Upper Catfish Creek Watershed Project

UPDATE 7/11 - The watershed project has come to an end.  A final report is currently being compiled.  Update 7/09 - The watershed was awarded a 15 month project extension, watershed boundaries will expand by 3,000 acres to the north and east of the watershed.  Upper Catfish Creek Watershed (UCCW) area encompasses 9300 acres located to the west and south of the City of Dubuque within the Table Mound and Vernon Townships.  The  Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has labeled Catfish Creek as a cold-water-Class "B"(CW) stream from the Swiss Valley Park Campgrounds and south approximately 3 miles.  The watershed includes Swiss Valley Park and the Swiss Valley Nature Preserve, one of the largest nature preserves in the Midwest.  Upper Catfish Creek is an existing high-quality, cold-water stream that has brown trout naturally reproducing within it (One of only 30 streams in Iowa).

As Dubuque County continues to grow, we simply want to make sure development is done in a sustainable way throughout the county, preserving what people love about Dubuque County, while protecting our natural resources.  Working together, this is an opportunity to address and manage water quality, soil erosion, and wildlife habitat--strengthening our economy, and creating a great place to live, work, and visit. 

What is a Watershed Project? A watershed project is an extensive process that will develop and implement practical and cost effective ways to conserve, protect, and enhance soil and water quality, wildlife habitat, and land use.  Important concepts would include: Landowner Involvement Planning for Development Conservation Design Cost-Share Programs Best Management Practices (BMP's) Educational/Informational Awareness Citizen participation is an important key to any successful local watershed project.  Citizens are more than an information source for problems; they can also be the source of solutions. Remember...Anywhere you live, you are in a watershed.  A watershed with healthy water resources is not the result of a single activity on or near a river, stream, or lake.  It is a cumulative result of many individual activities throughout the water bodies entire drainage area.  Everyone has a stake in a watershed, wherever you live!   PHOTOS OF WATERSHED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES