Wildlife Protection

Keeping It Simple: Easy Ways to Help Wildlife Along Roads

"Roughening" a creek bed creates habitat for Topeka shiner

The federally-listed as threatened minnow called the Topeka shiner lives in portions of six states - Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Replacement of the Carey Creek Bridge near Herington, Kansas, and associated channel clearing created a "slick" geometric creek bed with little or no habitat for the minnow. So the Kansas Department of Transportation contractors dug shallow pits in the creek bed and piled rocks there for diverse habitat. Topeka shiners and other fish swam into the new channel almost immediately.

--Apr 25, 2003

Scott Shields, (785) 296-0164 or scottsh@ksdot.org

Topeka shiner

On or Near Bridges - Kansas