Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, located in southern Illinois, received wide-spread damage as a result of the rain and flooding much of the region has been coping with for the past several weeks. Many of the Refuge’s boat launches, docks, roads, trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and restroom facilities received some type of damage.
Throughout the flooding, the Refuge staff has focused most of their attention on public health and safety issues, such as monitoring and maintaining the integrity of dams, dikes and roadways. Now that the immediate threat of flooding has subsided, the staff is able to focus more attention on readying the Refuge for the traditional April 1 beginning of the recreational season.
“We are working hard to ensure visitors can have a safe and enjoyable time at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and getting things cleaned-up and working as quickly as possible,” said Refuge Manager Dan Frisk. “We sustained a lot of damage and it’s going to be a while before everything is 100 percent again. I’m asking people to be patient, cautious and to call our Visitor Center at 618-998-5933 for the latest information.”
Visitors will find the majority of Refuge roads, boat launches and facilities open. “While most boat launches are open, some of the docks and other amenities at the launches may not be useable,” said Frisk. “Restroom facilities are not all functioning and some fishing piers and boardwalks are also damaged. People need to be cautious and understand that not everything is working perfectly.”
Frisk adds that people should be cautious out on the water as well. The flood waters moved safety buoys and may have added new underwater hazards. “We’re working on getting the buoys back in the correct place and searching for any new hazards that may have been created,” said Frisk. “But we’re not done with all that work yet, so people need to slow down and be cautious.”
The most significant damage occurred at the Crab Orchard Marina and Crab Orchard Campground. Crab Orchard Campground will be temporarily closed to the public. According to Frisk, initial estimates are that the Crab Orchard Campground should be partially open by the end of April and completely open by the end of May. “Now that we’ve got most of the serious health and safety issues addressed,” said Frisk, “we can focus more attention on getting recreational issues fixed.” The Campground on Little Grassy Lake is expected to open on April 1.
One dock at the Crab Orchard Marina was significantly damaged and the boats moored there will need to be temporarily moved to other locations. The building that housed the store and bait shop at the campground was also heavily damaged and will not be able to open. Frisk is arranging to have a temporary facility set-up in the next few weeks that can be used for campground registration, goods and bait sales.
The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located at 8588 Route 148, Marion, IL 62959. The Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number is 618-998-5933.
Located west of Marion, Illinois, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge covers nearly 44,000 acres of fish and wildlife habitat; including three man-made lakes totaling 8,700 surface acres.
The Refuge hosts an estimated 1.2 million visitors annually, and its recreation programs contribute $25 million to the local tourism economy.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
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