of competition for N2B, could be they will take over N1 also this summer.

So what is it that keeps the Pond from freezing over?

[BrokenLug]

Picture perfect postcard sunrise over the Hatchery Bluff's this AM.   

I read that the water that comes out from Siewer's Spring is about 30° F to 50° F year round.

The Iowa portion of the Driftless Region is filled with small streams. Many of the streams you’re fishing rarely get over 20 feet wide. Plus, the banks of the streams are covered in thick vegetation. The streams require finesse skills and the ability to calmly work your way around the water.

Most streams are spring fed, so the water temperatures stay between 30 and 55 degrees all throughout the year. It’s extremely clean and highly oxygenated, so the fish are extremely healthy.

STLbf I believe the water that goes into the hatchery raceways comes in from Siewers Spring / Trout Run and the water that comes out of the raceways flows thru a pipe under the "driveway" into the north end the retention pond. (Or settling Pond).

The water than exits the retention pond from to an underground pipe on the south end of the pond back into Trout Run below the Spring. 
2nd Image below.

- Edit - updated N2B Nest Area Map - added Bluff Nest 2024

[STLbf]

BL, thanks for the info about the Pond's open water.  You post the best maps with the most helpful labels!!

Loved the colorful sunrise.  And did you notice that the same geese are in the Pond as were there yesterday?   

[BrokenLug]

It looks like the earliest that they take water temp readings from the Trout Run is in April.

Source: https://data.upperiowariver.org/sites/16-tru-10
I used the: Monthly Water Sampling Data for Trout Run.

So basically the water that flows in Trout Run is the water that flows through the Hatchery system including the Retention Pond.
The lowest temp I see was on 04/11/17 @ 41.4° F.
That is not going to freeze. 
What the Trout Run water temp gets down to in Jan, Feb and Mar I don't know, but I suspect it remains above freezing in those months also.

In all the years of watching the Decorah Eagles (since 2011) I don't ever recall seeing the pond freeze over.   

It's great that the Retention Pond stays unfrozen at this time of year for the local and passing through water fowl especially considering how cold the air temps have been around there.
2nd Image below.

I suspect that the pond is full of all sorts of icky yummy things for the Geese. 

[STLbf]

BL, I agree about the Pond never freezing over completely.  Ice sometimes forms around the edges, I believe.

[LisaG1967]

BL - Excellent nest area map!

[BrokenLug]

LisaG1967 good deal safely at your 01/21 nighttime destination we assume. 

It is not exactly 'balmy' there, but we'll take it.   

Flying the rest on I 10 west well rested to.   

Don't take the focus off the destination until we're actually there and back home. 

[BrokenLug]

My basic understanding of the local hydrology here about.

I could be totally wrong on the Decorah Fish Hatchery Basic plumbing for all I know for sure.

I think as the water flows here it's about the basic gist of it all around here however.

The dashed lines/arrows are the general Hatchery flow I think.

I've never been there as a Raptor or Fish in person so surely I don't know for sure.   

I would need Brian's input to know for sure.   

[eburgbirdwtchr]

BL -- Only incorrect label is:  Creek out of Siewer's Spring is called Siewer's Spring Creek.  Doesn't become Trout Run Creek until it joins with Trout Creek below the hatchery nests. (below as in downstream)