Mississippi River - Pool 18

Fish Species

Major species: bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, freshwater drum, largemouth bass, sauger, walleye, white crappie

Minor species: flathead catfish, paddlefish, white bass

Eating Iowa Caught Fish

Most Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if eaten. Over 4.5 million meals of Iowa fish were eaten in 2018. Some limitations of eating fish may apply for young children and pregnant women. Fish are a good source of nutrients that promote healthy child development and is also part of a healthy diet.

Pregnant women, women wanting to become pregnant, breastfeeding mothers, and children under 12 years of age should monitor their fish consumption to ensure they are selecting fish that are low in mercury.

Mississippi River - Pool 18

Pool 18 of the Upper Mississippi River extends 26.6 miles from Lock and Dam 18 in Gladstone, IL to Lock and Dam 17 in New Boston, IL. Pool 18 contains 11,746 acres of aquatic habitat. Pool 18 has islands, side channels, and backwaters. Most of the rivers floodplain in Pool 18 lies behind agricultural levies. This training of the river has caused loss and degradation of much of the rivers side channel and backwater habitats. The Iowa River enters the Mississippi River in upper Pool 18. The Iowa DNR’s Lake Odessa Wildlife Management Area is located in upper Pool 18 above the mouth of the Iowa River. The Keithsburg Division of the Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge is also located in Pool 18.

Navigation maps are available from this US Army Corps of Engineers website (link takes you offsite).