PERRY, Fla., October 30, 2006 – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) can now better manage water and salinity levels in the Hickory Mound Impoundment on Big Bend Wildlife Management Area. The Impoundment will provide 1,834 acres of essential habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds and a variety of other wildlife.

“This impoundment was originally constructed in 1968 and over time storm surges degraded the levee and water control structures which limited our ability to maintain quality wildlife habitat,” said Commission District Biologist David Nicholson. “Erosion of the levee and the continuous need for repairs were constant problems.”

DU engineers implemented a design recommended by independent consulting agencies and oversaw the construction management to improve the infrastructure on the Hickory Mound Impoundment. Restoration included construction of two 1000-foot spillways, replacement of four water control structures, installation of one new structure, installation of more than 3,500 linear feet of rip-rap for bank stabilization at those sites historically damaged by storms and refurbishment of the existing levee between the impoundment and adjacent marshes associated with the Gulf of Mexico.

The FFWCC will manage the impoundment and conduct periodic drawdowns that will maintain diversity of emergent vegetation and promote growth of submersed aquatic vegetation. The new spillways were constructed to allow the equalization of water levels between the Gulf of Mexico and the impoundment during storm surges. The spillways also serve as an outlet for excess water as a storm surge subsides or after a heavy rain, which also aids in water level control.

“The ability to control water and salinity levels in an impoundment like Hickory Mound is necessary to maintain the value of the habitat for waterfowl, fish and other wildlife,” said DU Director of Conservation Programs for Florida Craig LeSchack. “The restored marsh and improved plant community will provide winter habitat for green-winged and blue-winged teal, wigeon, northern pintails, greater and lesser scaup, ring-necked ducks and redheads.”

In addition to contributions from DU and the FFWCC, the Taylor County Board of County Commissioners, Anderson Columbia and grants received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) provided funding for this project. Overall NAWCA has helped create hundreds of partnerships throughout North America to deliver on-the-ground conservation projects with multiple benefits for both wildlife and people.

Big Bend WMA is open to the public and the FFWCC allows hunting of various game animals on the property. Permitted activities in the Hickory Mound Impoundment include waterfowl hunting, crabbing, shrimping, fishing and wildlife observation. For additional details concerning Big Bend WMA or other lands managed by FFWCC, go to www.MyFWC.com.

In Washington, D.C., DU governmental affairs staff works with Congress in support of annual funding for NAWCA. To date, NAWCA has helped fund more than 1,500 wetland projects on over 20 million acres in all 50 states, every province of Canada and areas of Mexico. Thousands of partners, including private landowners, corporations and state governments have worked together to conserve wildlife habitat through NAWCA grants.

For more information on NAWCA, go to www.ducks.org/nawca

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands ­- nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

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