CLARINDA - Page County Conservation Board (PCCB) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are partnering to renovate the remaining fishery in Pioneer Park Pond. The DNR will treat Pioneer Park Pond this fall (pending workable weather conditions) with rotenone, a botanical pesticide, to eliminate the remaining fish population.
Pioneer Park Pond has suffered from numerous summer fish kills due to its shallow depth and significant algal blooms. The quality of the sportfish community has declined due to abundant populations of common carp and black bullhead. PCCB has lowered the pond to conduct targeted dredging to increase the depth of the pond near its historical maximum depth. The dredging project, in addition to the fish renovation, should improve the overall water quality and sportfish quality of Pioneer Park Pond.
Rotenone is used world-wide and has been since the 1930s. It is a common tool that fisheries managers use for managing sport fish, improving water quality, and managing endangered species. Rotenone is a naturally occurring compound that comes from the roots of a tropical plant in the bean family. The DNR commonly uses the commercially available formulation, 5 percent Prenfish, which has been approved for fisheries management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA has concluded that the use of rotenone for fish control does not present a risk of unreasonable adverse effects to humans or the environment. The EPA certifies all pesticides based on use according to label directions, which the DNR is equipped to fulfill these obligations.
Eliminating injurious fish species is an imperative and final step to achieve water quality and fishery improvements. The pond will be restocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish after the renovation.