Comprehensive Conservation Plan

This plan is for the following wetland management districts:

• Arrowwood
• Audubon
• Chase Lake
• Crosby
• Devils Lake
• J. Clark Salyer
• Kulm
• Lostwood
• Valley City

The comprehensive conservation plan sets the management and use of the nine North Dakota wetland management districts for 15 years. The districts are located primarily east and north of the Missouri River, from the Canadian border south to the State line of South Dakota. The prairies of North Dakota have become an ecological treasure of biological importance for waterfowl and other migratory birds. While the prairies support a wide diversity of wildlife, they are most famous for their role in waterfowl production.

Established in the early 1960s, the purposes of the districts are for wetland preservation, waterfowl and other wildlife production, and maintenance of breeding grounds for migratory birds. The Service designated the districts as part of the Small Wetlands Acquisition Program under the following authorities:

• Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act—"As waterfowl production areas subject to all provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act … except the inviolate sanctuary provisions." The act also provides for the conservation, protection, and propagation of native fish and wildlife.
• Migratory Bird Conservation Act—"For any other management purposes, for migratory birds," including meeting the obligations of the United States under the migratory bird treaty with Great Britain.

These nine wetland management districts occur across five physiographic regions: Red River Valley, Glaciated Plains, Turtle Mountains, Missouri Coteau, and Coteau Slope. The districts have a very high density of wetlands important to waterfowl and migratory birds. Furthermore, the districts protect large blocks of intact native prairie through conservation easements and fee-title ownership.

Broken out by district below, the nine districts manage more than 1,000 waterfowl production areas, tens of thousands of conservation easements, and 37 wildlife development areas in 33 counties across North Dakota. These district lands of more than 1 million acres are part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Arrowwood Wetland Management District

• Comprises 25,199 acres in 28 waterfowl production areas and numerous wetland easements and Farmers Home Administration easements.
• Located in Foster and Eddy counties in east-central North Dakota.

Audubon Wetland Management District

• Comprises 188,751 acres in 101 waterfowl production areas, 20 wildlife development areas, and numerous wetland and grassland easements and Farmers Home Administration easements.
• Located in McLean, Sheridan, and Ward counties in central North Dakota.

Chase Lake Wetland Management District

• Comprises 111,680 acres in 129 waterfowl production areas, 5 wildlife development areas, and numerous wetland and grassland easements and Farmers Home Administration easements.
• Located in Stutsman and Wells counties in south-central North Dakota.

Most of the district lands—native prairie and an amazing density of wetlands—have not been altered, and researchers gather important information about waterfowl and wetlands here.

Crosby Wetland Management District

• Comprises 114,552 acres in 99 waterfowl production areas and numerous wetland and grassland easements and Farmers Home Administration easements.
• Located in Burke, Divide, and Williams counties in northwestern North Dakota.

Devils Lake Wetland Management District

• Comprises 210,717 acres in 257 waterfowl production areas, 11 wildlife development areas, and numerous wetland and grassland easements and Farmers Home Administration easements.

Comprehensive conservation plan (CCP)
CCP 2008 (15 MB PDF)

By section, for faster download:
Approval, contents, summary (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 1, introduction (2 MB PDF)
Chapter 2, the districts (2 MB PDF)
Chapter 3, district resources and description (3 MB PDF)
Chapter 4, management direction (3 MB PDF)
Appendixes (2 MB PDF)

Draft CCP and environmental assessment (EA)
Draft CCP and EA 2008 (12 MB PDF)

By section, for faster download:
Contents, summary (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 1, introduction (2 MB PDF)
Chapter 2, the districts (2 MB PDF)
Chapter 3, alternatives (PDF)
Chapter 4, affected environment (3 MB PDF)
Chapter 5, environmental consequences (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 6, implementation of the proposed action (3 MB PDF)
Appendixes (PDF)