Project Contact
Edd Twigg
Twin Cities TU President
edd@twincitiestu.org

Project Description
Hay Creek, located near Red Wing, Minnesota is a degraded spring creek with great potential for increased natural reproduction and biomass (overall population and size). The project location is framed by limestone bluffs and long meandering valleys. The streams in this area are fed by springs percolating from the bluffs. These springs and creeks provide the cornerstone for a unique ecosystem. It is home to wild brown trout, native brook trout, slimy sculpin, and other aquatic life. Hay Creek is one of the best local trout streams and highly visited by metro anglers. Although Hay Creek has a decent population of fish, the river is badly damaged with silt and is flood prone. With help, Hay Creek could be a “Class A” trout stream. The Hay Creek project has been identified as a priority to mitigate the effects of agricultural run-off and sedimentation into the Hay Creek watershed.

Project Updates
In the summer of 2008, Twin Cities Trout Unlimited partnered with MNDNR, Hiawatha Chapter of TU, USFWS, TUDARE, local landowners, and equipment operators to restore 3000 feet of degraded stream. In the summer of 2009, TCTU partnered with the same group to rehabilitate another 2,200 feet. TCTU worked on sloping degraded banks and stabilizing the banks with rip rap, soil erosion control blankets, and native grasses. TCTU also installed weirs and rock veins to narrow the stream and tream bank cover, skyhooks and lunker structures. Virtually, the whole length of Hay Creek has angler easements and with additional funding, TCTU will continue to rehabilitate the whole Hay Creek watershed and greatly improve the fishing opportunities on this south metro stream. Funds are for tree removal, heavy equipment leasing to slope the degraded banks. The goal of the Hay Creek watershed improvements is to reduce the sediment loads and chemicals into the creek, stabilize degraded banks, and provide a stable environment for the aquatic species that depend on the watershed.