A wetlands habitat enhancement project at the Attakapas Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in the Lower Atchafalaya Basin has been completed in Louisiana. Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist Chad Courville anticipates a nutrient-rich foraging base to be ready for the 2004-2005 waterfowl season. "We've put in a new water control structure and worked on the impoundment between Crew Boat Chute and the Atchafalaya River. Before, the water dropped and was trapped between the river and the chute. It was stagnant and no moist-soil vegetation grew there. Now we can control the water level," said Courville.

Located near Franklin, the project encompasses 80 acres with the potential to reach 120 acres. The ability to control water levels in an impoundment located within the Attakapas WMA will enhance these wetlands for migratory waterfowl. By regulating the water flow, the oxygen-depleted water goes out and fresh water comes in, creating a fertile environment for the growth of wetland vegetation. The site will be open to hunting and other recreational pursuits.

Major partners include the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Hunt Oil, which has an oilfield in the lower basin and a remote headquarters facility at Miller's Chute on Attakapas WMA; and the Atchafalaya Basin Program of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources.

This project is an example of the many benefits relative to the Ducks Unlimited MARSH (Matching Aid to Restore State Habitat) Program. A percentage of every dollar raised in Louisiana is returned to the state to help deliver waterfowl habitat projects on public lands. This type of partnership is key to providing habitat for waterfowl, other migratory birds, and a wide variety of native wildlife.

For more information on this project or other DU projects in south Louisiana, contact Chad Courville (337) 291.3068 or courville@ducks.org