As the state agency responsible for the management of fish and wildlife, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has lead a number of wetland related activities in Oklahoma, including:
Public Lands Wetland Development Projects
Over forty projects totaling approximately 12,000 wetland acres have been developed to date throughout the state on existing Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). These Wetland Development Units (WDUs) are currently managed at various levels to provide quality habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds as well as hunting opportunities for sportsmen.
For a map of Wetland Development Units follow the link below.
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/wetlands.htm
For hunting guidelines follow the link below.
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/laws_regs/waterfowlguide.htm
Wetland Development Project Renovation/Enhancement Work
Since 1999, ODWC has partnered with Ducks Unlimited to enhance/renovate existing Duck Stamp projects, many approaching 25-30 years since developed. With DU’s engineering and financial support, wetland resources on several projects have been maximized while also increasing management flexibility and reducing manpower requirements. To date, seven major renovation/enhancement projects totaling 2,580 acres have been completed. These include Mountain Park, Copan, Chouteau, Deep Fork/Eufaula, Wister/Fourche Maline, Waurika and Cottonwood Creek. Pending the availability of additional funding, other existing projects may also be targeted for renovation in the future.
Wetland Acquisition Work
Since the mid-1980s, ODWC and support from numerous partners have acquired approximately 34,000 acres of existing or restorable wetlands/adjacent buffer areas throughout the state. These WMAs were purchased primarily for their unique wetland resources and importance to waterfowl and other migratory birds. They include the Deep Fork WMA, Hackberry Flat WMA, Whitegrass Flats WMA, Grassy Slough WMA, Sawyer unit of Hugo WMA, and Drummond Flats WMA. In addition, ODWC played a key role in partnering with the US Forest Service and other partners to acquire Red Slough WMA, also cooperatively managed by ODWC, the US Forest Service, Ducks Unlimited and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Aerial Seeding of Reservoirs
Approximately three to four thousand acres of wetland habitat are enhanced each year by aerial seeding Japanese millet on upper reaches of U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) reservoirs. This practice is coordinated with USACE reservoir operations on two to five eastern Oklahoma lakes annually. In the past, areas traditionally seeded have included Oologah, Eufaula, Keystone, Kaw and Texoma. In the past, these reservoirs have primarily been targeted since all are 50+ years old and have incurred substantial siltation at the confluence of where the lake meets major, incoming watersheds. These extensive mudflats are typically exposed in summer months when evaporation and/or drawdowns from power generation operations lower lake levels. In some growing seasons, desirable early successional plants (native moist soil plants) have the potential to become established if favorable site conditions develop. Provided these native plants mature to produce seed, desirable food resources can become available for waterfowl and other migratory birds if lake levels rise in the fall. Oftentimes however, fast drawdowns of reservoir levels during hot, dry conditions produces undesirable plants such as cocklebur or sesbania (coffebean). Vegetation diversity is also typically limited under these conditions and little food resources are produced. To counter these conditions, reservoirs with limited food resources are targeted to aerially seed Japanese millet during mid-summer in hopes to establish a desirable food base. In Oklahoma, Japanese millet (very closely related to our native millets) is well suited to growth on these nutrient-rich mudflats and it is quite tolerant to both flooding and drought conditions on these silt flats. When conditions are favorable for this seeded millet to mature followed by fall flooding, this practice alone can provide an annual waterfowl forage base unequalled to all other waterfowl management efforts combined throughout the state. Since 1980, it has been estimated that ODWC has seeded over 100,000 acres of reservoir mudflats statewide.
Wetland Plant Inventories
Since 1996, wetland plant inventories on nine WMAs have been completed through contractual work with the Okla. Biological Survey (Eufaula, Hackberry Flat, Red Slough, Grassy Slough, Keystone, Deep Fork, McClellan Kerr, Hugo and Love Valley WMAs). These plant inventories have helped to document flora distribution throughout the state and assisted local managers in plant identification and with onsite management decisions of wetland units.
Technical/Funding Assistance to Private Landowners/Other Agencies/Organizations
ODWC private lands biologists, a migratory bird biologist and waterfowl technicians regularly provide technical assistance to private landowners interested in wetland development/management. Additionally, these personnel often coordinate and provide wetland technical assistance to other state/government/nonprofit organizations such as US Army Corp of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Forest Service, Oklahoma Conservation Commission and others.
A cost share program called the State Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) can offer financial assistance to private landowners. This program can share part of the cost of habitat improvement work including wetland creation, enhancement and restoration. Provided the practice is an eligible practice and funding is available, all Oklahoma landowners can apply regardless of property size. If approved, the landowner enters into a 10-year contract with ODWC to continue to maintain these habitat improvements. For more information on the WHIP program follow the link below.
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/wildlifehabitat.htm
Wetland Education
Three education areas, the Hackberry Flat Center (near Frederick in Tillman Co.), Arcadia Conservation Education Area (in OKC area), and the Teal Ridge Urban Wetland project (in Stillwater) are used to demonstrate and education students, sportsmen, and others about wetland areas, their important functions and values as well as their management through wet labs, demonstration areas, displays, and interpretive signage."
For information on managing resident canada geese follow the link below.
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/managingresidentcanadageese.htm
For wood duck nest box plans follow the link below.
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifemgmt/woodducks.htm
Funding Sources for Wetland Acquisition, Restoration and Management
Based on Duck Stamp sales, approximately 3.5 million dollars have been generated since 1980. In the past, the Duck Stamp budget has also been annually supplemented by additional funding from the ODWC general budget. In turn, these dollars are regularly matched from several outside partner sources to maximize program benefits. Some of the traditional sources for matching Duck Stamp funds include the Wildlife Restoration - Pittman Robertson Act, North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Ducks Unlimited, Conoco-Phillips, Fish and Wildlife Service Partners Program, Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resources Conservation Service - Wetland Reserve Program, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Corp of Engineers, Harold Stuart, NatureWorks, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Wildlife Forever, and many others. Total estimated funding from partner matches 1980 - present is estimated at well over 20 million dollars.
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