The Little Maquoketa River is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed May 13, 2011 direct tributary of the
upper Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. The Little Maquoketa River is largely confined to
Dubuque County, Iowa
Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,266, making it the eighth-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Dubuque. The county is named for Julien Dubuque, the first Eur ...
, and enters the Mississippi in the rural areas north of
Dubuque
Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...
.
It may have previously flowed through the
Couler Valley.
Fishing
Little Maquoketa River is a put and grow stream for trout, including
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
. Three inch fingerlings are stocked each year and they reach 9 to 10 inches the first year, 12 to 14 inches the second year and continue to grow from that point on. The river is considered one of the best
smallmouth bass and trout fisheries in Iowa.
See also
*
List of rivers of Iowa
**
Bee Branch Creek – The river to the south
**
Cloie Branch
Cloie Branch (sometimes referred to as Cloie CreekLittle Maquoketa River Mounds State Preserve
The Little Maquoketa River Mounds State Preserve is an Iowa state owned archaeological site and natural area located within the city of Sageville, just north of Dubuque, on U.S. Highway 52.
It is high up on a limestone ridge above the Little Maq ...
References
External links
Iowa WaterEnvironmental Protection Agency
{{authority control
Tributaries of the Mississippi River
Rivers of Iowa
Rivers of Dubuque County, Iowa