Neosho National Fish Hatchery's Blog

Summer Growth of Native Fatmucket Mussels

Ever since early May, biologists Jaime Pacheco and Melissa Cheung have spent an unusual amount of time on Pond 20. Normally home to freshwater drum, this pond is the current site of our fatmucket floating upweller system (flupsy). While the drum still use this pond, the flupsy is situated adjacent to an aerator near the center of the pond.

The floating upweller system and anchor (with float attached)
are near an aerator. Surrounding the aerators is duckweed.

To provide the native mussels with sufficient food, we had to improve water quality and nutrient conditions. In order to discourage filamentous algae, concentrated blue dye has been added routinely. Highly concentrated bacteria in dry form is added to accelerate the breakdown of detritus and dead algae. The four aerators, which have been in this pond for years, are still working and filamentous algae was manually removed in early summer. Hundreds of pounds of alfalfa meal have also been added on an as needed basis.

A comparison between a dead fatmucket from late

August and another from a previous cleaning.

Slowly and without the use of chemicals, the pond is becoming a place that can foster mussel growth. There has been a visible shift from filamentous algae covering the top and bottom of the pond to duckweed covering the surface of the water. The duckweed, in combination with the concentrated blue dye, has blocked out the sun, preventing the growth of most of the undesirable filamentous algae. Duckweed, being a tiny floating plant, is moved by wind and water current. The duckweed does not inhibit the growth of plankton, an important food source for mussels. In addition, the flupsy is kept near an aerator to prevent duckweed from surrounding the flupsy.

Austin Drake and Christian Neff from the YCC program
spread the alfalfa meal with MSSU student Brett Nichols.

Although there are still more ways in which we can manipulate the system in Pond 20, it is nice to see some positive results. On May 3^rd, the day the mussels arrived, a water sample was obtained and examined for levels of “mussel-edible” food by Dr. Barnhart’s lab at MSU. The results were not great, 1.6 nl/ml. In late August, food concentration was examined again. While the result was not near as productive as the water source surrounding the Kansas City Zoo flupsy (10nl/ml), the water samples did show an improvement (3nl/ml). The increase also suggests that food is available for the fatmuckets.

MSSU student Brett Nichols and YCC members Austin, Sydney, and
Elizabeth clean the four buckets from the flupsy. This is done once a week.

This is still the first year that mussel propagation has been attempted in this pond. Because the pond has a leak, any overflow goes straight into the creek. Knowing this, the biologists avoided any harsh chemicals, opting for natural alternatives. The eventual goal is to provide grow-out space for endangered native mussels. As the staff becomes more familiar with manipulating pond conditions, the mussels will benefit.

Jaime, Brett and Elizabeth used a jon-boat to deploy the anchor for the flupsy. Marked by a float from above, the anchor ensures that the flupsy stays close to an aerator and reduces fouling on the buckets.

Hatchery Painting Unveiled at Opening of Local Bank

Last Tuesday, hatchery staff set aside their normal duties to visit a new bank in town. The Neosho Branch of First Community Bank had its grand opening and the hatchery crew had been given advanced notice to be there. Surrounded by bank executives, community leaders, local community supporters, and the hatchery Friends group, hatchery staff waited for the ceremony to begin. Although we felt like fish out of water (pardon the pun) amidst the suits and ties, this was not just any bank grand opening. Thanks to the work of local artist W. Jeffrey Jones, the annual seining of rainbow trout at Neosho National Fish Hatchery is forever captured in a large painting for all to see.

Painting by W. Jeffrey Jones on display at First Community Bank.

Mr. Jones’ painting of the fish hatchery was showcased at the grand opening of First Community Bank. After formal introductions, the painting was unveiled by the artist himself and hatchery manager David Hendrix. The painting shows biologists Jaime Pacheco, Melissa Cheung and Jeff Messens pulling in a seine net full of rainbow trout. Jonathan Lara, one of the volunteers that helped with the pond seining, is also in the painting. In the foreground, hatchery manager David Hendrix holds a rainbow trout ready for release into the pond. Hung on a wall facing the main entrance, it occupies a prominent space in the bank.

The study of the seahorse column is on
display at The Grotto Fine Art Gallery.

Months before the bank was set to open, First Community Bank contacted Mr. Jones to depict a local landmark in a painting. The painting would be approximately 3’x4’ in size. A Neosho resident since childhood, Mr. Jones admittedly had a variety of local sites in mind. It was not until he visited the new visitor center, toured the facility, and met the staff that he decided to focus on the fish hatchery. After learning about the hatchery’s Friends group, he and his wife Donna, who works at First Community Bank, became members. Since then they have actively worked with hatchery staff and the Friends group and are fierce advocates for the hatchery. Although we will never know what exactly caught Mr. Jones’ interest in our facility and hatchery community, his work has more than exceeded our expectations and made us his avid supporters.

Artist W. Jeffrey Jones and Dave Hendrix
unveil the mural together.

After taking hundreds of hatchery photos, Mr. Jones created numerous paint, pencil, and watercolor studies. These works highlighted features of the hatchery that locals have come to recognize as characteristic of Neosho National Fish Hatchery. A couple noteworthy examples include the seahorse column at the hatchery entrance, the Cushman carts that are used by staff to get around the hatchery, and the new visitor center that faces 86 highway.

Hatchery staff pose with the artist holding the framed lithograph of
the painting that was given to the hatchery by First Community Bank.

Although the 8 weeks or more that it took Mr. Jones to complete the hatchery painting have come to an end, he has already begun another painting for the Goodman Branch of First Community Bank. An artist with a penchant for giving back and doing it locally, Mr. Jones hopes the media and attendees of the bank’s grand opening will help the fish hatchery and its Friends gain exposure. The artist would like his painting to garner financial and community support. He would like to see news of the hatchery painting in the state agency’s Missouri Conservationist magazine. At Mr. Jones’ prompting, First Community Bank agreed to have a lithograph of the painting framed and matted for Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3’s new main office building. To support the fish hatchery, he has made prints of the visitor center available for purchase in the hatchery gift shop. Mr. Jones kindly gave each member of the hatchery staff their own print. The seahorse study and a study of the seining crew will be available for viewing and purchase at The Grotto Fine Art Gallery in the Neosho square.

The artist at home painting the
study of the seining crew.

People like W. Jeffrey Jones ensure that the hatchery has a place in this community. By doing what he does best, Mr. Jones taught us what it means to be an advocate in our community. We are lucky to count him as a “Friend”, but consider him a friend as well. The momentum he has created with this hatchery painting continues. Luckily for us, he is not stopping anytime soon.

Photos from the June Fishing Derbies

This year we held the annual Kid's Fishing Derby and Elderly and Handicapped Fishing Derby in the first two weeks of June. Thanks to our volunteers, Friends group, and staff, the events ran smoothly.

Who better than hatchery manager David Hendrix to show kids how to catch a rainbow?

Volunteer Jordan Shope, a YCC intern from summer 2010, removes a hook from a trout for a participant.

Toward the end of June, we held a special fishing derby for children 5-18 that were impacted by the tornado in Joplin. This third derby was an event hosted by the Sugar Creek Gobblers National Wild Turkey Federation Chapter. The hatchery Friends group, hatchery staff, staff from George Washington Carver National Monument and the Missouri Department of Conservation, additional Fish and Wildlife Service staff, YCC interns and volunteers came out to contribute to the cause. The Joplin public school buses donated their time and fuel to transport children from Joplin to Neosho.

Donations were brought in from across the United States for the day. Ice was donated for the fish cleaning station. A Blue Bunny ice cream trailer full of donated treats served popsicles and ice cream bars. Fresh snow cones were also served throughout the day. Lunch and drinks were also provided. Items given to each participant included t-shirts, sleeping bags, camping chairs, and fishing poles. Although it was a very hot summer day, children still came out to catch a rainbow.