I-90 Pre-construction

In 2012 we sampled for reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, and fish at 14 stream crossings along I-90 from IL 47 to the Kishwaukee River.

Reptiles and Amphibians
We used visual encounter surveys, dip nets, minnow traps, and baited hoop traps, and found 6 species

Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina
Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta
 
American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus
– 
Bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus
– 
Green Frog, Lithobates clamitans
 
Northern Leopard Frog, Lithobates pipiens

 

Mollusks
We sampled four streams and found

– 203 mollusks representing 19 species (18 mussel and 1 snail species)
– Two state listed species

Slippershell, Alasmidonta viridis, in Mosquito Creek and
Black Sandshell, Liguma recta, in the Kishwaukee River.

– The two most abundant species were

Mucket, Actinonais ligamentia, and
Plain Pocketbook, Lampsillis cardium.

 

Fish
Using minnow seines and backpack shockers we found

– 2,970 fish representing 49 species
– Two state listed species

Gravel Chub, Erimystax x-puncttus, in the Kishwaukee River
Iowa Darter, Etheostoma exile, at four sites

– The four most abundant species overall were the

Sand Shiner, Notropis stramineus,
Bigmouth Shiner, N. dorsalis,
Bluntnose Minnow, Pimephales notatus, and
Book Stickleback, Culea inconstans.

– The three most abundant species in small streams were

Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas,
Brook Stickleback, Culaea inconstans, and
Black Bullhead, Ameiurus melas.

The three most abundant species in large streams were

Sand Shiner, Notropis stramineus,
Bigmouth Shiner, N. dorsalis, and
Bluntnose Minnow, Pimephales notatus.

 

We returned in 2015 to assess the area following construction.