With funding support from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Ducks Unlimited improved the water management capabilities on Little Elk Wildlife Management Area. The improvements impacted 1,220 acres in two impoundments on the WMA. Total cost of the project was $800,000, of which the Minnesota DNR provided $216,000 in cost-share funding and a grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act provided $520,000 in funding.

On the first impoundment called South Pool, DU replaced a dysfunctional water control structure with a new variable crest structure. This will allow the DNR’s wildlife managers to actively manage water levels in the 840 wetland acre impoundment.  This project was completed in May 2006.

In the Main Pool impoundment DU engineers designed and managed the construction of the renovation of over 3,000 feet of degraded dike and the installation of a new variable crest water control structure. Steel sheet pile was driven through the entire length of the dike to prevent muskrat damage and provide dike integrity. Active management capabilities are now in place to manage water levels on 380 wetland acres. This project was completed in December 2007.