Federal Wetland Programs Help Develop Habitat Along the Missouri River

Missouri River wetland during flooding.

By James Ed. Ducey

Wetland programs of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are playing an important role in developing habitat for wildlife along the central Missouri River between Rulo and Ponca NE.

Since the Wildlife Reserve Enhancement Program's inception in 2004, nearly 10,000 acres have been developed for wildbirds and other local fauna along the Missouri River, according to agency personnel.

Wetlands within about one mile of the river qualify for this program that offers increased management options such as "linking" neighboring wetlands, staff said. Lands further from the river and through out the state may qualify for the Wetlands Reserve Program.

"Our success can be seen in the wildlife response following restoration," agency staff said. Typical wildlife habitat types developed on a contract area may include "Palustrine wetland habitat that is seasonally flooded. The area also included grassland habitat of tallgrass prairie, and woodland habitat of eastern riparian forest."

Annual monitoring efforts from one observation review indicate typical bird species which benefit include the Common Grackle, Dickcissel, Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbird, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Mallard, Spotted Sandpiper and Ring-necked Pheasant.

Monitoring programs are accomplished as employee schedules permit and may not always be done at a time such as migration periods when the most diverse array of birds might be present.

Other fauna which benefit from the newly established habitat include amphibians such as bull frogs and Blanchard's cricket frogs.

One of the few public sites where birders can view the success of the project is at Boyer Chute, near Fort Calhoun, NE. Work here included recreating the old river chute, thus widening the river floodplain, agency staff explained.

Another public area is the Peru Bottoms site, east of Peru, now owned by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. East of Rulo, a project site is visible from the county road.

Other project sites are closed to public access since they are private property of the landowners.

"The success is in the numbers," an agency representative explained. There have been at least 93 WREP contracts with landowners:

2004 - 21 contracts for 1,680 acres

2005 - 35 contracts for 4,280 acres

2006 - 22 contracts for 2,000 acres

2007 - 15 contracts for 1,800 acres (through June 2007)

Total: 93 contracts for 9,760 acres

There has been $19.2 million committed to the program, through May 2007. The overall goal is to enroll 18,800 acres in the WREP.

Missouri River wetlands east of Nebraska City. All photos courtesy of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Lincoln, Nebraska office.

"In addition to providing the typical on-site, wetland-related benefits, these lands under easement also contribute to the objective of riverine corridor restoration on a larger scale in future years," agency staff said.

Each wetland plan includes two primary steps.

There is restoration, which is the construction phase when water control structures are put in place. Typically, this included excavation of sediments. De-leveling a field, breaking sub-surface tile lines and seeding native grasses and forbs.

A management plan is then developed to guide agency personnel in providing maximum benefits for flora and fauna.

"The goal is to provide a diversity of hydrologic and vegetative conditions that benefit migratory and resident birds and other wetland dependent species throughout all seasons of the year. Special emphasis is placed on shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl."

Flood control is another primary reason for the wetland restorations.

The biggest targeting factor in the ranking to select program sites is the proximity to the existing river channel, agency staff explained. "This helps focus efforts on chutes, back waters, and oxbows.

The Wetlands Reserve Program (of which WREP is a part) has a primary objective to restore and maintain habitat for migratory birds and to address threatened and endangered species habitat needs where possible.

The NRCS continues to look for project sites. "We are continuously seeking and taking applications for wetland restorations. It is a not stop process. In FY 2007 for both WRP and WREP, we signed 47 contracts to restore 5,200 acres," agency staff said. Of special interest are wetlands that can be linked to establish a corridor along the river edge.

"For the Lower Missouri River WREP, lands in the floodplain within a mile of the river, that were previously wetlands, old river channel, hydric soils, etc., that can be restored to a wetland," are the current emphasis. "These sites have hydric soil types that would have hydrophytic vegetation if not previously disturbed. Many have been converted to cropland."

"Landowners can opt for a 10-year restoration cost-share agreement; a 30-year conservation easement, or a permanent easement, which has been the most popular selection, according to a NRCS news release.

"Efforts of the WREP and Army Corps of Engineers mitigation efforts have blended well," NRCS staff said. "Wetland restoration enrollments have come from both sources.

Probably the best example came this spring on a WRP (before WREP) site south of Plattsmouth. NRCS worked with the landowner on the wetland restoration. The Corps is involved with stream bank sloughing and shallow water habitat restoration and notching of the dike along the river which allowed high flows from the river into the wetland, relieving pressure flooding downstream while the wetland held back the water, slowing releasing it back to the river. Adjacent neighbors downstream have now enrolled wetlands."

Following the WREP project, the Corps has bought some of the wetland from the landowner as part of their mitigation requirements. The shallow water habitat is needed for recovery of the endangered pallid sturgeon.

Other agencies or groups involved in these projects includes the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Ducks Unlimited and local natural resource districts.

The Nature Conservancy is contributing funds to WREP in NE, and a wetlands restoration specialist was newly hired in June. In late May, the group received $80,000 from Cargill to support its activities. "The money will be used to complete an 85-acre restoration in Burt County," a press release said.

"Cargill is pleased to support the wetlands restoration, and would be doubly pleased if our contribution spurred interest among others to join in the effort," Eric Johnson, facility manager for Cargill's Corn Milling plant in nearby Blair, said in a news release. "This project fits perfectly with Cargill's approach to environmental stewardship."

Further information on WREP is available at the NRCS website.

Missouri River wetland scene.