Wheeler NWR
Dinsmore Slough

Purpose: To restore 130 acres of moist-soil wetlands on Wheeler NWR through installation of a screw-gate type water control structure, refurbishment of existing levee, and installation of a pumping station. Dinsmore Slough is a 130-acre natural embayment of Wheeler Reservoir located off Flint Creek. Water levels currently fluctuate with Wheeler Reservoir, being high in summer and dry during winter. The area was characterized by dense stands of American lotus. Managers will implement moist-soil techniques to provide shallow feeding habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife. This project will be managed by the USFWS to provide valuable foraging habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl near the Tennessee River.

Location: Approx. 3 miles southeast of Decatur, AL (Morgan County)

Acres Impacted: 130 acres

Habitat Type: Moist-soil Wetlands

Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ducks Unlimited, Inc
Monsanto Corporation
Wheeler Refuge Association

Timeline: Construction was completed in summer 1998

DU Contact: Chris Cole
Director of Conservation Programs, Alabama
193 Business Park Drive, Suite E
Ridgeland, MS 39157
(601) 206-5446
ccole@ducks.org