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Shallow Water Wetlands   Shorebird Projects
 
project site before photo project site showing avocets in the shallow water
Project site before. Premium avocet nesting cover created by flooding
the low spots with 2 inches of water while leaving
the higher spots unflooded.

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program in southern Colorado is designing wetland habitat specifically for avocets and other shorebirds. After a landowner expresses interest in the program, Partners staff visit the prospective site and conduct an intensive topographic survey. If the survey indicates that a relatively large area can be flooded with 1 to 2 inches of water, the site is ranked as a potential shorebird project. Next, the soil and water characteristics are evaluated to ensure the site can support large populations of aquatic invertebrates, which serve as the primary food for avocets and other shorebirds. A Wildlife Extension Agreement is then developed with the landowner and the project typically completed within 2 to 4 months. Partners staff are encouraged by a recently completed shorebird project that created 6 acres of wetland habitat and was used by over 25 pairs of nesting avocets.
Aquatic Invertebrates - One inch of water is best for aquatic invertebrates.  It allows for early warm-up, good light penetration for plant growth, and excellent for growing invertebrates (critical food for water birds and fisheries).
closeup photo of insect nymphs
wetland photo showing the shallows with shaded overhanging grasses
Snails - A 2-year-old wetland demonstrated incredible response by snails. photo looking down in the water at the bottom covered with snails close-up photo of a handful of snails

shallow marsh with avocets photo
Avocet Nesting Habitat - All of these slight rises in elevation were created from blowing sand trapped by each individual greasewood plant.  To create this wetland, the dike was precisely located in order to put two inches of water on the low spots while leaving the higher spots unflooded, thereby creating premium avocet nesting habitat.
Nesting Cover - One to two inches of water not only grows great number of aquatic invertebrates but also grows excellent nesting cover. Nesting Habitat Wildlife Extension Agreements include constructing shallow water wetland/wet meadows, erecting fences to rest nesting cover, and planting dense grasses. marsh photo with tall grasses

bar graph showing wintering waterfowl distribution
Wintering Waterfowl Distribution
San Luis Valley, Colorado

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