Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S4

ITIS Code: 163920          

National Rank: N4N5           

Global Rank: G4

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

In Iowa, the highfin carpsucker is predominately found in large interior rivers and impoundments in the Mississippi River drainage basin (Harlan et al. 1987). It is widely distributed throughout the Eastern Broadleaf Forest Aquatic Subregion but is only sporadically found in the eastern portion of the Central Plains Aquatic Subregion.  Occasionally taken in the Mississippi River,  the highfin carpsucker is almost completely absent from the Missouri River (Harlan et al. 1987).

Habitat Affinities:

The largest populations of highfin carpsuckers are found in moderately deep waters of relatively clear, medium to large rivers with firm substrates of gravel (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988). It also inhabits lowland ponds, oxbows and sloughs, but in smaller populations (Trautman 1981). In northern parts of its range, the highfin carpsucker prefers large clean rivers with moderate to swift current in quiet waters adjacent to channels (Becker 1983; Harlan et al. 1987). Of the carpsuckers, the highfin is least tolerant of turbidity, siltation and impoundment (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988). In Illinois where it was once the most abundant carpsucker, it is now the least (Smith 1979).

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=183]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

("FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND

 (( "LINKR" <= 1 AND ("DSIZE_CODE" > 3 AND "DSIZE_CODE" <= 4)) OR  

 (("LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MAXELEVR" <= 3) OR

 ("LINKR" > 5 AND "LINKR" <= 6) OR

 (( "LINKR" > 6 AND "LINKR" <= 7) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1) OR

  "LINKR" > 7))

Mississippi River Model:

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

(("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S14') OR ("pool" >= 'S16' AND "pool" <= 'S18') OR "pool" = 'S20')

Missouri River Model

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

 ("pool" = 'O18' OR "pool" = 'O19')

Overall Prediction:

("FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND

(( "LINKR" <= 1 AND ("DSIZE_CODE" > 3 AND "DSIZE_CODE" <= 4)) OR (("LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MAXELEVR" <= 3) OR

( "LINKR" > 5 AND "LINKR" <= 6) OR

(( "LINKR" > 6 AND "LINKR" <= 7) AND "SUBREGION_" > 1) OR "LINKR" > 7)) OR (("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S14') OR ("pool" >= 'S16' AND "pool" <= 'S18') OR "pool" = 'S20') OR ("pool" = 'O18' OR "pool" = 'O19')

Literature Cited:

Becker, G.C.  1983.  Fishes of Wisconsin.  University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1052 pp.

Etnier, D.A., and W.E. Starnes.  1993.  The fishes of Tennessee.  University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.  681 pp.

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew.  1987.  Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1997.  The fishes of Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.  372 pp.

Robison, H.W., and T.M. Buchanan. 1988.  Fishes of Arkansas.  University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas.  536 pp.

Smith, P.W.  1979.  The fishes of Illinois.  University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois.  314 pp.

Trautman, M.B.  1981.  The fishes of Ohio.  Revised Edition.  Ohio State University Press in collaboration with the Ohio Sea Grant Program Center for Lake Erie Area Research,  Columbus, Ohio.  782 pp.

Data Sources:

Arthur, J.W., T. Roush, J.A. Thompson, C.T. Waltbridge, and F.A. Puglisi.  1997. 

Evaluation of low order stream quality in central Iowa. EPA/600/R-97/009.  Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, Minnesota.

Call, R.E.  1890.  The fishes of the Des Moines basin.  Iowa Academy of Sciences 1 pt.2

(1890, 1891):43-56.

Clear Lake Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northwest

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Clear Lake, Iowa.

Coker, R.E.  1929.  Keokuk dam and the fisheries of the upper Mississippi River. 

Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries 45:87-140.

Coon, D.M.  1971.  A fisheries survey of the upper Skunk River, Iowa.  Master’s thesis. 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. 

Decorah Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Decorah, Iowa.

Dowell, V.  1981.  Collections in Cedar River Basin, 1956-1981.  University of Northern

Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Eckblad, J.W.  1979.  A natural resource inventory of the aquatic habitats of the Volga

River recreation area with pre-impoundment predictions for the new lake.  Contract 8152. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Ecological Analysts, Inc.  1983.  Operational ecological study in the Cedar River near

Duane Arnold Energy Center, January through December 1983.  EA Report IEL21.  Iowa Electrical Light and Power Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Ecological Analysts, Inc.  1984.  Operational ecological study in the Cedar River near

Duane Arnold Energy Center, January through December 1983.  EA Report IEL31.  Iowa Electrical Light and Power Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Fairport Fish Management and Hatchery.  2003.  Field notes and unpublished reports.

Southeast Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Fairport, Iowa.

Gelwicks, G., J. Heitke, and G. Simmons.  2002.  Contemporary fish survey.  Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Govro, K.C.  1977.  Effects of sewage effluent on fish in the Iowa River at Marshalltown.

Master’s thesis.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Guttenberg Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Guttenberg, Iowa.

Helms, D.R.  2000.  Addendum to fish and mussel surveys for the Hwy 1 corridor

between Iowa City and Mt. Vernon, Iowa (Cedar River and Rapid Creek).  Jacobs & Associates, Ames, Iowa.

Iowa Conservation Commission and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  2002. 

Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys, 1942, 1961, 1964, 1991.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa State University Museum.  1985.  Collection of fishes catalog, 1878-1985.   Iowa

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Jones, D.T.  1928.  Fish collected in the vicinity of Vinton, Iowa.  Proceedings of the

Iowa Academy of Sciences 35:327-331.

Kline, D.  1988.  Fish sampling study: Iowa and Cedar Rivers, Fall 1988.  Unpublished

report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Lake Darling Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Southeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Brighton, Iowa.  

Lake Darling Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes of data collected for the EPA. 

Southeast Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Brighton, Iowa.     

Lake MacBride Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports. 

Southeast Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Solon, Iowa.

LGL Ecological Research Associates.  1981.  Study of fish in the main channel of the

Mississippi River between river miles 500 and 513.5.  Final Report.  Great II Fish and Wildlife Management Work Group and Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois.

Long Term Resource Monitoring Program.  2002.   Pool 13 database, 1990-2001.  Upper

Midwest Environmental Science Center, Bellevue, Iowa.

Lyon, D.  2002.  Personal communication.  Retired biology professor, Cornell College,

Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Manchester Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1972.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River baseline ecological

study.  Annual Report, April 28, 1971 to April 24, 1972.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1975.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual report, January 14, 1974 to December 31, 1974.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1979.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual report, January 1978 to December 1978.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1980.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1979 through December 1979.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B. 1981.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational ecological

study.  Annual Report, January 1980 through December 1980.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1982.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1981 through December 1981.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1983.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1982 through December 1982.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: northeast.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Des Moines-Skunk.  Iowa State University, Ames,

Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Iowa-Cedar.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W., and H.L. Fierstine.  1976.  A study of the effects of stream channelization

and bank stabilization on warmwater sport fish in Iowa: Subproject No. 5.  Effects of long-reach stream channelization on distribution and abundance of fishes.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Contract 14-16-0008-745.  Iowa Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Ames, Iowa.

Middendorf, R. and R. Gent.  1981.  Fishery inventory of southeast Iowa tributary

streams.  Project 81-III-C-14.  Job Completion Reports.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Miller, L.R., and D.J. Herrig.  1990.  Evaluation of lowhead riffle construction on

riverine fish populations.  Fish Management Investigations Job Completion Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Miller, L.R., T. Putnam, D.J. Herrig, and J. Wahl.  1989.  Evaluation of lowhead riffle

construction on riverine fish populations.  Fish Management Investigations 1989 Annual Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Miller, L.R., T. Putnam, and J. Wahl.  1987.  Evaluation of lowhead riffle construction on

riverine fish populations.  Fish Management Investigations 1987 Annual Report. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Miller, L.R., T. Putnam, and J. Wahl.  1988.  Evaluation of lowhead riffle construction on

riverine fish populations.  Fish Management Investigations 1988 Annual Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Museum of Natural History.  2002.  Freshwater fish collection.  Division of Zoology,

University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana.

Museum of Zoology.  2002.  Division of Fishes collection database.  University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/. (May, 2002)

Olson, C.L.  1975.  Effects of chlorinated sewage effluent on fish in the Iowa River,

Marshalltown, Iowa.  Master’s thesis.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Olson, J.R.  1998.  Historic fish survey database.  Water Quality Bureau, Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paloumpis, A.A.  1958.  Responses of some minnows to flood and drought conditions in

an intermittent stream.  Iowa State College Journal of Science 32(4):547-561.

Paragamian, V.L.  1979.  Population dynamics of smallmouth bass in the Maquoketa

River and other Iowa streams: effects of habitat variation on the stream biota.  Project F-89-R-2, Study No. 602-2, Job No. 2.  Annual Performance Report.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1990.  Fish populations of Iowa rivers and streams.  Technical Bulletin

No. 3.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Schmadeke, D.P. 1977.  An annotated list of fishes of the Shellrock River, Iowa. 

Master's thesis.  University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Smith, P.W,. and A.C. Lopinot.  1966.  The 1966 survey of fishes from the mouths of

Mississippi River tributaries, Appendix B, pp.226-233, Illinois State Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

Sullivan, D.J.  2000.  Fish communities and their relation to environmental factors in the

Eastern Iowa Basins in Iowa and Minnesota, 1996.  Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4194.  U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa City, Iowa.

Wilton, T., K. Krier, and J. Mootz.  2003.  Stream Biological Assessment Database.

Environmental Services Division, Water Quality Bureau, TMDL and Water Quality Assessment Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Wnuk, M.  1984.  Site-specific criteria modification study: Ammonia study in the Iowa

River, Marshalltown, Iowa.  Water Resources Division, Iowa Department of Water, Air and Waste Management, Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional References:

Clay, W.M.  1975.  The fishes of Kentucky.  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky.  416 pp.

Cross, F.B., and J.T. Collins.  1995.  Fishes in Kansas.  University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Public Education Series No. 14, Lawrence, Kansas.   315 pp.

Curry, K.D., and A. Spacie.  1984.  Differential use of stream habitat by spawning catostomids.  American Midland Naturalist 111:267-279.

Douglas, N.H.  1974.  Freshwater fishes of Louisiana.  Claitor’s Publishing Division, Sponsored by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  443 pp.

Eddy, S., and J.C. Underhill.  1974.  Northern fishes; with special reference to the upper Mississippi Valley.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  414 pp.

Kelly, G., editor.  1986.  Animal habitat relations handbook.  Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri.  293 pp.

Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr.  1980.  Atlas of North American freshwater fishes.  North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina.  867 pp.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr.  1991.  A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1971.  A distributional study of Missouri fishes.  University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History  20(3):225-570.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989a.  Aquatic community classification system for Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation.  Jefferson City, Missouri.  Aquatic Series No. 19. 70 pp. plus Supplement.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989b.  The stream resources of Missouri.  D-J Project - F-1-R-28.  Study S-20.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri.  

Phillips, G.L., W.D. Schmid, and J.C. Underhill.  1982.  Fishes of the Minnesota region.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  248 pp.

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott.  1991.  Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20, Bethesda, Maryland. 183 pp.

Sheehan, R.J., W.M. Lewis, and  L.R. Bodensteiner.  1990.  Winter habitat requirements and overwintering of riverine fishes.  Southern Illinois Fisheries Research Laboratory, Carbondale, Illinois.  D-J Project F-79-R, Study 101.  234 pp.

Smith, G.R. 1992.  Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages 778-826 in Mayden, R.L., editor.  Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp.

Thom, R.H., and J.H. Wilson.  1980.  The natural divisions of Missouri.  Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science  14:9-24.

Vanicek, D.  1961.  Life history of the quillback and highfin carpsuckers in the Des Moines River.  Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science 68:238-246.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of the Native Fish Conservancy, http://www.nativefish.org.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of the Native Fish Conservancy, http://www.nativefish.org.