In 1997 the city installed a reef at the former site of the North Avenue Dam to support newly stocked lake sturgeon. Sturgeon don’t spawn until they are 26-years-old, but northern pike, darters, salmon and lake trout are taking advantage of the underwater habitat right now.
All that is left of the once-massive wetland system around the lower Kinnikinnic River is the 6.5 acres of Grand Trunk Wetland. Despite contamination, turkey, fox, mink, amphibians and even a rare species of garter snake make their home there. Spilled construction gravel in an inlet inadvertently created a prime spawning ground for bluegill.
