Iowa River Corridor Project Final Comprehensive Management Plan I Habitat
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Iowa River Corridor Project Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Management Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 (Midwest Region); Bloomington, MN The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. This comprehensive management plan was completed in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Department) per the terms of the 2004 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). The plan is signed by the Service as approval of this plan for implementation on National Wildlife Refuge System lands that are part of the Iowa River Corridor Project in Iowa. It will be implemented under the terms of the MOU with the Department. A Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) that meets Service planning policy for refuge lands will be completed during the next revision of the Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) CCP. Iowa River Corridor Project Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Management Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction and Background ............................................................................... 1 Need for the Plan .................................................................................................................................... 3 Planning Area and Partnerships ............................................................................................................. 4 Legal Context and Other Relevant Plans ............................................................................................... 5 National Wildlife Refuge System Mission and Goals ....................................................................... 5 Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health Policy ...................................................... 6 USDA Easements ............................................................................................................................ 7 Iowa DNR Wildlife Management Area Mission and Goals............................................................... 7 Cooperative Farming on National Wildlife Refuge lands ................................................................. 8 Relation to Other Conservation Plans .............................................................................................. 9 Iowa Wildlife Action Plan .................................................................................................................. 9 Iowa River Corridor Bird Conservation Area .................................................................................. 10 Eastern Tallgrass Prairie/Big Rivers Landscape Conservation Cooperative................................. 10 FWS Region 3 Fish and Wildlife Resource Priorities, 2002 ........................................................... 11 FWS Birds of Conservation Concern List, 2008 ............................................................................ 11 North American Waterfowl Management Plan ............................................................................... 11 North American Waterbird Conservation Plan ............................................................................... 11 U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan ................................................................................................. 12 North American Landbird Conservation Plan ................................................................................ 12 National (Refuge System) Strategy for the Management of Invasive Species (2002) .................. 12 Iowa-Cedar Watershed Interagency Coordination Team .............................................................. 13 Chapter 2: Planning Process and Issues ..............................................................................14 Hydrology Issues .................................................................................................................................. 14 Wildlife Issues ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Habitat Issues ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Public Use Issues ................................................................................................................................. 17 Floodplain Partnerships and Context of IRCP Lands .................................................................... 17 Alternatives Development ........................................................................................................ 17 Wilderness Review .................................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 3: Land and Resources Description ........................................................................19 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................................... 19 Soils................................................................................................................................................ 19 Geology and Topography .............................................................................................................. 21 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Biological Environment ......................................................................................................................... 25 Historic Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 25 Current Land Cover and Vegetation .............................................................................................. 28 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Fisheries ......................................................................................................................................... 31 Rare, Endangered, or Unique Plant and Animal Species .............................................................. 32 Iowa River Corridor Project Final Comprehensive Management Plan i Habitat ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Forest ............................................................................................................................................. 32 Grassland ....................................................................................................................................... 33 Early Successional Woody Habitat ................................................................................................ 33 Wetland .......................................................................................................................................... 34 Visitor Services ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 4: Management Direction .........................................................................................40 Wildlife Goal .......................................................................................................................................... 40 Objective 1-1 Migratory Birds ......................................................................................................... 40 Habitat Goal .......................................................................................................................................... 42 Objective 2-1 Forest ....................................................................................................................... 43 Objective 2-2 Native Grassland ..................................................................................................... 44 Objective 2-3 Non-Native Grassland ............................................................................................. 46 Objective 2-4 Early Successional Habitat ...................................................................................... 47 Objective 2-5 Wetland .................................................................................................................... 48 People Goal .......................................................................................................................................... 49 Objective 3-1 Appropriate Recreational Opportunities .................................................................. 49 Objective 3-2 Awareness