Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S4

ITIS Code: 166399         

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The brook stickleback is found in streams and some natural lakes throughout central and northeast Iowa, with scattered populations found in the Little Sioux River and Rock River drainages in northwest Iowa.   It appears to be present only in the northern one-half of the state (Harlan et al. 1987). 

Habitat Affinities:

In Iowa and other parts of the upper Midwest, the brook stickleback prefers streams with moderate currents that have sand and gravel bottoms and clean to slightly turbid water (Becker 1983; Harlan et al. 1987; Tomelleri and Eberle 1990).  It can also be found in the sheltered bays, swampy margins and bogs of lakes (Wooten, 1976).  It occurs in cool, shallow water, often with heavy vegetation (Eddy and Underhill 1974; Morris et al. 1972; Phillips et al. 1982; Smith 1979; Trautman 1981).  In Wisconsin, the brook stickleback is often encountered in highly turbid waters (Becker 1983) whereas in Ohio, it appears to be intolerant of turbidity (Trautman 1981).

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=282]

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

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

( "LINKR" > 1 AND "LINKR" <= 2) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" <= 4 AND "MAXELEVR"

<= 3 AND ("GRADSEGR" <= 1 OR "GRADSEGR" > 3)) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" <= 4 AND "MAXELEVR"

> 3) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" > 4) OR

(( "LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MINELEVR" > 5))

Mississippi River Model

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review

 ("pool" = 'S13' OR "pool" = 'S20')

Missouri River Model

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

("pool" = 'O18')

Overall Prediction:

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

( "LINKR" > 1 AND "LINKR" <= 2) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" <= 4 AND "MAXELEVR"

<= 3 AND ("GRADSEGR" <= 1 OR "GRADSEGR" > 3)) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" <= 4 AND "MAXELEVR"

> 3) OR

(( "LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "GRADSEGR" > 4) OR

(( "LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MINELEVR" > 5))OR

("pool" = 'S13' OR "pool" = 'S20') OR ("pool" = 'O18')

Literature Cited:

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

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

Morris, J., L. Morris, and L. Witt.  1972.  The fishes of Nebraska.  Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska.  98pp.

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

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

Tomelleri, J.R., and M.E. Eberle.  1990.  Fishes of the Central United States.  University  Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.  226 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.

Wootton, R.J.  1976.  The biology of the sticklebacks.  Academic Press, London, England.  387 pp.

Data Sources:

Bernstein, N.P.  2003.  Personal communications and unpublished reports.  Mount Mercy

College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Bernstein, N.P., M.Getting, T. Kamp, S. Christian, R. Smith, J. Steele, and S. Steele. 

2000.  The status of the blacknose shiner (Notropis heterolepis) in Iowa: A preliminary survey.  Journal of the Iowa Academy of Sciences 107(1):16-20.

Bovbjerg, R.V., N.L. Pearsall, and M.L. Brackin.  1970.  A preliminary faunal study of

the upper Little Sioux River.  Iowa Academy of Science 77:177-184.

Brandt, M. J.  1985.  Dry Run Creek, a prairie stream, sixty-eight years later. Master's

thesis.  University of  Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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

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

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

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Goellner, K.E.  1976.  Field Notes: 1949-1976.  Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Huggins, D.,  B.W. Menzel,  D. Van Schmus, M. Lary, S.H. Wang, Lian, K. Higgins, D.

Bandi, and A. Cordry.  1996.  Assessment of the effects of nonpoint source pollution on the biotic integrity of Walnut Creek.  Kansas Biological Survey Report 73.  Central Plains Center for BioAssessment at the Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas.

Iowa State University.  2002.  Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys conducted by

faculty and students, 1972 and 1980.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

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

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Jennings, T.  1966.  Estimated fish populations in straightened and unstraightened

sections of the same stream.  Quarterly Biology Reports 18(4):44-48.

Kaminski, M.T.  1996.  Smallmouth bass habitat and fish community relationships in

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

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

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

Larrabee, A.P.  1926.  An ecological study of the fishes of the Lake Okoboji region.

University of Iowa Studies in Natural History 11(12):1-35.

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

Midwest Environmental Science Center, Bellevue, Iowa.

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

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

Meek, S.E.  1892.  Report upon the fishes of Iowa, based upon observations and

collections mad during 1889, 1890, 1891.  Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission. 10(1890):217-248.

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

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: western and southern.  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.  1998.  Field notes: Topeka shiner survey.  Iowa State University, Ames,

Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1999.  Field notes: Topeka shiner survey, 1999 in-channel collections. 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1999.  Field notes: Topeka shiner survey, 1999 off-channel collections. 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  2000.  Field notes: Topeka shiner survey, 2000 in-channel collections. 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  2000.  Field notes: Topeka shiner survey, 2000 off-channel collections. 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W., and M.S. Boyce.  1973.  First record of the pearl dace, Semotilus

margarita (COPE), from Iowa.  Iowa State Journal of Research 47(4):245-248.

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.

Mount Mercy College Museum.  2002.  Vertebrate collection database report.  Mount

Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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

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

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

Department of Natural Resources, 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.

Phillips, G.S.  1989.  1989 foray: fisheries survey. Environmental Studies Laboratory,

Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, 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.

Schmidt, K.  1999.  Upper Iowa River 1998-1999 fish survey: database overview

summary.  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota.

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

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

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, United States Geological Survey, Iowa City, Iowa.

University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory.  1988.  A survey of the benthic

macroinvertebrates and fishes of the Big Spring Basin, Iowa.  Report 88-9.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, 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.

Wunder, G., and S. Bishop. 1993.  Sny Magill Creek Fishery Assessment.  Fish

Management Investigations 1993 Annual Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Wunder, G., and S.A. Gritters.  1994.  Sny Magill Creek Fishery Assessment.  Fish

Management Investigations 1994 Annual Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Wunder, G., and J. Jansen. 1997.  Sny Magill Creek Fishery Assessment for 1995 and

1996.  Fish Management Investigations 1997 Annual Report.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional References:

Cahn, A.R.  1927.  An ecological study of southern Wisconsin fishes.  Illinois Biological Monographs, Urbana, Illinois 11(1):1-151.

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

Cooper, E.L.  1983.  Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States.  Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, Pennsylvania. 243 pp.

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

Nelson, J.S.  1969.  Geographic variation in the brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans, and notes on nomenclature and distribution.   Journal of the Canadian Fisheries Research Board 26(9): 2431-2447.

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.

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.

Scott, W.B., and E. J. Crossman.  1973.  Freshwater fishes of Canada.  Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 184, Ottawa, Canada.  966 pp.

Smith, C.L.  1985.  The inland fishes of New York state.  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York.  522 pp.

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

Sublette, J.E., M.D Hatch, and M. Sublette.  1990.  The fishes of New Mexico.  University New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.  393 pp.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of the Native Fish Conservancy, http://www.nativefish.org and Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.