Iowa Restores Oxbow Lakes for Wildlife Comeback

Quick Smiles:

• Iowa restores hundreds of oxbow lakes, aiding endangered Topeka shiners.
• Water quality improves and wildlife thrives in rejuvenated wetlands.
• Community partnerships ensure long-term conservation success.

Across Iowa, the restoration of oxbow lakes has sparked the return of the tiny endangered Topeka shiner, once abundant across the state’s former wetlands.

Originally launched to help this rare fish, the project blossomed as conservationists saw restored ponds also trapping nutrient runoff, improving water quality for surrounding communities.

The Nature Conservancy and the US Fish and Wildlife Service began the effort in 2000, and after the first round of restorations, landowners noticed dramatic benefits for both wildlife and water purity.

“It really is a success story,” said Karen Wilke, associate director of freshwater for the Nature Conservancy.

Today, over 200 oxbow lakes dot the Iowa landscape, with 57 fish species and 81 bird species, along with turtles, amphibians, and even river otters, finding new homes in these wetlands.

“I think all the species are hungry to have this habitat come back, hungry to have more water on the landscape,” Wilke shared.

Projects have been funded by private, state, and federal partnerships, helping landowners join in conservation while restoring vital habitats.

Thanks to ongoing efforts, Topeka shiners are thriving again, now inhabiting 60% of the revitalized lakes. A 2021 review recommended the fish’s status be upgraded from endangered to threatened, marking an uplifting milestone for Iowa’s wildlife and communities.

Read more inspiring stories and support the wonders of nature restoration in your own area!

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