Local conservation areas affected by drought

PUXICO, Mo. -- Wetlands managers in Southeast Missouri are keeping an eye to the sky as they face many problems this summer brought on by extreme drought conditions and record high temperatures.

"The dry conditions are definitely affecting everything," Duck Creek Conservation Area biologist Keith Cordell said.

With a long-range forecast calling for hot and dry weather into October, Cordell said, he expects things to be "more brutal than we're seeing now."

Duck Creek Conservation Area, north of Puxico, has a new water delivery system, Cordell said, but even so, drought conditions mean getting water onto the area will be problematic without considerable rainfall.

The Castor River supplies most of the water coming into the Duck Creek area through Ditch 111 and into Pool 1, Cordell said, so rain is badly needed to resupply the river.

"The river is going to have to rise several feet before we can divert water," Cordell said.

Water stored in Pool 1 at Duck Creek is used to flood adjacent timber pools during the fall, but its current level is about 2 1/2 feet below average, and just about 9 1/2 inches above the minimum needed, while continuing to fall daily.

As it stands now, Cordell said, he won't be able to flood pools 2 and 3, and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge's Pool 8, which is adjacent to Duck Creek, before the start of the fall duck season, limiting the number of open hunting positions.

Even with continued low water levels, there will be some waterfowl hunting available at Duck Creek, Cordell said, especially in the newly-renovated Units A and B, which are flooded using underground wells.

"There should be excellent opportunity in the new units," he said.

Waterfowl and other wildlife rely on a variety of habitats across area wetlands to supply the food they need, Cordell said, but drought and heat are taking a toll.

Moist soil management units, Cordell said, need rain before they can supply migrating waterfowl with the vegetation, seeds and bugs they need for food.

"Our smartweed is doing well, but our grasses are hurting," Cordell said. Those grasses, he said, provide food for ducks and other wildlife.

Smartweed at Otter Slough Conservation Area near Dudley, Mo., has "pulled through" the drought so far, according to area manager Kevin Brunke.

Mingo staff has "done more pumping of water this summer than we typically do in winter," manager Ben Mense said. That water, he said, has created good conditions in the refuge's moist soil units.

Mingo's big Monopoly and Rockhouse marshes will have "a significant amount of waterfowl food," Mense said, because of the way slow drawdowns caused by evaporation help regenerate vegetation.

"We'll be in better shape as far as waterfowl goes because of our big marshes," Mense said.

The tiny wetland bugs ducks feed on in fall for migration energy won't Develop in the moist soil units until rains come, Cordell said, but he expects them to respond quickly once the ground is wet for a period of time.

"Once there's water on the ground, there should be no problem for them," he said. "Eventually, the bugs will start cranking. ... It just depends on the amount of water."

Otter Slough is holding small amounts of water, thanks to recent rains and periodic well pumping designed to preserve grass communities, Brunke said, and in those areas, he's seeing good numbers of bugs.

Timbered areas of Duck Creek, Cordell said, aren't doing well, and the area's oak trees are producing few acorns this summer. That's bad news for wildlife, since acorns are a preferred food source for ducks, deer, squirrels, turkeys and other species.

"It looks like the acorn crop isn't really going to do anything," he said. "It's probably going to be poor to very poor."

The situation is the same at Mingo, Mense said.

"Our timber is pretty stressed," he said, "and acorn production is going to be pretty slim this year."

Planted food plots aren't faring well at Duck Creek, either. Grain crops scattered around the area for wildlife appear to be a failure, Cordell said.

Mingo's 300 to 500 acres of food plots are in "very poor" condition, Mense said, but some corn in low-lying areas may survive.

Otter Slough, Brunke said, was fortunate enough to receive a 3 1/2-inch rain in early July, which seems to have rejuvenated the area somewhat, if only briefly.

"We've replanted a couple of corn plots a couple times," Brunke said, "and now I'm expecting only about a 20-percent loss."

Coon Island Conservation Area, south of Qulin, Mo., is "looking really good," Brunke said. "We have about 40 to 50 acres of corn and millet, and about 20 acres of milo out there."

Despite the current conditions, officials are hopeful things will turn around.

"This is not all doom and failure, because everything can change with a couple of good rains," Cordell said. "This is just a natural cycle we're in, and these areas are resilient. They bounce back."

Brunke agreed.

"I'm fairly positive now, but I was getting worried before we got that big rain," he said. "Still, this is a drought, and we need rain."

Pertinent address:

Duck Creek Conservation Area, Mo.

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Mo.

Otter Slough Conservation Area, Mo.

Coon Island Conservation Area, Mo.