Ducks Unlimited (DU) has been awarded $238,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) Grant Program to restore tidal influence and improve habitat on 68 acres of wetlands at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The project will remove legacy barriers and failed infrastructure to restore historic tidal flow from Occoquan Bay into two critical wetland impoundments on the refuge, High Point Creek and Little Marsh Creek. By reestablishing natural hydrology, Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will enhance water quality, expand wildlife habitat, and strengthen climate resilience for neighboring communities.

Project work will include removing a 300 linear-foot berm and two failed water-control structures to reconnect High Point Creek wetlands with Occoquan Bay. Additionally, DU and partners will replace an undersized culvert and failed structure to restore tidal influence on the Little Marsh Creek impoundment. These improvements will allow tidal waters to naturally circulate through the wetlands, improving ecological function across 68 acres of critical habitat.

The restored wetlands will provide high-quality tidal marsh habitat for multiple waterfowl species, with an emphasis on the American black duck, a priority species throughout the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge currently supports more than 200 bird species, as well as diverse populations of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Removing hydrologic barriers will also open access for fish species that rely on tidal marshes for spawning and nursery habitat.

Additional benefits from this project include the potential removal of an estimated 7,097 pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended solids annually from Occoquan Bay and the Potomac River—improving water quality downstream and contributing to Chesapeake Bay restoration goals.

Neighboring communities will also benefit from reduced flood risk, increased shoreline stability and enhanced resilience to severe storm surge and sea-level rise.

“Restoring natural tidal flow to these wetlands will create meaningful, lasting benefits for wildlife and people,” said Hunter Collins, DU Biologist for the South Atlantic. “This project showcases what’s possible when strong partners come together with a shared commitment to conservation. We’re proud to work alongside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to strengthen habitat across the Chesapeake region.”

The project builds on years of collaborative conservation work by Ducks Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service across the Chesapeake region.