New York’s Upper and Lower Lakes Dam Undergoes Major Rehab

Ducks Unlimited (DU), in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), recently completed a major dam rehabilitation project at the Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Thanks to this collaborative effort, the existing water-control structure has been repaired, enabling improved water level management across 2,413 acres. This enhancement benefits migratory waterfowl, marsh birds, furbearers and a wide range of other wildlife species. The WMA will be open for the 2025 waterfowl hunting season.

“For decades, DU and the NYSDEC have worked together to restore critical habitats statewide,” said Brandy Neveldine, DU Director of Conservation Programs. “The rehabilitation of the dam at Upper and Lower Lakes was another important step in our long-term partnership.”

WMA water levels were traditionally managed by a large control structure, consisting of five 60-inch pipes. The stop logs and gates within the structure were outdated and each pipe leaked. This had a significant impact during drought conditions when managing water levels became critical for maintaining the functionality and quality of the wetland. The dilapidated structure also made it difficult to draw down the wetland in a timely manner, so that natural vegetation could grow in the spring and summer.

DU refurbished the existing water-control structure to improve management capabilities on 2,156 acres of habitat. New stop logs were installed, the slide gates were retrofitted and updated and a debris boom was improved to protect the structure from floating debris and ice, which have caused damage in the past.

“Upper and Lower Lakes WMA provides a critical stopover habitat in the fall for migrating waterfowl that are headed to wintering grounds along the Atlantic coast,” said DU Regional Biologist Matthew Wagner. “With the dam now repaired, we are able to provide better management abilities that will result in greater availability of resources that ducks need to survive during their migration.”

Upper and Lower Lakes WMA consists of 8,727 acres between the Oswegatchie and Grasse Rivers in northern New York. Managed for wildlife and public use by NYSDEC, it’s an important annual migration stopover for thousands of waterfowl (half the WMA is made up of a large wetland complex). American black ducks, wigeon, ringnecks and wood ducks are just a few of the species that can be found feeding on stands of wild rice in the WMA. Several endangered and threatened species rely on the wetlands here as well.

Media Contact: 

Joe Genzel 
(309) 453-0979 
jgenzel@ducks.org