Wetland Management District
Imagine a farm family of the 1870's living in the woodlands of the East. These were tough, independent people, the third generation of a family that had grubbed out a living in deeply forested areas. Word had come to them that good, fertile land was virtually free for the taking in the West - open land with no trees that had to be cut down and rooted out.
The lands of the northern prairies beckoned this family and thousands of their countrymen. Upon leaving the forested protection of the eastern woodlands, they entered a treeless, open land dominated by the sun and endless grasslands interrupted by thousands of shallow marshlands or wetlands.
Prairie Wetlands
This mixture of prairie grasses and shallow waters was well known for its abundant wildlife. Buffalo, antelope, elk, ducks, and geese were there in great numbers. Both American Indians and white settlers depended on the wildlife of these wet prairies for food and other uses. As settlement of the prairie accelerated, settlers looked for ways to increase production of crops. Thus, the drainage of prairie wetlands began.
Drainage of wetlands continued unabated until the adverse impacts were very evident. Wildlife, dependent on wetlands in so many way, declined in numbers. Floods became more severe on lands downstream of heavily drained areas.
Wetlands Protection
In response to the disastrous effects that the drainage of wetlands was having on ducks and other wildlife, the United States Congress appropriated funding for the protection of prairie wetlands in the early 1960's. Shortly thereafter, the Lake Andes Wetland Management District, an arm of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was created.
Today, the District manages 19,177 acres of purchased waterfowl habitat called "Waterfowl Production Areas." In addition, the District protects almost 63,554 acres of wetlands and grasslands through perpetual easements purchased from landowners.
Management
Waterfowl Production Areas are a part of the prairie wetlands region and provide nesting habitat for wild ducks. It should not be surprising then, that these areas are managed for wildlife, particularly nesting ducks. Management involves manipulation of habitats as wildlife managers strive to meet the needs of prairie wildlife.
The growth of native grasses and forbs is encouraged. Frequently, native prairie has been invaded by less desirable vegetation. To stimulate the growth of native grasses at the expense of aggressive invaders, native grasslands are periodically grazed, hayed, and on occasion, burned in a deliberate, well-planned manner called "prescribed burning." Grazing is most often used, as it stimulates the growth of grasses, returns nutrients to the soil, and breaks up litter that eventually may cause a grassland to stagnate. These practices not only improve conditions for nesting ducks, but also for a host of other prairie birds, such as prairie grouse, upland sandpiper, and bobolink.
Frequently, drained wetlands are restored by filling drainage ditches on both Waterfowl Production Areas and on private lands.
A Valued Resource
Prairie wetlands are best known for the wildlife seen there. Yet, the wealth of wildlife they produce is but one of the many values they bring to people. Wetlands store water during periods of flooding and slowly release it, lowering flood peaks. The vegetation within wetlands filters out sediments, removing impurities from water. By percolating downward into the soil, the water of wetlands helps recharge underground aquifers. Wetlands also furnish livestock with water, helping provide more complete distribution of grazing within a pasture. They are a unique and valued asset to both country and city people alike.
Our Wetland Heritage
As wetland losses continue to occur, Waterfowl Production Areas will offer future generations a glimpse of a land that only a short time ago was dominated by prairie grasses and wetlands. The sight of waist-high grasses waving in the wind, of wildflowers ablaze with color, and of a distant wedge of ducks skimming above the surface of a wetland is a scene not soon forgotten.
