Maquoketa River
Encyclopedia
The Maquoketa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River
, approximately 150 miles (241.4 km) long, in northeastern Iowa
in the United States
. Its watershed covers 1694 square miles (4,387 km²) within a rural region of rolling hills and farmland
southwest of Dubuque
. It is not to be confused with the Little Maquoketa River
, another distinct direct tributary of the Upper Mississippi River
meeting the Big River north of Dubuque. The river and its tributaries mark the border of the Driftless Area of Iowa, with the areas east of it not having been covered by ice during the last ice age
.
just southwest of Arlington
in Fairfield Township, and approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) west of Oelwein
. It flows briefly northeastward, then generally southeastward through Clayton
, Delaware
, Jones
and Jackson
Counties, through Backbone State Park
and the towns of Dundee
, Manchester
and Monticello
.
At Maquoketa
, it receives the North Fork Maquoketa River from the north; the North Fork rises in northern Dubuque County
and flows 96 miles (154.5 km) generally southward past Dyersville
and Cascade
. The Maquoketa then flows generally eastward in a meander
ing course as it approaches the Mississippi. It enters Pool 13
of the Mississippi from the southwest in eastern Jackson County a few miles upstream from Sabula
approximately 30 mi (48 km) southeast of Dubuque.
The river is considered one of the best smallmouth bass
and trout
fisheries in Iowa.
There are three small dams on the river, one downriver from Manchester, forming the 400 acres (1.6 km²) Lake Delhi (the USGS terms it, Hartwick Lake) in Delaware County, one at Backbone Lake in Backbone State Park
and Lakehurst dam at Maquoketa. On Saturday July 24, 2010, the dam at Lake Delhi failed due to heavy rains and the rapid rise of the Maquoketa River.
Maquoketa Caves State Park
, a few miles upstream from Maquoketa
protects a segment of the Driftless Area's karst topography
, characterized by cave
s, ice caves and sinkhole
s.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, approximately 150 miles (241.4 km) long, in northeastern Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its watershed covers 1694 square miles (4,387 km²) within a rural region of rolling hills and farmland
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
southwest of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. It is not to be confused with the Little Maquoketa River
Little Maquoketa River
The Little Maquoketa River is a direct tributary of the upper Mississippi River. It must be distinguished from the Maquoketa River, a distinct and separate river ; these two rivers are not tributary to one or the other.The Little Maquoketa River is largely confined to Dubuque County, Iowa, and...
, another distinct direct tributary of the Upper Mississippi River
Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
meeting the Big River north of Dubuque. The river and its tributaries mark the border of the Driftless Area of Iowa, with the areas east of it not having been covered by ice during the last ice age
Wisconsin glaciation
The last glacial period was the most recent glacial period within the current ice age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago....
.
Course
The Maquoketa rises in southeastern Fayette CountyFayette County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,880 in the county, with a population density of . There were 9,558 housing units, of which 8,634 were occupied.-2000 census:...
just southwest of Arlington
Arlington, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 429 in the city, with a population density of . There were 212 housing units, of which 191 were occupied....
in Fairfield Township, and approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) west of Oelwein
Oelwein, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,692 people, 2,808 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,395.8 people per square mile . There were 3,040 housing units at an average density of 634.1 per square mile...
. It flows briefly northeastward, then generally southeastward through Clayton
Clayton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,129 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,999 housing units, of which 7,599 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Delaware
Delaware County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,764 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,028 housing units, of which 7,062 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Jones
Jones County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,638 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,911 housing units, of which 8,151 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Jackson
Jackson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 19,848 in the county, with a population density of . There were 9,415 housing units, of which 8,289 were occupied.-2000 census:...
Counties, through Backbone State Park
Backbone State Park
Backbone State Park is Iowa's oldest state park, dedicated in 1919. 1200 acres were initially donated by E.M. Carr of Lamont, Iowa. Located in the valley of the Maquoketa River, it is approximately three miles south of Strawberry Point in Delaware County. Backbone Lake Dam, a relatively low dam...
and the towns of Dundee
Dundee, Iowa
Dundee is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 179 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dundee is located at along the Maquoketa River....
, Manchester
Manchester, Iowa
Manchester is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,257 at the 2000 census. As of the 2005 population estimates, Manchester's population was 5,052...
and Monticello
Monticello, Iowa
Monticello is a city in Jones County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,796. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monticello is located at...
.
At Maquoketa
Maquoketa, Iowa
Maquoketa is a city in Clinton and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Located on the Maquoketa River, it is the county seat of Jackson County....
, it receives the North Fork Maquoketa River from the north; the North Fork rises in northern Dubuque County
Dubuque County, Iowa
Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,653 in the 2010 census, an increase from 89,143 in the 2000 census. The county seat is the city of Dubuque. Dubuque County is coterminous with the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the seventh...
and flows 96 miles (154.5 km) generally southward past Dyersville
Dyersville, Iowa
Dyersville is a city in eastern Delaware and western Dubuque Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,035 at the 2000 census and was estimated to be 4,167 in 2006....
and Cascade
Cascade, Iowa
Cascade is a city in Dubuque County and Jones County, Iowa, United States. The Dubuque County portion is part of Dubuque Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jones County portion is part of Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,958 at the 2000 census, but is now...
. The Maquoketa then flows generally eastward in a meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing course as it approaches the Mississippi. It enters Pool 13
Lock and Dam No. 13
Lock and Dam No. 13 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River above Fulton, Illinois and Clinton, Iowa. This facility offers visitors a view of the barges and boats locking through on the widest pool in the Upper Mississippi River....
of the Mississippi from the southwest in eastern Jackson County a few miles upstream from Sabula
Sabula, Iowa
Sabula is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census. Sabula is the site of Iowa's only island city. The island has a beach and a campground. It also has a harbor with boat docks and storage sheds to store some boats during the winter...
approximately 30 mi (48 km) southeast of Dubuque.
The river is considered one of the best smallmouth bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fisheries in Iowa.
There are three small dams on the river, one downriver from Manchester, forming the 400 acres (1.6 km²) Lake Delhi (the USGS terms it, Hartwick Lake) in Delaware County, one at Backbone Lake in Backbone State Park
Backbone State Park
Backbone State Park is Iowa's oldest state park, dedicated in 1919. 1200 acres were initially donated by E.M. Carr of Lamont, Iowa. Located in the valley of the Maquoketa River, it is approximately three miles south of Strawberry Point in Delaware County. Backbone Lake Dam, a relatively low dam...
and Lakehurst dam at Maquoketa. On Saturday July 24, 2010, the dam at Lake Delhi failed due to heavy rains and the rapid rise of the Maquoketa River.
Maquoketa Caves State Park
Maquoketa Caves State Park
Maquoketa Caves State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, located in Jackson County. It stands northwest of the city of Maquoketa.The park contains more caves than any other state park in Iowa. A trail system links the caves, formations, and overlooks while providing a scenic hiking experience. Many...
, a few miles upstream from Maquoketa
Maquoketa, Iowa
Maquoketa is a city in Clinton and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Located on the Maquoketa River, it is the county seat of Jackson County....
protects a segment of the Driftless Area's karst topography
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
, characterized by cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, ice caves and sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
s.
External links
- Univ. of Iowa: Bass on the Maquoketa
- Smallmouth bass Retrieved July 18, 2007
- Backbone State Park website