Natural History

Kulm Wetland Management District lies in the heart of the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States. The landscape of the area was formed by advance and retreat of glaciers. The most recent glacier melted 9,000-12,500 years ago leaving a 50'-500' thick deposit of glacial sediment.

Various ridges, hills, plains and depressions were left as the ice melted. Smaller blocks of ice melting in the sediment left a wealth of depressions which are the wetlands of today. Vegetation which developed in the District, on the glacially altered landscape represents a transition between the tall grass and short grass prairies. It is commonly referred to as mixed grass prairie.

The James River is an important river system running through LaMoure and eastern Dickey Counties. It joins the Missouri River System near Yankton, South Dakota forming a valuable migration route for many species of migratory birds.

Kulm Wetland Management District (Dickey, LaMoure, McIntosh and Logan Counties) has 3 major physiographic zones. They are the Glaciated Plain or Drift Plain, the Missouri Coteau, and the Coteau Slope.

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