This priority area encompasses parts of the lower Ohio, Wabash, and Kaskaskia-Meramec River watersheds, and the Mississippi River. Nearly one third of the nation’s waters drain past the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. This area is dominated by floodplain and bottomland hardwood forest habitat associated with large river systems. Wetland loss in this area has been extreme; approximately 90% have been altered by man’s activities. Flooding and associated sedimentation have caused extensive damage to the backwater areas, replacing mast-producing trees with willow and cottonwood, and destroying managed moist soil areas.
Conservation Work
Originally flooded bottomland hardwoods prior to agricultural conversion, conservation activities in the area will mostly involve reforesting bottomlands. In Indiana, most work has been on public lands. This type of work will be continued in the future as opportunities arise. In Illinois, conservation activities are similar with an emphasis on the Middle Mississippi River – an ‘open’ reach of the river with no dams stretching from the confluence of the Missouri River to the confluence of the Ohio River. DU has mostly been involved in acquisition and restoration and has primarily played a leadership and coordination role. The focus of the restoration program should revolve around migration and wintering waterfowl habitat, including seasonal wetlands and reforestation/protection of bottomland hard-wood forest habitat.
Waterfowl Benefits
The expansive floodplains of these river systems provide a diversity of wetland habitat, including temporarily and seasonally flooded bottomland hardwoods that serve as traditional migration and wintering habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl, including blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern pintail, American wigeon, canvasback, scaup, Canada geese, and snow geese. Wood ducks are common breeders, but mallard breeding is limited except for scattered pockets with high numbers along the lower Wabash drainage.
