Why did lake sturgeon appear in flooded yards?

Lake sturgeon followed rising water levels from heavy spring rains and snowmelt into flooded ditches and yards connected to the main river channels.

Did the sturgeon need help returning to the river?

No, state wildlife officials confirmed that the sturgeon naturally followed the receding water flow back into the main river channels on their own.

Will this flooding impact the sturgeon population?

Officials do not expect the flooding to significantly impact the healthy Lake Winnebago system sturgeon population.

Home / Environment / Flooded Yards Become Sturgeon Spawning Grounds

Flooded Yards Become Sturgeon Spawning Grounds

28 Apr

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Summary

Lake sturgeon spawned in flooded yards due to heavy spring rains.
Wildlife officials confirmed sturgeon returned to main river channels.
Flooding is not expected to significantly impact sturgeon population health.

Flooded Yards Become Sturgeon Spawning Grounds

During mid-April's torrential rains, severe flooding in Wisconsin, including the Wolf River, caused lake sturgeon to migrate into unusual areas. Residents near Shiocton were surprised to see sturgeon in flooded yards connected to the river through submerged culverts. This phenomenon occurred as the fish followed rising water levels during their annual spawning migration.

State wildlife officials from the DNR observed that these sturgeon naturally navigated back to the main river channels as water levels receded. They noted that the sturgeon possess an innate ability to follow water flow, leading them back to faster currents necessary for spawning. The DNR does not anticipate this event will significantly harm the healthy Lake Winnebago system sturgeon population, emphasizing that natural return minimizes stress on the fish.