Resource Agency Destroys Grassland Vegetation

The Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District recently destroyed wildland vegetation at the Valentine Mill Pond in order to comply with a recommendation from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.

A unique area of warm-season grasses, forbs and other plant species growing in a small tract northeast of the mill pond was intentionally mown as it is the emergency spillway for the mill pond. Not included in the discussion is the well established drain which can be opened to facilitate removal of water from the pond.

An inquiry at the MNNRD office indicated that the mowing was done because of a “recommendation” by DNR. Staff were indifferent to the distinction of a recommendation to a requirement.

Results of the mowing – which is the first time the site has been mown in the past few years – was more than dismal. Results are indicative:

1. Vegetation was sheared to a minimal height and in some instances was cut so low that bare ground was apparent.

2. Ruts were left where the mowing occurred in lowland while there were moist-soil conditions.

3. Several clumps of cut vegetation were left behind which could result in further degradation of vegetation due to a “smothering” effect of the piles.

4. Mowing was done during a time of the year when wildbirds were breeding in the immediate vicinity, including a resident Common Yellowthroat.

5. Areas were mown which had a ground elevation above what could be considered as being within the required spillway.

MNNRD officials took no responsibility for these results, instead agency staff said that the “recommended” mowing had to be done. There is a big difference between recommended and required. NRD staff did not want to consider this distinction.

An inspection by DNR staff occurred on March 28, 2018 according to a document provided by the state agency. One “deficiency requiring attention” was trees on a downstream slope. The two state of Nebraska employees must have been inattentive as this tract of vegetation did not have any tree or shrub growth. This is a place observed daily during the past three years and where there was no such growth. The NRD responded with an eventual mowing, once when there was an equipment breakdown and then a second time when the greatest extent of grassland vegetation was destroyed.

Following the second mowing in July, an email exchange occurred with DNR staff. Initially, there was an information exchange, but after indicating a short list that might help to protect vegetation values while still meeting the necessity for dam safety, the person at DNR cut off the communication by a terse comment that the NRD can cut the vegetation weekly if they want. This was their indicative response to establishing parameters that could protect a bit of a natural vegetation space.

When asked – via email by a DNR employee – what might be done to protect the natural values associated with the spillway area, my points were:

1. Mowing should not occur every year as biannual mowing would be sufficient

2. Do not mow to an extent that “scalping” of the vegetation occurs and nearly bare areas are a result; there should be approximately six inches of remaining vegetative height

3. Indicate the extent of emergency spillway area that would need to be mown so that natural vegetation on portions of the site could thrive without disturbance

4. Do not mow during the bird breeding season, or approximately April 15 to August 15

5. Consult with an authority on warm-season vegetation so that mowing would occur at a time that would be beneficial to the continuing vitality of this little bit of natural plants and which is a unique feature of the mill pond public space

6. These items should be established by a signed memorandum of agreement to ensure that the NRD and DNR agree on how the grassy space would be managed

Numerous pictures have been personally taken at what has been a quite fine growth of summer plants, including different sorts of warm-season grasses. There is nothing better than a view of “turkey-foot” or Big Bluestem as seen against a western sky. Indian Grass has also been indicative, as well as Switch-grass. Species of various special pollinator insects have appreciated the variety of special forbs including milkweed. There was common mullein they appreciated. Habitat was removed with particular intent.

A bit of natural space at the Mill Pond – known as Lake Minnechaduza in 1919 – has been important to many sorts of wildness that anyone could enjoy every day. It is deplorable that government officials whose job is conservation, do exactly the opposite in failing to conserve unique resources and where there is relatively barren ground instead of lush vegetation.

The final communication with the DNR was an email of indifference and a pathetic statement that the NRD could mow the tract every week if they wanted to. Whatever was to occur was something that the agency did not care about, as they were only responsible for the safety of the dam. This statement was made despite the inspection report having trees as an item specifically considered among the “downstream slope” section of the dam inspection checklist.

Something could have been done to reach an equitable solution, but instead state bureaucrats decided to do nothing for the vegetative resource and unique public setting. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources indicates requirements yet takes no responsibility for the results.

In the case at the Valentine Mill Pond, a unique resource is ravaged with apparent indifference by the NRD because of the DNR.