Restoration: Water is life!

        A year ago, in cooperation with the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks, four wetlands were restored on one of my properties. Last winter was relatively snowless, consequently there was not enough snow melt runoff to fill these wetlands. Dial into this May and June with exceptional rainfall and now they all hold water,

     Luke, the young South Dakota State biologist that oversaw the projects, and I, visited the sites today. Not only are they retaining water, native aquatic vegetation is now present. These small bodies of water will attract nesting ducks. A flock of water birds was present on one. With the growth of cattails and reeds, already colonizing, winter habitat for pheasants and other wild critters will be present.  One dam is retaining water a foot or two deep for several hundred yards creating a marsh that will fill with a variety of flora. The deepest of these impoundments holds water only a few inches below the spillway. 

     Ah, yes, the gift of rain.

Takk for alt,

Al

                                   The deepest of the impoundments from a distance. 

                                        

                                        A close up showing how near it is to overflow.