Catfish Creek (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Catfish Creek is a 21.2 miles (34.1 km) tributary of the upper
Mississippi River
in northeastern Iowa
. It rises southwest of Dubuque
, just southeast of Peosta
. The Middle Fork rises west of Dubuque and flows under and then parallel to U.S. Route 20
; the former Illinois Central Railroad
, now the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad
has its mainline in it. The remaining forks of the creek are all south of U.S. Route 52
. Swiss Valley Park, maintained by Dubuque County, is along the main fork of the creek, which is a designated trout stream through the park. In recent years, people have been trying to stop the erosion in this relatively flat way out of the Gorge of the Upper Mississippi. The North Fork of the creek has been proposed for a trail/park.
Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in northeastern Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. It rises southwest of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, just southeast of Peosta
Peosta, Iowa
Peosta is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and an exurb of the city of Dubuque. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,377 in the 2010 census, an increase of 111.5% from 651 in the 2000 census...
. The Middle Fork rises west of Dubuque and flows under and then parallel to U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
; the former Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
, now the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad
Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad was a Class II railroad operating on the former Illinois Central Railroad mainline between Chicago, Illinois, Albert Lea, Minnesota, Omaha, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa. The railroad was formed as a spinoff from the IC, with operations beginning on...
has its mainline in it. The remaining forks of the creek are all south of U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
. Swiss Valley Park, maintained by Dubuque County, is along the main fork of the creek, which is a designated trout stream through the park. In recent years, people have been trying to stop the erosion in this relatively flat way out of the Gorge of the Upper Mississippi. The North Fork of the creek has been proposed for a trail/park.