Mississippi River - Pool 19

Fish Species

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

Minor species: flathead catfish, paddlefish, smallmouth bass, 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 19

Pool 19 of the Upper Mississippi River extends 46.3 miles from Lock and Dam 19 in Keokuk to Lock and Dam 18 in Gladstone, IL. Pool 19 contains 30,466 acres of aquatic habitat. The upper roughly half of Pool 19 contains islands, side channels, and backwaters while the lower half is a broad expanse of open water. The upper half of Pool 19 is levied. This training of the river has caused loss and degradation of much of the rivers side channel and backwater habitats. The Skunk River enters the Mississippi River in Pool 19.   The Iowa DNR’s Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Management Area is located in the floodplain of Pool 19.

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