[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
RE: NANFA-- Arkansas River sponges
On Tue, 18 Aug 1998, Jay DeLong wrote:
> Luke McClurg said:
> > In this months edition of "Kansas Wildlife and Parks" magazine, it
> > reports of a man who has discovered freshwater sponges in a small city
> > drainage creek of the Arkansas River in Wichita, Kansas. These
> > sponges require 'pristine' water conditions to grow. Evidently, at
> > least some of the efforts to clean up part of the Arkansas river in
> > Kansas are paying off.
>
> That's very interesting and the kind of post I love reading. Luke, how
> healthy is the fish population of that river?
As I understand it...it is holding it's own for the most part, but several
species are declining and under protection. Just a couple of these to
mention are the southern species of Speckled Chub and the Arkansas River
Shiner. I don't know of any species of fishes that are rebounding or
thriving...but that's only due to my ignorance of the 'Ark' River
drainage. I don know that if Colorado would stop hogging all the water
from the Arkansas River that species in Kansas would be a lot better off.
Of course, farmers who have no business growing certain crops in the
western third of the state (i.e. corn) are also sucking the life out of
the underground aquifers. Anything for a buck! In some places the ground
water level has dropped over 150 feet! If more water was moving through
the 'Ark' river, some of it would be recharged. Unfortunately, the river
is under siege from both ends. Also having to do with "misplaced"
natives, such as the Red River Shiner (I think) that are replacing the
local native populations is hurting too.
Luke
Do you know of any
> "pristine" water species which are rebounding or thriving?
>
> Jay DeLong
> Olympia, WA, USA
>
>
References: