The upper two miles of stream make up the cold water portion. As the water flows downstream it transitions into warm water, before emptying into the Turkey River, a smallmouth bass and walleye fishery. Poor instream habitat in the upper two miles of the stream has limited natural reproduction of brown trout and resulted in declines in the abundance of brook trout and slimy sculpin. Past land use practices in the watershed have caused excessive soil erosion to the stream, covering gravel and rubble substrates used for spawning. Sediment has also accumulated in deeper pools that once provided cover for fish. Partially funded through the Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), objectives of the restoration project were to improve spawning habitat and overhead cover for brook and brwon trout, as well as, increase suitable habitat for slimy sculpin and southern redbelly dace. This NFHAP project will complete habitat work in the entire two mile coldwater section. The first phase of the project was completed in the fall of 2008.

Approximately 1,960 ft of actively eroding stream bank was stabilized and seeded with native vegetation. The second phase is scheduled for the summer 2009 with plans to stabilize 1,430 ft of stream bank. The Iowa DNR and Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) office has also been working with landowners in the watershed to improve upland conservation practices. Willing landowners with assistance from the local SWCD office and DNR have installed conservation terraces, grassed waterways, erosion control structures, cover crops and other practices in an effort to reduce soil erosion and improve water and habitat quality for wildlife and fish on their lands. Upland conservation practices such as those mentioned previously have been coordinated in conjunction with the cold water stream habitat work in an effort to more effectively improve overall watershed health. Thanks to efforts like these from local partners, the Little Turkey will continue to be a quality trout fishery.