MANCHESTER – Saturated soils and heavy rain on Oct. 1 caused moderate flooding at the Manchester Fish Hatchery. Water was about three feet above the tops of the lower raceways and ½ inch from entering the office building.
Iowa DNR Fisheries staff from Manchester and Decorah, and several Iowa DNR conservation officers, worked together to clean up the hatchery and sort trout that mixed and moved raceways in the flood waters. Although some trout were lost, most of the fish stayed on site. Inventories over the next two weeks will show how many fish left the facility in the flood waters.
Trout stream stocking will be minimal for the rest of this week with high water in most streams and Fisheries staff busy with hatchery cleanup efforts. Saturated soils and the chance of rain next week may effect stream conditions and the ability to stock trout.
October trout stream stockings are unannounced, but at the same frequency as September. Trout stream stocking ends Oct. 31. Fishing remains good throughout the fall and winter in most trout streams with “hold-over” stocked trout and year-round wild trout populations.