Jones Waterfowl Production Area

IMPORTANT!

On October 27, two whooping cranes were observed in Phelps County.  The birds will be monitored daily and Waterfowl Production Areas may be closed without notice to protect the birds from public disturbance.  

Whooping cranes are an endangered species and it is illegal to disturb or harass these birds in any manner, including hunting of game species.  Whooping cranes found in close proximity to a Waterfowl Production Area will cause that area to be closed until the birds have migrated on.  Closed areas will be posted with bright orange signs designating the closure.

Location:    3 miles west and 3 miles south of Holdrege, Nebraska

             Small_map_showing_location_of_Atlanta_&_Jones_WPAs  Click on map to enlarge

Size:    165 acres: 89 acres of wetland, 76 acres of upland

Aerial Map

Recent Management:  Little management was done on the wetland during the 1990's, resulting in little to no use by waterfowl.  During that time, trees established themselves along the wetland boundary and scattered throughout the wetland.  Restoration began in 2000 with the removal of trees.  In the spring of 2002, a prescribed burn was done on the whole unit to burn up the tree piles and reduce the organic layer on the wetland bottom.  

In February, 2003 an existing well was replaced and a new engine installed.  Later in the year, a pump house, covering the engine, was constructed.  Our Partners For Fish and Wildlife Program worked with an adjacent landowner to have his water concentration pit fill and the land converted from gravity-flow irrigation to a center-pivot system.  The result was additional water to the wetland.  Pumping is limited because of the high cost per acre-foot for water from the well.  

The dry years from 2005 to 2007 caused volunteer trees to again invade the wetland.  In 2008, trees were cleared again--including resprouts from trees cut in past years.  A large patch of willows were removed using a tree shredder rented from a local company.

Aerial photo of Jones WPA prior to the removal of trees looking north

 Aerial_photograph_of_Jones_WPA_taken_in_August,_2000_looking_north

 

 

Jones WPA after tree removal looking northwest (June, 2005)

 

 

Last updated: October 27, 2009

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