[ODFW-News] Water and birds return to Fern Ridge Wildlife Area

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005

Water and birds return to Fern Ridge Wildlife Area
 
EUGENE -The rainy season has transformed fields at Fern Ridge Wildlife
Area into wet havens for migrating waterfowl. 
 
This is welcome news for hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, who have
awaited the return of wildlife to the area and nearby lake following
months of repair work at Fern Ridge Dam that kept water levels low. 
 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, taking advantage of last summer's harsh, dry conditions
and completing four environmental stewardship projects that will improve
wildlife habitat over the long term.
 
Dam repairs and stewardship projects required dewatering of some areas
normally used by early season waterfowl hunters. Reservation waterfowl
hunts that normally begin the first week of November were delayed a
month in anticipation of winter rains and field flooding.  
 
"Hunters who were patient through the dry summer and fall will hopefully
be rewarded as conditions return to normal and the wetland enhancements
mature," said Wayne Morrow, manager at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area.
 
Work crews constructed more than a mile of levee in the West Coyote unit
at the south end of the reservoir. During construction, workers mowed
and disked the thick sod mat of invasive reed canary grass to begin
reclaiming the native marsh. The new levee allows area managers to flood
or drain a 150-acre field as needed to encourage establishment of native
wetland plants which, in turn, will support a wide array of wildlife
species.
 
Two additional levees were constructed across sections of the lakebed
east and north of Gibson Island in a unique approach to wildlife
management. When the lake reaches normal full-pool levels next summer,
the low, rock-capped levees will be under five feet of water. When the
lake is drawn-down to low pool for flood control purposes in the winter,
the levees will hold back approximately 100 acres of shallow water that
benefits waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, birdwatchers, and hunters.

 
Finally, the Corps of Engineers added fill material to a section of
levee that was constructed two years ago in the Fisher Butte unit to
strengthen the structure for long-term effectiveness. 
 
The first reservation waterfowl hunt is Dec. 3, and hunts will continue
every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday through Jan. 28, 2006. A "stand-by"
system allows hunters to wait to use blinds left vacant by reservation
holders.
 
Fern Ridge Wildlife Area is operated by the Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife on 5,000 acres owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Visitors are encouraged to contact Fern Ridge Wildlife Area at
541-935-2591 for more information.
 
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