MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE NORTHEASTERN MONTANA WETLANDS DISTRIC LAMESTEER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Medicine Lake, Montana
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calendar Year 1999
U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Lamesteer National Wildlife Refuge Northeast Montana Wetlands Management District
Medicine Lake, Montana
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
CALENDAR YEAR 1999
U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM REVIEWS AND APPROVALS
MEDICINE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX
Medicine Lake, Montana
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calendar Year 1999 INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. HIGHLIGHTS 1
B CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1
C. LAND ACQUISITION
1. Fee Title Nothing to report 2. Easements Nothing to report 3. Other Nothing to report
D PLANNING
1. Master Plans Nothing to report 2. Management Plans 2 3. Public Participation Nothing to report 4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates Nothing to report 5. Research and Investigations 2 6. Other Nothing to report
E. ADMINISTRATION
1. Personnel 3 2. Youth Programs 5 3. Other Manpower Programs Nothing to report 4. Volunteer Programs 6 5. Funding 7 6. Safety 8 7. Technical Assistance 9 8. Other Items 9 9. Training and Meetings 9
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
1. General Nothing to report 2. Wetlands 13 3. Forests Nothing to report 4. Croplands 19 5. Grasslands 20 6. Other Habitats 22 7. Grazing 22 8. Haying 23 9. Fire Management 24 10. Pest Control 26 11. Water Rights 28 12. Wilderness Areas 29 13. WPA Easement Monitoring Nothing to report
G. WILDLIFE
1. Wildlife Diversity 30 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 30 3. Waterfowl 32 4. Marsh and Waterbirds 40 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 40 6. Raptors 41 7. Other Migratory Birds 42 8. Game Mammals 48 9. Marine Mammals Nothing to report 10. Other Resident Wildlife 48 11. Fisheries Resources 50 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to report 14. Scientific Collections Nothing to report 15. Animal Control 50 16. Marking and Banding 51 17. Disease Prevention and Control 53
H. PUBLIC USE
1. General 55 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students Nothing to report 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to report 4. Interpretive Foot Trails Nothing to report 5. Interpretive Tour Routes 57 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations 57 7. Other Interpretive Programs 57 8. Hunting 58 9. Fishing 59 10. Trapping 59 11. Wildlife Observations 59 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to report 13. Camping Nothing to report 14. Picnicking 59 15. Off-Road Vehicling Nothing to report 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to report 17. Law Enforcement 59 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to report 19. Concessions .Nothing to report
I. EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES
1. Construction 60 2. Rehabilitation 63 3. Major Maintenance Nothing to report 4. Equipment Utilization & Replacement 63 5. Communications Systems Nothing to report 6. Computer Systems Nothing to report 7. Energy Conservation 64 8. Other Nothing to report
J. OTHER ITEMS
1. Cooperative Programs Nothing to report 2. Other Economic Uses 64 3. Items of Interest Nothing to report 4. Credits 65 INTRODUCTION
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is situated on the glaciated rolling plains in the far northeast comer of Montana. It is located in Sheridan and Roosevelt counties.
The refuge lies in the highly productive prairie pothole region and has relief typical of the glacial drift prairie, relatively gentle rolling plains with occasional shallow depressions. This is a prairie refuge located in the transition zone between the mixed grass and short grass prairie. Needle and thread, blue gramma, and junegrass are common native grasses. Native bmsh species consisting primarily of chokecherry, buffaloberry, and snowberry are common in coulees and sandhill areas. A few old shelterbelts composed of a variety of introduced deciduous trees still remain on the refuge and appear to be out of place on the prairie.
The climate is typical of the northern Great Plains with warm summers, cold winters, and marked variations in seasonal precipitation, which averages 14 inches per year. Temperatures can exceed 100° F in the summer and may drop to minus 45 degrees in the winter. Spring is generally the windiest period with velocities commonly exceeding 20 miles per hour. Passing weather fronts can bring gusty winds up to 50 mph.
The refuge encompasses 31,660 acres including 13,010 acres of open water and marsh, 14,890 acres of grasslands and 3,760 acres of cultivated lands, primarily former croplands. The surrounding private land is intensively farmed for small grain.
The refuge was established in 1935 by Executive Order with the primary purpose of providing migratory bird production and migration habitat.
In 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camp on the refuge and 180 men began work. During the camp's four years of operation, many conservation projects were undertaken including construction of dams, dikes, shelterbelts and fences. Many of the refuge roads and buildings were also built during that time.
The 11,360 acre Medicine Lake Wilderness Area was established by Congress in 1976. This area includes the main water body of the lake and the islands within. Also included is the 2,320 acre Sandhills Unit with its rolling hills, native grass, brush patches, and a few relic stands of quaking aspen. 1
A. HIGHLIGHTS
• Refuge Complex continues with the Comprehensive Conservation Planning process D.2. • Construction of the Homestead Dam is complete 1.1. • Abundant precipitation provides excellent habitat conditions F. • New position of Refuge Biologist is filled by Beth Madden E. 1.
B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Abundant snowfall in January, February and a portion of March resulted in good spring runoff. Snow depth measured 18 inches at the end of January with 0.95 inches of precipitation for the month. Snow remained all of February and half of March with only 0.32 inches of moisture recorded for both months. Temperatures were relatively mild for the first three months of the year with minus overnight lows in January on several occasions. Precipitation totals for April through July totaled 11.27 inches; August and September moisture added another 2.35 inches.
Temperatures during the summer were fairly mild compared to previous years. For the first time in many years we did not experience a 100 degree day. Another 0.52 inches of precipitation was recorded for the final three months of 1999. The fall and early winter was very mild. We did not experience freeze-up until late November. Total precipitation for the year was 15.41 inches, 2.14 inches above the yearly average.
Table 1. High, low temperatures and total precipitation by month at Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Month High (0 F) Low (0 F) Precipitation (inches)
January 40 -25 0.95 February 42 -11 0.08 March 68 6 0.24 April 66 15 0.28 May 86 28 3.90
June 80 35 1.73 July 96 45 5.36 August 92 45 0.95
September 85 26 1.40
October 77 13 0.31 November 74 4 0.00
December 52 -13 0.21 Total 15.41 2
From 1985 until 1995 we obtained evaporation data from the USDA Fro id Experimental Station. Beginning in 1995 we established a U.S. Weather Service pan evaporation station on the refuge to better define the evaporative loss, and the effect that the 8,213 acre Medicine Lake may have on that loss. We try to set the device up on 1 May, after the threat of freezing is past, and run it until freeze up, which varies each year, but usually is in October.
Table 2. Pan evaporation rates taken at Medicine Lake NWR, 1995-1999. Inches of Evaporation
Year Date * May June July August September October Total
1995 7/1 -- 6.87 6.75 3.75 - 17.37
1996 5/1 4.24 8.07 6.13 9.79 2.57 2.38 33.18 1997 5/1 7.50 8.83 4.35 7.28 6.76 2.32 37.04 1998 5/1 8.23 2.56 7.67 9.43 7.15 -0.80 34.24
1999 5/1 4.82 5.59 4.35 7.32 3.24 1.32 26.64 * Date evaporation pan was started each year.
D. PLANNING
2. Management Plans
The Medicine Lake NWR Complex continued with the Comprehensive Conservation Plan process again this year. A core team consisting of Gutzke, Rabenberg, Sanchez and Madden from the refuge, Allison Banks from the Regional Office Planning Division, Shannon Heath of the Ecological Services office in Helena, and Tom Hinz, Regional Supervisor from Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks, continued to meet through the year. To date we have received a lot of comments from the public, most of them on the positive side. We have developed draft vision, goals, objectives and strategies, which are currently out for review.
5. Research and Investigations
John Lloyd, a Ph.D candidate with the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit from the University of Montana, completed his first field season assessing the reproductive success of grassland birds. His field crew monitored a total of 61 nests in three study plots in the refuge Sandhills. Apparent nest success ranged from 0.27 for grasshopper sparrows to 0.70 for clay- colored sparrows. Very little brown-headed cowbird parasitism was noted, only two nests. E. ADMINISTRATION
1. Personnel
A. Tedd Gutzke, Refuge Manager GS-13 PFT B. Mike Rabenberg, Supervisory Refuge Operations Specialist GS-12 PFT C. Ronnie Sanchez, Refuge Operations Specialist GS-09 PFT D. Beth Madden, Refuge Biologist GS-09 PFT E. Layne Krumwiede, Biological Technician GS-07 PFT F. Joan McGarvey, Administrative Support Assistant GS-07 PFT G. Jack Snellman, Maintenance Mechanic WG-10 PFT H. Dennis Nelson, Maintenance Worker WG-08 PFT I. Frank Rice, Range Technician GS-05 CS J. Scott Rickettson Private Lands Technician GS-05 Trm. K. Mari Krumwiede, Biological Technician GS-05 Tmp. L. Dan French, Biological Technician GS-05 Tmp. M. Alan Engelke, Range Technician GS-05 Tmp. N. Joe Stalmaster Range Technician GS-05 Tmp. 0. Donald Clark, Biological Aide GS-03 Tmp. P. Ross Flagen, Biological Aide GS-02 Tmp. Q. Chris Nelson, Biological Aide GS-02 Tmp.
Figure 1. Permanent staff left to right: Krumwiede, Rice, Rabenberg, Snellman, Madden, McGarvey, Rickettson, Sanchez, Nelson, Gutzke. 4
During the year we were able to finally get a Refuge Biologist funded under the RONS program. Beth Madden transfered in from J. Clark Salyer NWR in North Dakota during late August. Beth completed her graduate work at Montana State University and has worked with grassland birds in the northern Great Plains. She is a welcome addition to our staff, and quickly got thrown into the CCP process.
Scott Rickettson arrived from New York to fill the position as our Private Lands Technician. Scott has worked around the world for a private environmental consultant. Now he gets to negotiate with Montana farmer/ranchers!
Mari Krumwiede and Dan French worked as temporary Biological Technicians assisting with numerous wildlife surveys. Alan Engelke and Joe Stalmaster were temporary firefighters who assisted with prescribed burning and were detailed to various wildfires. DJ Clark headed up our fencing crew and was assisted by Ross Flagen and Chris Nelson.
Figure 2. Temporary staff, left to right: Stalmaster, French, Nelson, Flagen, Clark. Krumwiede not pictured. (RKS). Table 3. Medicine Lake NWR staffing levels, FY 1995-1999. Fiscal Year Permanent Seasonal Temporary FTE's Staff Staff Staff ' 1995 6 1 3 8.0
1996 6 1 4 9.5 1997 6 2 4 9.5
1998 7 1 7 9.5 1999 8 1 7 10.5
2. Youth Programs
The refuge has participated in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Program for the past 18 years. Four high school students were hired as enrollees at the refuge this summer. Another position was funded through the State of Montana's Job Training Program of America (JTPA).
Enrollee Kellen Forbregd is from Culbertson, Krista Forydce is from Froid, Bryan Christensen is from Westby, and Ashley Waters is from Homestead. Our JTPA enrolle, Chad Reuter, came from Medicine Lake. All enrollees were hardworking, good-natured, and did a great job!
Projects they were involved in included waterfowl banding, botulism patrol, nest searching, vegetation monitoring, scraping and painting buildings, repair and replacement of boundary fences, maintenance of the recreation area, mechanical and biological control of noxious weeds, pruning and watering trees in shelterbelts, lawn-mowing, washing and cleaning vehicles, janitorial duties, and office assistance in the headquarters building.
Figure 3. YCC and JTPA enrollees, left to right: Renter, Christensen, Forbregd, Forydce, and Waters. (RKS) 6
4. Volunteer Programs
We participated with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) for the 17th year taking on three individuals. Marcelle Hudson, came from Georgia and worked from 22 March until 23 April. Lilla Barabas hailed from Budaors, Hungary and worked from 3 May to 23 July. Michelle Best, attended the University of New Hampshire, came from Pennsylvania and worked from 7 June until 27 August. They assisted in waterfowl nest searches, colonial bird nesting surveys, piping plover surveys, waterfowl banding, grassland bird monitoring, botulism patrol, predator management, vegetative transects, computer data entry, and maintenance projects. SCA Hudson left early working only five of her twelve week agreement saying, "It was not what she expected." Just goes to prove the prairies aren't for everyone. The other two SCA volunteers seemed to enjoy themselves and did an excellent job.
Figure 4. SCA volunteers, left to right: Best and Barabas. Hudson not pictured. (RKS)
Don and Peg Althoff were seasonal Wildlife Technicians hired by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) with frmding from the Northeast Montana PPJV II NAWCA Grant. They were responsible for implementing and evaluating management practices to increase piping plover recruitment along the Montana/North Dakota border.
Several other individuals, including reftige spouses and children, volunteered time to complete specific tasks during the year. Over all there were 1,312 hours of volunteer time contributed to the reftige in 1999. Figure 5, Volunteers Ed and Shirley Christian of Jackson, Wyoming. (RKS)
5. Funding
Medicine Lake NWR and the Northeast Montana WMD have combined funding, which was adequate for accomplishing refuge programs this year. Table 4 indicates budget targets received for FY-99. During 1997 we received money from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant (subactivity 3 720) which along with $200,000 of1262 dollars was allocated for the replacement of the Indian Service Dam at the Homestead Unit. A portion of the NAWCA grant was carried over into 1999 to cover costs associated with piping plover surveys. The 2957 subactivity is flood relief money allocated by Congress to repair damage sustained from spring flooding that occurred in 1997, and was carried over to 1999. Actual expenditures of all were within a few dollars in each of the subactivities except 8610. The 8610 quarters maintenance account is funded by rental receipts from refuge quarters. Funds not expended are carried over from year to year. 8
Table 4. Funding for Medicine Lake NWR and Northeast Montana WMD. 1995-1999 Year 1261 1261YC 1262 6868 1230 9251 8610 3720 2957 1999 416,200 5,300 177,800 9,400 3,500 37,400 7,000 3,320 222,025
1998 454,400 5,900 91,000 9,400 9,500 40,200 7,000 15,000 558,470 1997 415,400 6,200 216,000 9,900 3,500 44,100 7,000 350,000 196,600
1996 329,950 5,400 53,235 7,000 - 33,228 4,100 - -
1995 253,000 6,400 192,000 7,000 - 5,600 4,100 - -
6. Safety
Monthly stafTsafety meetings are held the first Monday of every month and each staff member rotates in giving a safety presentation. Informal discussions were held at each safety meeting to discuss any potential safety hazards that had been observed during the month. If the problem had not already been resolved, we made plans to fix it.
When seasonal employees arrive they are required to review the Station Safety Plan and are given a walk through tour of refixge buildings noting locations of fire extinguishers, electric control boxes, first aid kits, and exits.
All permanent staff (except McGarvey) and Engelke completed annual hearing exams on 14 April. No dramatic departures from prior years results were noted.
Rabenberg, Sanchez, L. Krumwiede, and Clark completed Motorboat Operator certification training in July at Fort Peck, MT. Rice, Engelke, and M. Krumwiede received similar training at Minot, ND in August.
Numerous other safety accomplishments were completed during the year. We purchased storage cabinets for "flammables" in the shop and lawn shed. Infrared sensors were installed for all overhead doors so they will not close when an obstruction occurs. Nelson obtained all required Material Safety Data Sheets and organized them into a binder.
Two accidents involving refiige vehicles occurred during the year. Mari Krumwiede rolled the 1998 Ford pickup enroute to headquarters after conducting duck pair counts. Fortunately, she was wearing her safety belt and escaped with relatively minor injuries, but continued to suffer from neck and shoulder pain which required physical therapy for most of the summer.
The second accident occurred when TNC plover tech Peg Althoff hit a deer with the 1988 Chevy S-10 pickup. Peg was not injured and returned to work the next day. The deer was not as fortunate. 9
7. Technical Assistance
The refuge has hosted a Youth Hunter Education Program since 1964. Krumwiede heads up the program with help from Rabenberg, Sanchez and Gutzke.
We participated in a number of USDA meetings for Roosevelt and Sheridan Counties.
We assisted the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) Northeast Montana Project manager with landowner contacts, identifying areas with good potential for waterfowl use, placing culvert nesting structures on private lands, surveying and construction of dams, dugouts and ditch plugs.
Gutzke was a member of the Sherdian County Conservation District water reservation oversite committee. The committee reviews applications for irrigation use in the county. (See section F. 11) He is also a member of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture from Plentywood, and the Medicine Lake Commercial Club.
8. Other Items
Revenue sharing checks were personally distributed to three counties during commissioner meetings. The amounts were Daniels - $784, Roosevelt - $1,583, and Sheridan - $22,643. Sheridan includes almost all of the refuge and WMD lands plus two producing oil wells on the refuge.
9. Training/Meetings
January 5 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Medicine Lake Commercial Club.
7 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture in Plentywood, MT.
14 Gutzke and Krumwiede met with grazing cooperators to discuss problems that the permittees need to rectify during the next grazing season.
19-24 Gutzke attended Refuge Law Enforcement Inservice at Marana, AZ.
25-30 Rabenberg and Sanchez attended Refuge Law Enforcement Inservice at Marana, AZ.
February
3 Rabenberg participated in the Montana PPJV Action Group meeting in Malta, MT.
4 Gutzke participated in the monthly meeting of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.
9-10 Gutzke and Rabenberg attended a meeting in Mandan, ND, to coordinate the submission of a partnership proposal for funding piping plover recovery efforts.
17-18 Rabenberg attended the PFW staff meeting in Great Falls, MT. 10
March
2-5 Sanchez Rice, and Krumwiede attended S-390, Introduction to Fire Behavior Calculations training in Billings, MX.
7 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Medicine Lake Commercial Club.
8-9 Gutzke and Sanchez participated in the MT/ND Project Leaders meeting in Bozeman, MX.
11 Gutzke attended the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture monthly meeting. 15 Rabenberg and Nelson participated in a Canada Xhistle Workshop in Scobey, MX.
15-19 Sanchez and Rice attended Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation training in Spearfish, SD.
22-26 Gutzke attended IMPACX training at NCXC.
23-25 Rice attended the spring fire coordination meeting in Jackson, WY.
April
6 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Medicine Lake Commercial Club.
8 Gutzke participated in a coordination meeting at Foxholm, ND with partners involved in the recovery effort of the Great Plains population of the piping plover.
8-9 Xhe refuge hosted a workshop to discuss options for standardizing vegetation monitoring techniques on grassland bird research projects.
12-13 Krumwiede attended a weed mapping course and received training using Arc View and Xremble GPS in Plentywood, MX.
21-22 Gutzke, Sanchez and Rabenberg attended a GIS workshop in Bismarck, ND.
26-27 Gutzke completed an Emergency Vehicle Operation Driving Course in Pierre, SD.
May
4 Gutzke attended MX Noxious Weed Board meeting in Sidney, MX to support a proposed grant for noxious weed control in Daniels, Roosevelt and Sheridan counties. 11
4-5 Refuge hosted the annual meeting of the Montana Piping Plover/Least Tem Working Group.
11 Rice and Engelke attended S-211 Wildfire Chainsaw training in Custer, SD.
11 Rabenberg met with Sheridan County Commissioners to discuss WPA purchases.
12 Engelke attended S-212 Pumps course training at Custer, SD.
26 Rabenberg met in Malta, MX with the native grasslands committee of the MOYOCO Ecosystem to discuss strategies to protect habitat.
June
7 Clark and Stalmaster attended S-130/190 firefighter training in Lewistown, MX.
7 Sanchez met with Roosevelt County Commissioners to present the annual revenue sharing check and discuss Service issues in the county.
10 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.
15 Gutzke met with the Sheridan County Commissioners to present the annual revenue sharing check and discuss Service issues in the county.
17 Rabenberg attended the WRP evaluation workshop in Plentywood, MX.
29 Sanchez, Rice, Krumwiede and Engelke attended S-131 fire training in Minot, ND.
July
6 Rabenberg met with Daniels County Commissioners to deliver the annual revenue sharing check.
12 Entire permanent and temporary staff completed first aid and CPR training.
22-23 Rabenberg attended the MOYOCO Ecosystem meeting in Great Falls, MX.
26-29 Rabenberg, Sanchez, Krumwiede and Clark attended Motorboat Operator Xraining at Fort Peck, MX. 12
August
5 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.
17-19 Engelke, Rice, and M. Krumwiede completed Motorboat Operator Training at Minot, ND.
30 Gutzke, Rabenberg, Sanchez, and Madden attended a core team meeting on the Complex CCP.
Septemb
17 Refuge hosted a meeting of the HAPET office to present the waterfowl "Thunderstorm" mapping.
22-23 Gutzke, Rabenberg and Sanchez attended EE requalification at the Sand Creek substation of Charles M. Russell NWR.
October
26-27 Gutzke, Sanchez, Madden, Krumwiede and Rice attended a retirement workshop in Bismarck, ND.
Novemb
2 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Medicine Lake Commercial Club.
3 Rabenberg and Rickettson met with MTDFWP and DU to review progress and status of the NE Montana PPJVIINAWCA grant.
4 Gutzke met with Pam Chrisifulli, an aide to U.S. Seanator Conrad Burns, concerning several issues of constituents, in Glendive, MT.
15-19 Madden attended GIS Design for Regional Conservation Planning at NCTC
Decemb
2 Gutzke attended the monthly meeting of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.
6-9 Rickettson attended a Montana Partners for Wildlife meeting in Great Falls, MT.
9 Rabenberg and Madden attended the Sheridan Conservation District meeting on the Big Muddy Creek Assessment, in Plentywood, MT. 13
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Figure 6. A moist spring allowed refuge wetlands to refill, as Gaffney Lake in the background demonstrates, and gave our native grasses a boost, as this stand of needle-and-thread grass in the foreground exhibits. (TWG)
2. Wetlands
Water conditions were good because important moisture came as snow in the winter, which resulted in adequate spring runoff. Most units filled and some had spillways running at the maximum. Additionally, it rained on 13 days in May for a monthly total of 3.90 inches. That, and localized heavy rainstorms on July 8,15, and 22 produced substantial runoff. However, a lack of precipitation throughout autumn accompanied with warm conditions that did not allow freeze up until December, resulted in poor soil moisture going into winter.
Total water diversion for 1999 from Big Muddy Creek was 37,715 acre feet. That was sufficient to refill Medicine Lake and supply the North Homestead Unit. Once Medicine Lake was filled the remaining runoff was passed out of the unit through the spillway. There were also good flows from surface runoff and ephemeral creeks amounting to 15,546 acre feet diverted into refuge water units. Most of the water was passed though helping to flush water units of accumulated salts and freshen them. The result was that refuge impoundments started the year in good shape.
On January 1, 1999, the refuge water deficit was 18,935 acre feet, and by year's end the deficit was 12,519 acre feet. Table 5 indicates the early 1999 deficit by water unit with comparison to recent years. Table 6 compares 1999 water deficits with stream flow, diversions, and releases. 14
Table 5. Five year summary of water deficits, diversions and releases in acre feet.
Water Deficit Water Water Water Deficit Year January 1 Diverted Released December 31 1999 18,935 55,603 36,668 12,519 1998 16,663 11,260 1,249 18,935 1997 19,621 50,891 31,718 16,633 1996 31,919* 18,375 1,429 19,621 1995 33,508* 14,928* 3,678* 31,919* * Calculations using pre-1993 survey of water impoundments.
Stream Flow and Diversions
Dam #1 was open for the entire year. A substantial amount of water flowed in the diversion canal for several days filling to its banks. The Indian Service Dam at the Homestead Unit was opened when spring runoff began, to allow passage of excess water to avoid possible flooding of adjacent land. Once the early spring runoff had subsided an earthen dam was constructed upstream of the Indian Service Dam to begin construction for the replacement dam. At that time the Homestead inlet structure was opened up stream of the earthen dam to allow water to pass into the North Homestead Unit and out through the discharge and back into Big Muddy Creek. This action protected the construction on the new dam, and allowed water to flow down the creek. Water diverted into the North Homestead Unit came from Big Muddy Creek through the inlet structure, and a lesser amount from Lost Creek. Good flows from Sheep Creek provided enough water to fill the Breeser and Sheep Creek Units and bring spillways to the maximum overflow into Knutsen Bay. Spring thawing flows in Cottonwood, Lake, and Sand Creeks raised levels in Lake 12, Lake 11, Lake 10, Deep Lake, Sayer Bay, Gaffiiey Lake, Katy's Lake and Long Lake. 15
Table 6. Water diversions from creeks and surface runoff by location, and period of use in 1999.
Source Acre Feet Diverted Unit Where Used Diversion Period Big Muddy Creek 37,215 Medicine Lake Mar - Oct Big Muddy Creek 2,842* Homestead Lake Mar - Oct Cottonwood Creek 6,940 Lakes 10,11, Mar - Aug Gaffiiey, Sayer Bay Sand Creek 3,096 Lake 10, Sayer Bay, Mar - Jul Gaffriey, Long, Deep Lost Creek 459* Homestead Lake Mar - Jul Sheep Creek 1,375* Homestead Lake Mar - Jul Lake Creek 3,526 Lake 12, Katy's Lake Mar - Jul Surface Runoff 150* Coulee impoundments Mar
TOTAL 55,603* *Lack of gauging stations results in estimated values.
Water was captured at eight small impoundments situated around Medicine Lake. These impoundments were constructed several years ago by damming various draws and coulees with fixed elevation spillways as control. There are no control structures that allow specific changes in elevations. Rather the dam serves as the spillway. Once snow melt or rain runoff fills the units the excess is spilled into Medicine Lake. Five of the impoundments have surveyed elevations where actual capacities can be determined, while the other three have the volume estimated from surface acreage and estimated depths.
Discharges
Water was released from all the water units later in the year for management purposes. Runoff to Medicine Lake continued to put water into the unit which was immediately discharged through a water control structure or spillway.
In order to avoid an avian botulism outbreak which historically occurs annually in July at Knutsen Bay, and to facilitate a maintenance clean out of a ditch, we began removing water from the unit in June. Additionally, water was released from Lake 10, Sayer Bay, and Breeser Pond to help alleviate avian botulism outbreaks. North Homestead was maintained at a lower level than normal to provide extra capacity for runoff from any possible heavy rains that could result. This was initiated as a safety precaution to protect the construction work on the replacement structure for the Indian Service Dam. Heavy flows could be routed into North Homestead and immediately discharged, thus avoiding the construction area. The total released from all units equaled 36,668 acre feet. 16
As soon as ice breaks up on refuge impoundments each spring, water level gauge readings are recorded. Gauges are checked at least weekly during spring run off. After water levels stabilize, elevations are checked monthly until water units freeze up again in late fall.
During 1993 all of the major refuge impoundments, and most of the smaller ones, were surveyed and cross sectioned by the engineering firm of Morrison-Maierle/CSSA of Billings, Montana. Included were crest elevations of each dam, invert elevations at the bottom of the water control structures and spillway elevations. From this information surface acreage was calculated and area capacity tables were formulated. Some differences resulted from this new survey and the old estabhshed elevations. All water units were re-surveyed at each established location and new replacement staff gauges were installed in 1996. The differences were corrected and new water elevation and capacity figures are utilized in this report.
Medicine Lake
Diversions into Medicine Lake from Big Muddy Creek continued through the winter with small amounts of water (0.5 to 2 cfs) flowing under the ice on the creek. By 3 March water was beginning to flow into the diversion canal. High flows occurred between March 18 to the 30th with a peak on 23 March when flows reached 1,340 cfs. The unit filled to capacity by 31 March when water flowed over the spillway. Water continued over the spillway through October. Water was released in late September through November to provide water to the Homestead Unit. This brought the unit into freeze up with a small deficit.
North Homestead Lake
The year began with North Homestead Lake low. Diversions of water from Big Muddy Creek began 1 March, and flowed for the entire month. The unit was kept low to allow water to pass through it to facilitate construction of the replacement Homestead Dam. However, periodic rainstorms in late July raised the elevation again, but it slowly receded. When the Homestead Dam was complete in September, water was released from Medicine Lake to be captured in North Homestead, which brought water levels up and for bird migration habitat. By freeze up water conditions were in fair shape.
Knutsen Bay
Knutsen Bay began the year very low, but good spring runoff from Sheep Creek contributed all of the volume needed to nearly fill the unit. Water ceased to flow by late March and left the unit with a good amount of water in the eastern portion even though the water control structure was open to facilitate drainage. We needed the unit dry so work could be completed on a new spillway. A drawdown began in early June and the unit remained very low going into freeze up.
West Homestead
West Homestead Unit received water from North Homestead which provided good shallow water habitats for migratory birds, but did not fill the unit to capacity. Water remained during the nesting season, but by years end evapotranspiration had brought the unit down to the point where the only water was in the ditch adjacent to the road. 17
Sheep Creek and Breeser Pond
Inflows from Sheep Creek into the Breeser and Sheep Creek units allowed them to fill and flow over the spillways into Knutsen Bay. The units held water throughout the nesting season providing excellent habitat. A localized rainstorm in July refilled much of the lost capacity. The Sheep Creek Unit was lowered in late August to facilitate construction of a concrete spillway. Later the units lost volume from evapotranspiration and entered freeze up quite low.
Lake 12
Inflow from Lake Creek amounted to 3,526 acre feet, which pushed water over the spillway. Water was then diverted to Katy's Lake which raised the water level substantially. Levels were maintained during the waterfowl nesting season, but by late summer the effects of evapotranspiration had lowered the unit. The localized heavy rains that added volume to other water units did not occur in the Lake Creek drainage, so the positive late season water increase was not realized in this unit.
Lake 11
The year began with Lake 11 in good condition. There were good contributions from Cottonwood Creek which began to flow during late March. The unit soon filled and water flowed over the spillway into Lake 10. By late spring the unit began to lose volume which continued until the end of the year. Localized heavy rainstorms in July brought added volume to the unit which helped to offset the summer losses for a short period of time.
Lake 11 maintained good water all year and was heavily used by breeding waterfowl and shorebirds. During the fall it was a primary feeding area for waterfowl, with more than 100 tundra swans and thousands of ducks and geese. Shorebird use was very high as small mudflats developed around the edge in September. At years end the water deficit was 234 acre feet, and the unit still looked good.
Lake 10
Water levels in Lake 10 were in good shape going into the spring, with good contributions from Sand Creek and overflow from Lake 11. By early March the unit was filled and water was passed on to Sayer Bay, Deep Lake, Gaffhey Lake and Long Lake. The runoff subsided in April, but local rainstorms added volume in June. An avian botulism outbreak in August required a drawdown to alleviate the disease conditions.
Deep Lake
Spring runoff from Cottonwood and Sand Creeks filled Lake 10 and water was diverted into Deep Lake. The unit gained capacity but did not reach full operation level. Good water conditions existed throughout the waterfowl nesting season but by late summer evaporation began to take its toll. Fall waterfowl use of the unit was heavy, especially for diving ducks. 18
Saver Bay
Sayer Bay received good inflows from Lake 10, which pushed water over the spillway. The unit looked good in the early portion of the year and provided good wetland habitat for wildlife. Localized rainstorms in June added volume to the unit. However, this was lost when in August the unit was drawn down because of an avian botulism outbreak. By the end of the year the unit had a large water deficit.
Gafihev Lake
Gafihey Lake received runoff in the spring from diversions out of Lake 10, which was enough raise the elevation, but not fill it. Some water was passed to Long Lake to raise the level of that unit. Additional volume was added from June rainstorms. By freeze up the unit had dropped quite a bit from spring levels. Waterfowl use was good throughout the spring and summer, and had good use by migrants in the fall, especially diving ducks.
Long Lake
Long Lake received spring runoff from Gaffhey Lake. A small increase in volume occurred as a result of the June rainstorms. Water levels gradually decreased throughout the summer from evapotranspiration, but still provided good migratory bird habitat.
Katv's Lake
Water was diverted from Lake 12 into Katy's Lake beginning in mid March. This added volume to the lake increasing its elevation to the highest it has been in 20 years, but was insufficient to fill it. The unit was used by migratory birds all summer, and into the fall.
Coulee Impoundments
Lodahl's Coulee increased to its maximum volume from spring runoff. The unit held good water levels to attract nesting waterfowl. At years end the unit was in good condition for next years runoff.
Barsness Pond gained elevation from spring runoff but slowly began to lose volume as the summer arrived. The June storms which helped water conditions at other coulee impoundments helped this one as well. Good water conditions were present into freeze up.
Beaver Pond received early spring runoff and additions from the summer storms. It provided good water for the entire year and the unit had good use by migratory birds.
Reed's Pond, Merganser, French's, and Gadwall ponds were all in good condition during the year. They received runoff in the spring, and gained volume from summer storms. Every unit held water prior to freeze up. 19
4. Croplands
Cooperative Farming Program
The farming program is used as a tool to achieve objectives of our grassland management plan. The refuge contains a large acreage of planted crested wheatgrass and Dense Nesting Cover (DNC) plantings in need of renovation. Farming is used only to restore these old inferior stands of tame grass to DNC. This is accomplished through a multi-year farming program which provides two crop years and two fallow years to eliminate unwanted exotic plants from the seed bank. DNC or native grasses are then seeded to achieve high quality waterfowl nesting habitat.
The process of retiring traditional cropland units and moving farmers into new and often less productive areas began in 1992. Negotiation with NRCS has produced conservation plans for all areas targeted for breaking which are classified as highly erodible. At first, many cooperators were resistant to these changes, but now have accepted the new way of doing business.
The cooperative farming program includes two permittees farming 149 acres. This includes 16 acres in T-HQ which was broken and fallowed by cooperator Tronson in preparation for farming in 2000. The refuge farming program has been pesticide-free since 1989 and conservation tillage restrictions are in effect.
Cooperative farmers planted DNC on 16 acres which was accompanied by a barley nurse crop. Approximately 10 pounds/acre (bulk) of intermediate and tall wheatgrass (50:50 ratio) and three pounds/acre (bulk) of alfalfa and yellow-blossom sweetclover (3:1 ratio) were used to seed all areas.
The refuge's crop share for 1999 totaled 10 acres. Part of our share was taken as large round bales delivered to refuge headquarters to be used as supplemental feed for resident wildlife during severe winter periods. Seven acres of spring wheat in field A-7 was left unharvested.
Table 7. Cooperative farming summary, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Farm Unit Data Acres Permittee Field Acres Wheat Barley Hay Fallow FWS Share Ator A-l 17 10 0 0 7 0
A-7 69 21 0 0 48 7 Tronson T-4 16 0 16 0 0 3 T-HQ 48 15 0 17 16 0
Total 150 46 16* 17 71 10 * planted to DNC with barley nurse crop. 20
Force-Account Farming
The refuge farmed the A-15 cropland unit again this year. Ten strips are maintained as a 24-acre food plot for wildlife. In early June we seeded a mixture of barley (one busheFacre) and millet (3 lbs/acre) in five alternate strips that were fallowed last fall. The remaining five strips were disked over allowing the plants to regrow. The resulting crop was heavily utilized by resident and migratory birds.
The refuge broke up 30 acres on Gopher Point, a peninsula cut off by an electrical predator fence, in preparation for reseeding to DNC. The existing stand of DNC was in need of renovation as it was taken over by crested wheatgrass.
5. Grasslands
a b Figure 7. Prairie wildflowers were out in abundance in 1999. Examples shown above include: (a) Yellow evening primrose, (b) Purple coneflower, and below (c) Scarlet globemallow, (d) Dotted gayfeat her, (e) White beard-tongue, (f) Shooting-star, a new occurrence for the refuge. 21
•
/
There are about 17,968 acres of grasslands in the refuge. Of this about 2,528 acres have been planted to DNC. Another 1,628 acres have been planted to exotic grasses, primarily crested wheatgrass. Crested wheatgrass clumps were hand pulled and dug using shovels on eleven acres of farm ground seeded in 1998 to a native grass mixture. This is the first native grass seeding on the refuge for many years. Sixteen acres of DNC was seeded on areas previously farmed.
Rainfall for the year was 2.14 inches above average. Refuge grassland productivity was above average, thanks to good snow cover and nice rain showers throughout the spring and early summer. Warm season native grasses experienced high productivity probably due to the midsummer moisture.
Figure 8. This spring was so wet even the rocks grew grass! (MJR) 22
6. Other Habitats
Sixty blue spruce and 115 green ash trees were planted in the shelter belt along the new auto tour route road completed this summer. Three hundred chokecherry, 225 buffaloberry, and nine rolls of weed exclusion fabric were ordered for the shelter belt in 2000.
7. Grazing
Prior to 1993 season-long grazing was practiced which led to a decrease in plant diversity and vigor. In some locations there had been a conflict between livestock and nesting piping plovers. To alleviate these problems, and still use grazing as one of several tools to enhance our grassland units, changes were instituted. All cattle were removed from traditional grazing areas and those units were rested. Short duration grazing with multiple cattle moves were required on all areas. No grazing was allowed on any potential piping plover nesting beaches until after 15 August to prevent any disturbance to nesting plovers or their young.
The Service initiated a new policy using a comprehensive survey conducted by the Agricultural Statistics Board of the USD A to calculate the base rate grazing fee for the region. Grazing fees this year were set at $8.72 per AUM.
Three permittees used a total of 731 AUMs on 651 acres in four grazing units (Table 8). Grazing rates ranged from 0.73 to 1.95 AUMs/acre and averaged 1.16, as compared to 1,001 AUMs on 915 acres (1.09 AUM/acre) in 1998. Each cooperator was required to move cattle five to eight times during the grazing season. Both once and twice-over treatments were used with grazing intervals ranging from ten to 35 days. Cooperators grazed from 19 April through 3 October. Grazing in early May and again in September is used to hit crested wheatgrass while it is greening up in early spring and re-greening in the fall. Early spring grazing is also used to rejuvenate alfalfa in thin stands of DNC. Our management strategy is to get into a grassland unit, treat it quickly, and then move out. By removing Utter and cropping the plant back, the regrowth generates more robust growth and better conditioned plants.
Table 8. Grazing program at Medicine Lake NWR, 1999.
Grazing Unit Permittee Acres Class of Cattle AUMs
M-4 J. Bolstad 340 65 C/c&B 339.96
M-l O. Nelson 269 50 C/c&B 340.41
M-3 R. Schmitz 42 28 C/c&B 50.70
Totals 651 143 C/c&B 731.07
C/c = Cow/calf pairs; B = bulls; Y = yearlings 23
A fee reduction schedule was implemented to nsate cooperators for the extra work required of them. Examples are:
Task Fee Reduction
Moving Cattle $0.25/AUM/move ($20 minimum)
Temporary Electric Fence $75/mile (refuge materials) Construction/Removal S150/mile (their materials) $25/mile (authorized ATV use)
Water Gaps & Water Access Lanes $50 each
Hauling Water Negotiable
This year's grazing fees totaled $6,374.89. Approximately 75% of this amount was used to purchase additional fencing materials, and to compensate cooperators for the extra labor required to build fences, and move cattle.
All grazing cooperators were moved to new locations in 1999. Traditional grazing areas are a thing of the past. We do not anticipate grazing the same area in consecutive years unless it is necessary to achieve a specified objective. More intensive grazing followed by periods of rest are planned. When utilized properly grazing is a valuable grassland management tool. As currently practiced, grazing is compatible with our refuge goals and objectives.
8. Having
Two permits were issued to hay 94 acres of tame grasslands in need of rejuvenation. Cooperator Torgerson agreed to a twice-over tandem disc and harrow/drag operation in exchange for 100% of the hay crop. The unit will be scarified in the spring of 2000. A portion of the fee was waived for Cooperator Cartwright in exchange for a separate raking operation on 42 acres of the hay unit after the initial haying operation. The haying fee was waived for the remaining 17 acres of the hay unit in exchange for a breaking operation in the spring of 2000.
Farming cooperator Tronson hayed 17 acres in T-HQ after 15 July. This area will be broke in the spring of 2000 as part of a multi-year fanning agreement.
Table 9. Haying management activities. Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Hav Unit Data Acres
Permittee Location Hay/Disk Hay/Rake Payment Ron Cartwright E. Lodahl's Coulee 59 $630.00
Stu Torgerson S. Katy's Lake 35 Spring Disk 2000 24
Four additional permits were issued to hay approximately seven miles of road ditches adjacent to the refuge. One swath, next to the road shoulder, can be cut and baled prior to 15 July. The remainder of the ditch can be hayed after that date. No payment is charged to the cooperators' in return for assisting the county with road shoulder maintenance.
9. Fire Management
We were able to complete eight of 11 prescribed bums planned for the refuge this year for a total of 944.3 acres. A rapid green-up in the spring, uncooperative winds, and county bum bans prevented us from reaching our goal.
Table 10 . Prescribed bums, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Unit Date Burned Acres Homestead Hazardous Fuels 2/16/99 0.1 Bmce's Island 5/07/99 367
Young's Island 5/18/99 17 North Entrance 5/19/99 117 Tepee Hills 5/20/99 122
South Knutsen Bay 5/25/99 237 Katy's Lake West 8/24/99 84
Canada Thistle 9/09/99 0.2
Total 944.3
The Homestead Hazardous Fuels bum consisted of a pile of Russian olive trees that were removed from the refuge. The bum was conducted with snow on the ground, and made for a nice break from office work for Gutzke and Rice.
The Bruce's Island, North Entrance, South Knutsen Bay, and Tepee Hills units were all burned in the spring with the habitat objective to bum while crested wheatgrass was growing, yet before most native grasses had begun to green up. All of these burns succeeded in setting back the crested wheatgrass while giving the native grasses a head start when they began to grow. 25
Figure 9. Purple coneflower response to the 20 May prescribed burn at Tepee Hills. (MJR)
The objective of the Young's Island bum was to reduce cactus and litter, and rejuvenate grease wood and snowherry on the island in order to improve waterfowl nesting cover. The bum was conducted in the afternoon under partly cloudy conditions. Rising humidity and an abundance of green fuel prevented us from achieving the coverage that we hoped for. Roughly 30% of the island was treated
The Katy's Lake West bum was performed during the hottest part of the summer in order to impact club moss as much as possible. A good portion of the club moss mat was killed, and it should allow native grasses to successfully re-colonizing those areas.
Several Canada thistle treatment plots have been established on the refuge, and we are experimenting with of mowing and burning the plots in the summer, and then spraying them with selected herbicides in the fall when the thistle starts to green up again and native grasses are dormant. This year we made unsuccessful attempts to bum two plots. Regrowth, moist litter, and the lack of a grass understory foiled us. We did successfully bum a plot that was more recently mowed than the others, and therefore didn't contain as much regrowth.
Two engines and four firefighters from Medicine Lake NWR assisted local volunteer fire departments in the suppression of two wildland fires on Halloween night. The Outlook fire, started by sparks from a train, consumed 8,000 acres including one-third of the town of Outlook. The Antelope fire, started by a downed power line, consumed 2,500 acres. Both fires were driven by 60 mph winds.
In mid-January, Rice went to Florida Panther NWR where he participated in 13 prescribed bums during a three week prescribed fire detail. In late July and the first half of August, Rice and Stalmaster assisted on three fires while on a preparedness detail to Lewistown, MT and Sand Creek Station, Charles M. Russell NWR. 26
We installed a fire weather station, accessible by computer, one mile west of headquarters at the beginning of July. It gives us current and archival information on temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, fuel moisture, wind speed, and wind direction. The weather station has already been, and will continue to be, a great asset to our fire management program.
10. Pest Control
All known leafy spurge patches, except for the sandhills and Big Island, were handpicked or mowed to prevent seed formation. We used a push-type weed whacker where possible. The "spurginator" (a name coined by our seasonal employees) worked well and was much quicker than handpicking. We appear to be making some progress on patches at Homestead, but are probably losing the battle on older, more established patches. Approximately eight acres of leafy spurge were mechanically controlled. One small leafy spurge patch <1/100 of an acre was sprayed with Roundup
A monitoring program was set up in 1997 on spurge beetle release sites for the refuge. Total number of spurge beetles and beetles per sweep was the only data being recorded. In 1998 we added taking photos from four directions (N, S, E, W) and taking measurements in linear feet of the "depression ring". This depression ring is formed when the spurge beetles start eating the leafy spurge plants causing a stunt in growth or killing the plant completely. The photos and ring measurements are taken from the location where the spurge beetles were originally released. Random sweep transects were completed to see if the spurge beetles were migrating to other leafy spurge locations.
Forty four sites on six different locations were chose to release 155,500 leafy spurge beetles. On 32 sites, a mixture of 109,500 Aphthona czwalinae. A. cvnarissiae. A. lacertosa. and A.nigriscuitis were released. Eight sites had 34,000 A.czwalinae. A.lacertosa. and A.nigriscutis released and four sites with 12,000 A.czwalinae and A. lacertosa. If these spurge beetles can take hold in these release areas picking and mowing leafy spurge will be a "nightmare" from the past. Six thousand spurge beetles were given to a refuge cooperator with leafy spurge adjacent to the refuge sandhills unit.
The 1996 release sites of A. cwzalinae (1500) and A. lacertosa (1500) had sweep transects completed again this year. In 1996,1000 beetles were released on the south side of Big Island, and Tepee Hills, and 500 were released along Sheep Creek (Homestead Unit), and on the south side of Medicine Lake (Barsness Pond). All sites were swept in 1999 to examine spurge beetle survival (Table 11).
A. flava. released in 1989 on Big island seemed to be doing fine up until 1993. The spurge beetles may have froze out in the winter or the site may have been inappropriate for this species of beetle. The study site was discontinued by the USDA in 1997 but refuge personnel continued to monitor this release site. In July four sweep transects revealed 208 spurge beetles or 52 beetles per transect (Table 11). The spurge had a depression average of 20 feet with the longest depression of 31 feet to the south. A. czwalinae. A. lacertosa. and A. nigriscutis were the primary beetles found which were released at this site in 1998. Thirty-three thousand spurge beetles were released this year in seven sites on Big Island.
The 1992 A. nigriscutis release site in the Sandhills unit is showing signs of beetle activity. The beetles are decreasing the amount of leafy spurge in the release site area and seem to be spreading outward. Four sweep transects were completed on this site with 116 total beetles or 29 beetles per transect. Depression measurements averaged 28.5 feet the longest 40 feet to the east. Sweep net transects showed A. nigriscutis moved up to 1 'A miles away from this release site to other locations 27 on private and refuge land. Although the beetles are spreading to new locations the leafy spurge is winning the battle. Another 94,500 spurge beetles were released on 28 new sites in the sandhills unit to help the spurge beetles "win the war" on leafy spurge.
The A. lacertosa and A. czwalinae released along the diversion canal in 1995 were doing very well until the site was heavily flooded in the spring of 1997. Sweep transects on the east side of the diversion showed no signs of the spurge beetles. The west side however had 250+ spurge beetles on one transect (Table 11). The spurge plants on the west side of the diversion canal were higher on the creek which made them less vulnerable to flooding. This may be why there were no spurge beetles on the east side of the canal. Spurge beetles,(15,000) were released on four sites along the diversion canal.
Table 11. Spurge beetle Aphthona spp. sweep net data, Medicine Lake NWR, 1998-1999. Site Beetle Type Release Total # Insects/ Insects/ Date Insects/ Transect Transect # Transects 1999 1998 Sheep Cr A.czw/lac. 7/2/96 0/6 0 0 Sheep Cr. #53 A.czw/lac/nig 7/98 5/4 1.25 New Site Sheep Cr. #54 A.czw/lac/nig 7/98 76/4 19 New Site Tepee Hills N. A.czw/lac/nig 7/98 203/4 50.75 New Site
Tepee Hills S. A. czw/lac. 7/2/96 19/4 4.75 47.5 Barsness A. czw/lac. 7/2/96 21/5 4.25 10.5
Sandhills ARS A. nig. 7/92 116/4 29 54 Diversion W. A. czw/lac 7/95 171/6 28.5 250
Diversion E. A. czw/lac. 7/95 59/4 14.75 0 Diversion #63 A. czw/lac. 7/95 23/4 5.75 New Site Diversion 722 A. nig. 7/22/94 80/4 20 111
Big Isl. 9F01 A.flava czw/lac 8/89 7/96 208/4 52 10.5
Big Isl. 7/22 E. A. nig. 7/22/94 184/4 46 18.5
Big Isl. 7/22 W. A. nig. 7/22/94 313/4 78.25 82.75
This was the second year that the refuge used herbicide as a control method for Canada thistle. Roundup herbicide was sprayed on 1.5 acres of test plots to examine mowing and spraying effects on Canada thistle plants. Ten acres of Canada thistle on road shoulders and along the refuge tour route were mowed before the flowering stage to eliminate seed dispersal. 28
11. Water Rights
No action has been taken by the Montana Water Court on any of the apphcations the Service submitted for Medicine Lake NWR in the 1982 refiling process. Based on progress the Water Court is making in settling claims in other basins, it is likely to be several years before the Big Muddy Creek watershed is adjudicated.
Use of water from Big Muddy Creek by upstream farm irrigators consumed a small percentage of the streamflow. Since 1990 we have sent letters to each junior upstream user requesting that they refrain from taking any water until our needs were met. This year spring runoff was sufficient, consequently letters were sent to the junior water rights holders to thank them for their compliance with our past requests, and inviting them to use their water right this year without regard to our needs.
During 1994 the State of Montana began a water reservation process for the Lower Missouri Watershed. Under Montana water law, water can be reserved for existing or future consumptive uses of water and for maintaining in stream flows to protect aquatic life, recreation, and water quality. Only public entities such as local governments, conservation districts, and state and federal agencies can apply for and hold water reservations. The State Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) was assigned by statute to coordinate the reservation process.
As explained in 1995, the Sheridan Conservation District applied for 133,587 acre feet of groundwater for agricultural irrigation, but was allowed only 15,000, of which only 4,800 acre feet could be developed. After that level is reached they have to show that more water is available and that additional withdrawals will not adversely affect senior water right holders or mine the aquifer before the rest of their water right can be used. We had objected to their original application and were deemed to be hostile adversaries by the District. However, once they obtained their water reservation and the reality of managing limited groundwater, with more landowners wanting water than what is available, and determining what volume the aquifer actually holds, the refuge became a friend! Requests were made for us to cooperate in a groundwater study and sit on an oversight committee to determine best use of the limited resource. The Water Rights division of the Regional Office and the refuge staff provided expertise and helped to organize a study of the aquifer, contributing $30,000 this year to the project. Other members of the study group include the Conservation District, NRCS, USGS, and the Montana Department of Mines and Geology. Baseline work of monitoring existing irrigation wells and test wells was completed during the year and at least one more year of data will be needed. The Project Leader is a member of the District's technical oversight committee which reviewed several irrigation permit applications during the year. To date nearly all of the groundwater has been allocated from the 4,800 currently available. Working together several sensitive areas have been avoided and some apphcations have not been approved due to lack of water availability at specific sites. The process seems to be working.
A threat to the entire process came two years ago from Smith Farms Inc., which is located near our east boundary. They wanted to irrigate a full section of land and purchased a 17 wheeled irrigation system to meet that objective. They applied to the Conservation District for a water reservation to cover their new system. Once the oversight committee had a chance to look at the request, it was determined by the hydrologists that not enough water existed to handle the system, and it would negatively impact the aquifer. They were allowed only half of what they requested. Smith Farms then applied to the state to transfer a previous water right from a location two miles away to this new 29 site. Calling it salvage water that they had saved by using better water conservation practices. In reality it was water that was allowed them in a previous water right but was never perfected! Considering the Sheridan Conservation District water reservation was based on available water and all water use prior to the reservation was taken into account, which resulted in the 4,800 acre feet restriction set by the state. If the request by Smith Farms was approved it would undermine the whole groundwater reservation process. Because there are over 30 senior groundwater rights held in the county. None have perfected all the water allocated to them. Should they all decide to do what Smith Farms did, and get it approved, the aquifer would be over utilized and probably damaged.
Working with Service hydrolegists, water rights specialists and the U.S. Attorneys office the Service objected to Smith Farms application for salvage water. A contested case hearing was conducted by DNRC which ruled that Smith Farms, Inc. could use the salvaged water, but not in the volume they had requested. The amount of water they indicated would be saved by conservation measures was disallowed.
The Solicitor's office appealed the decision and was turned down. They turned the case over to the Justice Department for appeal to the District court. The district court ruled in favor of Smith Farms, Inc. This is a precedent setting case for water rights in Montana, is now being considered for appeal to the Montana Supreme Court.
12. Wilderness Areas
The 11,366-acre Wilderness Area encompasses the entire water body of Medicine Lake, and the Sandhills Unit. The Sandhills, which had been grazed for many years, have been idled since 1992. Cattle will not be allowed back into the area until the vegetation recovers and requires a treatment to stimulate the grasses again. Even then, the preferred method will most likely be prescribed burning. Animal grazing may still be employed, but only after vegetative analysis demonstrates a need.
An air quality monitoring system was installed in December to begin measuring air quality for the Class 1 designation in the Wilderness Area. A shed containing the monitoring equipment was installed about 1/4 mile north of the Wilderness Area at a site where our fire weather station is located. Staff collects the data twice weekly and sends the information to the University of California at Davis, which is cooperating in the project. 30
G. WILDLIFE
1. Wildlife Diversity
Wildlife diversity is maintained by management practices that are centered on waterfowl and other migratory bird production and maintenance. Diverse plant communities ranging fromxeric grasslands to mesic wetlands provide habitat characteristics essential to species that breed on the refuge and habitats that meet seasonal requirements for migrant species. More than 225 species of birds, 35 different mammals, and ten species of reptiles and amphibians have been documented on the refuge.
2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species
Whooping Cranes
No Whooping Cranes were observed on the refuge this year.
Bald Eagles
The Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey was conducted 15 January. No adult or immature bald eagles were observed along the 80-mile survey route starting at the Homestead Unit and ending at Lake #12.
Within the past eight years, Medicine Lake has had significant carp die-ofifs resulting from low water conditions and near total freeze-up of the lake. This provided an abundant food source and attracted hundreds of eagles. This year the lake remained at peak capacity throughout the year and we did not experience a significant die-off. Only thirteen eagles were seen this spring. The first eagles arrived in late March and were observed throughout May.
Bald eagle use (10) during the fall was a little lower than the spring. Fall eagle sightings were reported in early October through December. 31
Figure 10. Bald eagles roosting in cottonwood trees. (RKS).
Peregrine Falcons
Three peregrine falcon sightings were made this year. Two in May and one inNovember. On August 25, 1999 the American peregrine falcon was removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
Piping Plovers
Piping plover surveys for 1999 were conducted on the Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Northeast Montana Wetland Management District (WMD) from 1 to 13 June to determine the number of adults and breeding pairs. The survey was conducted by permanent and temporary staff, refuge volunteers and TNC seasonal biological technician Peg Althoff.
No piping plovers were found on the refuge for the third consecutive year. High water levels kept historic and potential breeding sites inundated.
Piping plover numbers in the WMD were the second highest since surveys began inl988. Adult plover numbers (161) were up 27% and indicated pairs (74) increased 23% from 1998 levels (refer to WMD narrative for details). 32
Table 12. Number of piping plover pairs and adults, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99.
T~1
[^l 0 fo^fo] [o]fo] fo][o] I I I I I SO Q1 92 93 94 95 96* 97 98** 99'
Pairs l Adults
* Only one adult plover observed on the refuge ** No plovers detected on the refuge
3. Waterfowl
Spring Migration
The year's first Canada geese were seen in early March while duck species appeared toward the end of March and throughout the month of April.
Weekly waterfowl censuses were conducted 31 March through 30 April. The peak goose and duck populations during this period were 1,200 and 12,355 respectively. 33
Table 13. Peak waterfowl populations during spring migration, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Species Peak Pop. Date Species Peak Date Pop.
Canada Goose 1,200 4/21 Redhead 1,090 4/15 Snow Goose 25 4/15 Ring-necked 490 4/21
Mallard 1,685 4/21 Canvasback 1,780 4/21 Gadwall 822 4/30 Lesser Scaup 2,435 4/15
Pintail 1,100 3/31 Common Goldeneye 497 4/7 Green-winged Teal 225 4/15 Bufflehead 270 4/15 Blue-winged Teal 462 4/30 Ruddy 430 4/30 American Wigeon 495 4/15 Hooded Merganser 35 4/21 Shoveler 745 4/30 Common Merganser 585 4/21
Breeding Pair Census
Historically, the refuge estimated duck breeding pairs based on one count of 64 line transects. Since 1990, no refuge breeding pair count has been conducted. Little confidence was placed on previous pair counts because the late May survey was too late for early nesting species like mallard and pintail, and there was a tendency for non-breeders of some species, particularly gadwall, shoveler, lesser scaup, and ruddy ducks to concentrate on the refuge in some years, artificially inflating pair counts.
We feel that nest search results presented later better compare annual variations in duck densities and production.
Nest Searches
Canada geese
Nine islands, three fenced peninsulas, and all nesting structures were searched this year. Most areas were searched in late April or early May and the nest fate was determined on subsequent duck nest searches. Nest success averaged 67%. 34
Table 14. Canada goose nesting, Medicine Lake NWR. 1999. Hatched % Unknown Study Area Nests Nests Hatched fate Predated Abandoned
Big Island 34 9 26 2 13 10 Shawver Island- 22 14 64 6 0 2
Homestead Islands* 20 16 80 1 1 2 Bruce's Extension 6 6 100 0 0 0
Gadwall Island 7 6 86 0 0 1 Highway Islands 12 8 67 0 0 4
McDonald's Island 21 15 71 1 0 5 Lake 11 Islands* 18 14 78 3 0 1 Young's Island 46 37 80 1 7 1
Bridgerman Point 36 24 67 8 0 4
Gopher Point 0 - -- --
Tom Horn's Point 5 2 10 2 0 1
Nesting Structures 6 6 100 0 0 0
Total 233 157 67 24 21 31 ~ Island was reseeded in 1998. * Not every island was searched. Estimates were extrapolated based on percentage of island acreage searched.
Nine tub-end type goose nesting structures are distributed around the refuge and were checked in February. Six of the nine structures were used this year. All were successful, producing an estimated 30 young.
Nest success on islands increased from 1998 levels while success decreased on peninsulas. Table 15 below shows a comparison of goose nest numbers and apparent nest success estimates on areas searched in both 1998 and 1999. 35
Table 15. Comparison of Canada goose nesting and success on selected islands and peninsulas, Medicine Lake NWR, 1998 vs. 1999. 1998 1999
Location # Nests % Hatching # Nests % Hatching Big Island 67 82 34 26 Shawver Island 21 81 22 64 Homestead Is.* 6 100 20 80
Young's Island 31 71 46 80 Lake 11 Island* 36 61 18 78
Total 161 79 140 89
Bridgerman Pt. 16 75 36 67 Gopher Point 0 0 0 0 Tom Horn's Pt. 0 0 5 40
Total 16 75 41 63 * Not every island was surveyed, estimates were extrapolated based on the percentage of island acreage searched.
Table 16. Canada goose apparent nest success, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. 1oo 39 SO 84 SO f r 39 72 TO o r 85 o / GO eo GO o 40 40 30 i |20 1 O 1 O 1 SO 91 92 93 94 9S* 93* 97* 9S* 99'
% Nest Success Averaoe * Partial Search 36
Fall Migration
Weekly waterfowl censuses were conducted from 9 September through 23 November. Snow geese, white-fronted geese and sandhill cranes appeared on the refuge on the 9 September followed by tundra swans on the 16th. The following table shows a ten-year comparison of fall peak goose, swan and duck populations.
Table 17. Fall peak goose, swan and duck numbers, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. Year Canada Geese Snow Geese White-fronted Geese Tundra Swans Ducks 1990 1,100 900 1,600 25 14,180 1991 1,150 10,000 1,500 90 27,500 1992 550 500 1,700 90 12,050
1993 1,075 300 200 90 11,880 1994 5,000 1,000 2,000 900 26,900 1995 2,050 1,200 600 1,300 17,600
1996 2,100 100 1,265 1,460 39,875 1997 1,180 400 900 1,825 45,553
1998 1,660 70 260 474 28,810 1999 2,415 40 780 566 14,565
Numbers of resident Canada geese peaked around early September. White-fronted goose, duck, sandhill crane, and tundra swan populations peaked on the 7, 15, 22, and 29 October, respectively.
Ducks - Upland
In 1990, we compared the attractiveness of the refuge's three primary upland nesting habitats;[ie dense nesting cover (DNC), crested wheatgrass (CRWG), and native grassland (NGL)] to nesting waterfowl. DNC was by far the most productive upland nesting habitat type, averaging three times more successful nests per acre than CRWG, and six times more than NGL. This trend was consistent in all search areas. All duck species, with the exception of pintails, showed a definite preference to nest in DNC. Therefore, in order to maximize the number of nests found, we have since confined our upland nest searches primarily to DNC fields.
This year, three fields (74,116, and 115 acres) of DNC were searched for duck nests using a modified cable chain drag. Three searches of each field were made at approximately three week intervals between mid-May and early July. A total of 97 duck nests was located in the 305 acres. Overall, Mayfield nest success in DNC averaged 61%, much higher than the long-term average of 30% since these surveys started in 1989. Observed nest densities were similar to 1998 (32 vs. 28 nests/100 acres). There were 25 successful nests/lOOacres, an increase from 13 successful nests/100 acres in 1998. 37
Table 18. Number of nests, Mayfield success, and observed nest densities in dense nesting cover and native grassland, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. Dense Nesting Cover Native Grassland
Year Nests Mayfield Observed Nests Mayfield Observed Found % Nest/Acre Found % Nest/Acre 1990 81 21 0.36 11 19 0.06
1991 72 26 0.30 - - -
1992 78 25 0.26 - - -
1993 54 20 0.18 - --
1994 92 30 0.33 ---
1995 23 12 0.21 - --
1996 184 32 0.53 -- -
1997 124 33 0.48 23 39 0.17
1998 88 22 0.28 - --
1999 97 61 0.32 - - -
Ducks - (Islands)
Approximately 60 acres of natural and man made islands were searched for duck nests an average of three times. Systematic searches for duck nests on Big Island were continued this year, utilizing the transects established in 1990. The transects on Bruce's and McDonald's islands were not searched. A total of 103 nests was located on the 60 acres searched; Mayfield nest success averaged 65% (Table 19). 38
Table 19. Duck nesting success on islands. Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Estimated Acres Nests Estimated Mayfield Successful Island Total Searched Found Nest Success Nests/lOOac Acres Initiations % Big 251 17.7 54 879- 65 228
Young's 17 17 19 27 52 83
Gadwall 4 4 9 10 68 170
Bruce Ext. 2 2 5 5 60* 150
Homestead 5 2 0 0 — —
Shawver 2 2 1 1 100* 50 Lake 11 12 10.5 13 13 92* 114
Highway 5 5 2 2 50* 20 Total 298 60 103 937 65# 204 ~ Nests found along 17.7 ac of transects extrapolated for whole island. *Apparent nest success values used, thorough foot search conducted # Weighted by estimated total nests on each island.
Because of continued high water levels Gadwall Island was completely surrounded by water and no predator fence was required for the fourth consecutive year. The fence was originally built to help deter predators from accessing the four-acre island and destroying nests.
Ducks - (Peninsula Exclosures)
Three peninsulas totaling 167 acres are protected by predator exclosure fences which were constructed in 1988. Supplemental trapping is also conducted (Section G-15). Tom Horn Point is located on the Homestead Unit and supports an excellent stand of DNC. Gopher Point is located along the north shore of Medicine Lake with vegetation consisting mostly of crested wheatgrass, with some alfalfa. Bridgerman Point is located on the east shore of Medicine Lake and is native prairie with scattered, dense patches of native shrubs, primarily snowberry.
Continued high water levels enabled refuge staff to activate the fence at Gopher Point for the sixth consecutive year. Low water levels rendered this fence inoperable from 1991 to 1993. Each of the peninsulas was searched three times. Tom Horn Point was searched with a modified cable-chain drag, Bridgerman Point was searched on foot, and Gopher Point was searched using a combination of both methods.
A total of 361 nests was found on the 110 acres searched. Mayfield nest success averaged 74%, up 8% from 1998. Total nest densities increased from 1998 (250 to 376 nests per 100 acres). Fenced peninsulas continue to be extremely efficient duck producers at 278 successful nests per 100 acres. 39
Table 20. Duck nesting results on peninsulas protected with electric predator exclosure fences, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Estimated Estimated Successful Total Nests Nest Nests/100 Mayfield Nests/100 Location Acres Found Initiations Acres Success % Acres
Bridgerman Pt. 21 34 37 176 79 138 Gopher Point 23 42 59 256 49 126 Tom Horn Pt. 66 285 314 476 79 376 Total 110 361 414 376 74 278
Summary and Production Estimates
Duck production estimates based on nest-dragging data were first computed in 1990. Separate production estimates were made for islands, peninsula exclosures, and upland habitats by multiplying the total number of successful nests/unit area by the total acreage of that habitat type and assuming five ducklings fledged per successful nest. Production estimates for refuge uplands were weighted based on the total acreage of native prairie, DNC, and crested wheatgrass dominated plantings, for which separate nest density and net production estimates had been calculated. Duck production estimates in subsequent years have been calculated by comparing the number of successful nests/unit area for that habitat type with the respective figure from the previous year (Table 21). Once again, peninsula exclosures had the highest densities of successful nests, 278/100 acres, followed by islands at 204/100 acres, and refuge DNC fields provided 25/100 acres.
Table 21. Nest success, total nest densities, successful nest densities and production estimates for duck nesting in dense nesting cover (DNC), islands (ISL), and peninsula exclosures (PEX), Medicine Lake NWR, 1992- 1999. Mayfield Total Nest Successful Nest Production Nest Success Initiations/100 ac. Initiations/100 ac. Estimates* Year DNC ISL PEX DNC ISL PEX DNC ISL PEX Upland- ISL PEX
1992 .25 .51 .29 54 40 287 14 20 74 4,830 820 470 1993 .20 .43 .45 38 44 221 8 19 99 2,801 763 635 1994 .30 .50 .71 62 61 150 18 30 107 6,320 1,350 893
1995 .12 .80 .72 70 110 187 8 88 135 © © 1,130
1996 .32 .65 .83 90 177 162 29 115 140 9,830 © 1,169 1997 .33 .72 .78 85 275 297 28 148 232 9,491 © 1,937
1998 .22 .59 .66 57 506 250 13 160 165 4,407 © 1,378 1999 .61 .63 .74 41 314 376 25 204 278 8475 © 1532 * Production estimates assume five ducklings fledged per successful nest. ~ Includes all refuge uplands (16,000 acres); not just DNC. © No production estimates made due to small amount of upland nesting data or incomplete island searching effort. 40
4. Marsh and Waterbirds
White pelicans initiated 3,524 nests at two locations on the refuge. Big Island was the principal nesting area with the majority of the nests (2,369) being found there. Bridgerman Point was the other nesting area on the refuge with 1,155 nests. Young pelicans were counted (1601 total = 0.68 fledglings produced per nest) at both nesting locations in early July.
Cormorant nest numbers decreased 28% when compared to last year. Bridgerman Point (158 nests) was the only nesting site. Nine great blue heron nests were located on Bridgerman Point and thirty black-crowned night heron nests were found on Big Island.
Preferred grebe nesting locations on Lake 10, Sayer Bay, Homestead, Gaffhey, Katy's Lake and the west bay of Medicine Lake provided excellent nesting habitat this year. A search of these areas to locate and document nesting colonies was made with waders, canoe, and an airboat. Eared grebe colonies were located in Katy's Lake (200 nests) and Knutsen Bay (726 nests). Colonies of western grebes were documented in the North Homestead Unit (13 nests), Gaffhey Lake (140 nests) and in the West Highway Unit (99 nests).
Table 22. Estimated number of marsh and waterbird nests, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-1999. Year White Double-crested Great Blue Black-crowned Western Eared Pelican Cormorant Heron Night Heron Grebe Grebe
1990 2,613 330 34 36 0 20 1991 3,913 109 10 7 0 0 1992 2,393 334 12 18 0 0 1993 3,899 91 23 16 0 0
1994 4,321 192 21 1* 0 15
1995 4,454 147 14 25 ~ ~
1996 3,614 187 15 29 8 25 1997 3,676 143 12 30 53 506
1998 5,072 220 15 30 292 456
1999 3,524 158 9 30 252 926 * 40 adults were observed on Big Island 5/25. ~ no nests documented but several young observed
5. Shorebirds. Gulls. Terns and Allied Species
The following species are known to nest on the refuge but efforts are not made to estimate numbers; American avocet, marbled godwit, willet, upland sandpiper, killdeer, spotted sandpiper, black tern, Wilson's phalarope, and common snipe. We do monitor colonial nesting gulls and terns. 41
Table 23. Number of gull and tern nests by species, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-1999. Year Ring-billed Gull California Gull Common Tem Forster's Tem 1990 6,102 1,299 5 0
1991 2,000 875 0 0 1992* 1,600 1,190 13 2 1993 1,290 1,587 0 0 1994 1,066 1,367 0 14 1995* 542 772 0 0
1996 135 641 1 0 1997 120 603 0 16
1998 367 327 6 17 1999 1,239 593 5 13 * one Caspian tern nest was located on Gull Island in 1992 and 1995.
Ring-billed gull numbers increased 70% when compared to 1998 and were found nesting only on the Highway Islands. California gull numbers increased 45% compared to last year. Nesting sites included Bridgerman Point (202 nests) and the Highway Islands (391 nests).
Franklin's gulls were seen feeding on the refuge but were not found to be nesting. An inspection of the Franklin's gull colony on the Manning Lake wetland complex on Fort Peck Indian Reservation in early June found around 5,000 nests. (Refer to WMD narrative for details)
Thirteen Forster's tern nests were found while searching for over water nesters on the north unit of Homestead, along with five common tern nests. Twenty black tern adults were observed and six nests were found in the Knutsen Bay unit of Homestead.
Shorebird habitat was somewhat limited this spring after we received good runoff and previously exposed mudflats were inundated with water during the fall, several units; Sayer Bay, Knutsen Bay, and Lake 10 were drained to help alleviate botulism outbreaks. Large areas of mudflats and shallow water were available to, and attracted shorebirds. A few birders took advantage of the opportunity.
6. Raptors
This was the third year a pair of golden eagles nested just south of the Homestead Unit producing one young. Other raptor species that nest on the refuge include northern harrier, Swainson's hawk, great-homed owl, short-eared owl, and burrowing owls.
Other raptors routinely sighted each year include: prairie falcon; American kestrel; Cooper's, rough- legged, fermginous and red-tailed hawks; and snowy owls. Bald eagles and peregrine falcons were also observed (Section G.2). 42
No Bald or Golden eagles were observed this year during the National Wildlife Federation's Mid- Winter Bald Eagle Survey conducted on 9 January.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MDFWP) nongame wildlife investigations raptor survey was completed on 5 June. A total of 21 birds were located along the 59-mile route. Species identified included; Swainson's hawk (12), Ferruginous hawk (3), and northern harrier (6).
7. Other Migratory Birds
Mourning dove nesting is limited on the refuge due to the shortage of trees. Refuge shelterbelts and CCC tree plantings provide the majority of available nesting habitat.
A total of 23 bluebird nest boxes were available for use in 1999. Sightings of mountain bluebirds are common but no nest boxes were used by them. However, 22 of the boxes were used by tree swallows and house wrens.
Table 24. Bluebird nest box summary, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Species # of Nests # Nests Successful Total # Fledged #/ Fledged /Nest
Tree Swallow 19 18 89 4.94 House Wren 3 1 6 6.00
Bluebird 0 0 0 0
Total 22 19 95 5.00
This year we again monitored populations of non-game grassland nesting birds on the refuge. We initiated this monitoring program in 1995 with two objectives in mind: (1) to obtain baseline population data for the common nesting species; and (2) to determine relative species abundance in our three major grassland habitat types (native prairie, dense nesting cover, and monotypic crested wheatgrass), thereby providing some clues to habitat preferences.
In 1995,94 Emlen transects (100m x 100m) were walked once from 13-30 June. Transect locations were spaced relatively uniformly throughout the refuge uplands to maximize distribution. Wetland areas were avoided. Fifty-seven (57) transects were located in native prairie (NP), 24 in dense nesting cover (DNC), and 13 in crested wheatgrass (CRWG).
In 1996-1999, 98-115 circular plots (75-meter radius) were sampled twice during June using standardized 'point count' methodology (Table 25). We switched sampling techniques primarily to make our results comparable with data from other stations and studies. Five plots were added on wetland margins or other sub-irrigated sites, and were classified as "wet meadow" (WM). 43
Table. 25. Plots surveyed by habitat type for non-game grassland bird monitoring, 1995-1999. Year Native Dence Nesting Crested Wet Total Prairie Cover Wheatgrass Meadow
1995* 57 24 13 0 94
1996- 59 29 7 5 100 1997- 59 29 7 5 100 1998- 66 33 11 5 115
1999- 53 29 11 5 98 * Emlen Transects ~ 75-m radius point counts
Throughout the five years, paired males of 40 species have been observed within the sample plots. A total of 36 species were found in NP, 27 in DNC, and only 14 in CRWG (Table 26). Despite the relatively small acreage of WM surveyed, 20 species were found in that habitat type. Eleven species were found only in NP, and two and one species were found only in WM and DNC, respectively. No species were found only in CRWG. 44
Table 26. Breeding non-game migratory bird species observed in sample plots, Medicine Lake NWR, 1995-99. SPECIES NP DNC CRWG WM (941 acres) (456 acres) (142 acres) (66 acres)
American avocet X X American goldfinch X Baird's sparrow X X X X Black-billed magpie X Brown-headed cowbird X X X X Bobolink X X X X Brewer's blackbird X Brown thrasher X Chestnut-collared longspur X X X Clay-colored sparrow X X X X Common grackle X Common nighthawk X Common snipe X Common yellowthroat X X X Eastern kingbird X X X Grasshopper sparrow X X X X Homed lark X X X House wren X Killdeer X X X Lark bunting X X Le Conte's sparrow X X X Marbled godwit X X X X Mourning dove X Northern Harrier X Red-winged blackbird X X X Savannah sparrow X X X X Sedge Wren X X Sharp-tailed sparrow X X Short-eared owl X X X Song sparrow X Sprague's pipit X X X X Swainson's hawk X Upland sandpiper X X Vesper sparrow X X X Western kingbird X Western meadowlark X X X X Willet X X X Wilson's phalarope X X X Yellow warbler X Yellow-headed blackbird X X TOTAL 36 spp. 27 spp. 14 spp. 20 spp. 45
In the habitats surveyed, grassland bird abundance was highest in WM at 96 territorial males (TM) per 100 acres, foUowed by DNC (88 TM/100 ac), NP (78 TM/100 ac), and CRWG (71 TM/lOOac). Overall, abundances in 1999 were the lowest for the five year period.
Table 27. Grassland bird abundances (territorial males/ IQQacres) by habitat type, 1995-1999. Year Native Dence Nesting Crested Wet All Prairie Cover Wheatgrass Meadow Habitats
1995 96 105 62 — 90
1996 129 80 74 150 113 1997 160 134 180 183 155
1998 106 106 115 142 109
1999 78 88 71 96 81
We calculated refiige-wide population estimates (number of territorial males) for the more common upland nesting grassland passerines and shorebirds to compare annual variations in bird abundance. Population estimates are weighted based on the acreage of each upland habitat type available on the refuge. Most species again exhibited population decreases in 1999. Bobolinks were the only common species that increased in abundance. Despite an overall population decline, grasshopper sparrows (2600 TM) were again the most abundant species, with Chestnut-collared longspurs (2400 TM), Baird's sparrows (2300 TM), and savannah sparrows (2100 TM) the next most abundant.
GRASSLAND BIRD POPULATIONS MEDICINE LAKE NWR
UPSA F-
MAGO
WILL 1995
BODO
WEME 1996 CO LU CCLO o LU •_ ORSP 1997 CO BAIS 1998 SASP
LARB 1999 CCSP
SPP1
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 # TERRITORIAL MALES (TM) 46
We also calculated the indicated pair densities of paired males for each species in the various upland habitat types to get an indication of habitat preferences. While the analysis should be considered preliminary, some consistent trends are emerging.
Grasshopper and Baird's sparrows were generally found at highest densities in NP, but also utilized old CRWG plantings a significant amount. DNC use lagged well behind and was greatest in older DNC stands with a significant CRWG component.
Chestnut-collared longspurs showed a slight preference for CRWG over NP, but were virtually absent from DNC.
Savannah sparrows showed a decided preference for DNC.
Clay-colored sparrows were equally abundant in DNC and NP; however, they were most attracted to early successional DNC with abundant residual sweet clover and alfalfa stems, and NP plots with a significant shrub (primarily snowbeny) component.
Western meadowlarks appeared to be grassland "generalists" with no clear trend in habitat preference.
Sprague's pipits and upland sandpipers were found almost exclusively in NP. Pipits were most abundant in plots that had been idled at least three years.
Lark buntings, a highly nomadic species, showed large annual population fluctuations. Buntings preferred sites with recent disturbance as they were only found in DNC plots which had been hayed and disked the previous year, or in NP plots which had been burned or grazed within the last four years.
Bobolinks were most abundant in DNC, particularly those fields with a recent history of being hayed and disked. NP plots with bobolinks generally had a significant smooth bromegrass component. Table 28. Densities of 11 non-game grassland bird species on Medicine Lake NWR by year and habitat type.
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW DENSITIES BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE
SPRAGUE'S PIPIT DENSITIES UPLAND SANDPIPER DENSITIES BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE
SAVANNAH SPARROW DENSITIES BOBOLINK DENSITIES BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE
MARBLED GODWIT DENSITIES WESTERN MEADOWLARK DENSITIES BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE BY YEAR AND HABITAT TYPE 48
We have begun a tentative look at how vegetative composition and management treatments (i.e., prescribed burning and grazing) affect grassland bird populations. Preliminary results indicate that an area's recent management history (as it influences vegetative structure and litter levels), is more critical to many bird species than the species of plants present. In the NP plots sampled, the number of bird species and total pairs peaked 4-5 years following a bum or heavy graze, although the response varied tremendously by species. More specific analysis will be conducted as time allows.
8. Game Mammals
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks normally conducts annual preseason and late winter white-tailed deer aerial surveys in two trend areas. One area includes the refuge and the other is the private sandhills that border the southeast boundary of the refuge. Only the late winter survey was flown this year. Survey conditions were excellent with the deer being concentrated in large groups. Deer numbers increased 53% (778) on the refuge and 33% (644) on surrounding private sandhills, primarily in response to a mild 1997-1998 winter and an above average fawn crop. We came well above the 10-year of average of total white-tail deer for the area by 15%.
Table 29. White-tailed deer late winter trend surveys, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. 1ooo
900
SOO
TOO
600
500
400
300
200 1OO
O 90SO 91 92* 93 94 95 96 97'QT 98 99
I | White-tailed deer TvtLTSTWTt | | White-tailed deer private Sandhills * No aerial deer survey completed this year
10. Other Resident Wildlife
Male sharp-tailed grouse numbers on leks located on or adjacent to the refuge are surveyed in mid to late April. A total of 234 grouse was counted on 14 active dancing grounds in 1999. The mean of 12 males per ground was the same when compared to 1998. 49
Table 30. Sharp-tailed grouse numbers, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. 20 —i
1e
14
12 12 12 11 11 10 10
8
s
1990 1991 1992 1993 199-4 1995 1996 1997 1996 1999
l\/lc»airt # IV/lalo*/CSrc»Ljr»d 1O-Yoan r Avoraig* Reported number of sharp-tailed grouse reflect the number of leks counted each year with no comparison between leks observed from year to year.
Roadside crow counts are conducted for ring-necked pheasants on three refuge routes. Route #1 goes around the main lake, Route #2 travels the north portion of the refuge, and Route #3 covers the Homestead Unit. Number of crows heard per stop increased on route #1 increased (11%) and decreased on routes #2 and #3 (16%, and 18%, respectively) compared to 1998 surveys.
Pheasant recruitment was slight to fair this year. Areas farther south faired well while areas in the northern units were poor.
Table 31. Total pheasant crows/stop for three routes, Medicine Lake NWR, 1990-99. ao
so
40
30
20
1 O
SO 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97- 9S 99
Route 1 Route 2 Route 3 50
No formal census is done for gray partridge. However, production has been poor on the refuge in recent years. General observations during 1999 indicated populations were still low but with a few more coveys seen than in past years.
Large round grain bales obtained from refuge croplands were placed near areas of good winter cover where upland game birds tend to concentrate. Dense stands of kochia, bulrush, and phragmites in our wetlands provide a critical thermal habitat, during the winter, for next year's breeding population.
11. Fisheries Resources
In 1999, Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks released 185,000 northern pike fingerling in three locations on Medicine Lake. The fingerlings came from Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and were released in areas with bulrush and cattail cover. We plan to continue stocking the lake with northern pike in 2000.
15. Animal Control
Predator control on the refuge is authorized by a control plan that calls for annual removal of mammalian predators that prey on nesting waterfowl.
Predator removal activities on the refuge were initiated 25 March and continued until 3 August. Cubby box traps with 220 Conibears were placed on the refuge as follows:
Uplands 12 Islands 8 Peninsula exclosures 8
These traps were baited with cat food and freshened weekly with cooking oil. Bait was replaced as needed.
Upland trapping efforts were concentrated on the Homestead Unit as in years past in an effort to improve the area's chronic low nest success. Box traps were placed on the larger refuge islands along with all peninsula exclosures and were monitored throughout the nesting season. The predator exclosure fences were erected and energized in mid April.
The 1999 trapping effort totaled 3,595 trap nights requiring approximately 448 staff hours and about 1,500 vehicle miles. Trap nights for each area consisted of 1,560 for the uplands, 1,040 for the islands, and 1040 for peninsula exclosures. Total animals removed during each month of predator management activities are shown in Table 32. 51
Table 32. Species and number of animals trapped by month, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Species March April May June Total Striped Skunk 1 6 1 2 10
Raccoon 0 0 0 2 2 Red fox 0 0 0 1 1
Total 1 6 1 5 13
Three raccoons were also taken in late August and early September at waterfowl banding sites.
16. Marking and Banding
Pre-season mallard banding quotas for Zones 21 and 22 (western North and South Dakota and eastern Montana) were 1,000 birds for each sex and age class. Pintail quotas were 500 birds for each sex and age class. Three eastern Montana refuges (Benton Lake, Bowdoin, Medicine Lake) within these zones are requested to band as many of these species as possible.
At Medicine Lake NWR, eight salt plains traps (swim-in traps) baited with small grain were used from 19 July to 3 September. Trapping locations were Medicine Lake, Gaffiiey Lake, Homestead Lake, Lake 10, Lake 11, and Long Lake WPA. A total of2,068 waterfowl including 1,364 mallards were banded in 1999 (Table 33). Table 33. Species, age, sex and total number of ducks banded. Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. After After Hatching Hatching Local Local Species Hatching Hatching Year Year Total Male Female Year Male Year Female Male Female Mallard 830 233 68 68 85 80 1364 Northern Pintail 5 2 5 1 4 2 19 Redhead 26 87 7 4 72 59 255 Canvasback 17 21 0 0 5 3 46
Blue-winged Teal 16 31 111 116 17 13 304 Gadwall 1 6 1 0 12 11 31
Lesser Scaup 3 7 0 0 3 7 20 American Wigeon 1 1 3 4 4 5 18
Green-winged Teal 0 5 0 1 0 0 6 Wood Duck 3 1 0 0 0 0 4
Black Duck 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total 903 394 195 194 202 180 2068 53
17. Disease Prevention and Control
Botulism outbreaks have historically been a problem on several different units of Medicine Lake NWR. This year proved to be no exception. Refuge personnel spent 254 staff hours retrieving contaminated birds from 26 July to 28 September.
Table 34. Species and number of birds retrieved during botulism outbreaks, Medicine Lake NWR, 1999. Species Number Species Number
Mallard 136 Coot 215 Northern Pintail 39 Double Crested Cormorant 4
Northern Shoveler 49 White Pelican 46 Gadwall 106 California Gull 43
Green-wing Teal 36 Ring-billed Gull 14 Blue-wing Teal 80 Franklin's Gull 12 Lesser Scaup 105 Tern sp. 3
American Wigeon 44 Western Grebe 8 Ruddy Duck 20 Eared Grebe 64 Canvasback 4 Pied-billed Grebe 3
Bufflehead 2 Sora 8 Red Head 4 Dowitcher 3
Common Merganser 6 American Avocet 6 Ring-Necked Duck 1 Sandpiper spp. 3
C. Goose 2 American Bittern 3 Unknown Duck 146 Yellowlegs spp. 3 Unknown Shorebird 1
Total Birds Picked Up 1,226
Units experiencing die-offs included Gaffhey, Lake #10 and #10B, Sayer Bay, Knutsen Bay, N. Homestead, and the Main Lake. Problem areas of Medicine Lake included Big Island, Bruce's Island, the Narrows and North Bay. The only other area included in airboat patrols, with no die-offs reported, was Katy's Lake. 54
Most of the Knutsen Bay portion of the Homestead Unit was drained in late June to assist with the excavation of a draw down ditch which will allow us to completely drain this unit. This activity severely curtailed the botulism problem in this unit. The north portion of the Homestead Unit was kept below optimal level to aid in the construction of the new Indian Service Dam. These activities aided the control of severe botulism outbreaks in these units. Other units, which were specifically drawn down to alleviate outbreaks, included Sayer Bay, and Lakes 10 and 10B.
Table 35. Comparison of botulism fatalities, Medicine Lake NWR, 1995-1999. Year Waterfowl Shorebirds Coots & Gulls & Other Total Grebes Terns 1995 862 137 269 28 8 1,302
1996 509 287 150 41 4 991 1997 1,766 143 387 158 67 2,509 1998 1,804 45 275 44 62 2,230 1999 785 27 290 72 52 1,226 55
H. PUBLIC USE
1. General
Staff at the refuge were very busy providing tours and environmental education to diversified groups in the area. Tours of the refuge, along with general wildlife discussions, were given to 49 area 5th and 10th grade students and to four home schooled children. Students were generally taken to closed areas of the refuge where large concentrations of birds are found during spring and fall migration. The four home schooled children were given a talk about "Eagles." Sanchez was following up on a report of a dead golden eagle when the man who reported it asked him to give a talk to his kids. Just goes to show you never know what is expected of a refuge employee.
Figure 11. Local students were given a close up view of colonial birds on Bridgerman Point. (RKS).
Sanchez and Madden gave a presentation to two 5th-grade classes (40 kids) at Plentywood School. The video, "America's NWR System - Where Wildlife Comes First," was shown along with a talk regarding the types of jobs associated with "wildlife" and the importance of Medicine Lake NWR. The entire class visited the refuge in the afternoon where they were able to observe several species of waterfowl and lots of white-tail deer. The entire day was both fun and educational.
Education does not stop with children. Tours and discussions of wildlife management were provided to 25 members of a Group Retirement Home from Wilhston, ND, and a group of outdoor writers sponsored by Montana Tourism. 56
The winners from the refuge's open house drawing for a free airboat ride decided to take us up on it. On a warm sunny day in early July the Wayne Hendrickson family spent the morning on Gaffiiey Lake. After hearing the airboat some of the younger children opted to stay in the car. Sanchez took the remaining family members out in groups. It was a fun morning for everyone with the entire family seeing lots of waterfowl and other wildlife from a different perspective.
Figure 12. Hendrickson family out for an airboat ride. (RKS)
Refuge staff took turns writing monthly articles in the Plentywood, Williston, Sidney, Wolf Point, and Culbertson newspapers. This years topics were:
Gutzke: Waterfowl Hunting Opportunities Sanchez: The National Wildlife Refuge System L.Krumwiede: Sharp-Tailed Grouse Rice: Many Hands Get Work Done M. Krumwiede: Non-Toxic Shot French: A Great Time to Visit Staimaster: Seeing the Refuge Through the Eyes of a Coyote
News releases appeared in local papers concerning grouse blind availability, haying opportunities, and recreational trapping opportunities on the refuge. 57
5. Interpretative Tour Routes
New interpretive signs were placed along the refiiges 14-mile self guided Wildlife Drive. These signs are to help visitors better understand why certain management techniques are being done or depict a certain species or feature associated with the refuge. Current management signs include: Farming for Wildlife, Haying for Wildlife, and Grazing for Wildlife. Other signs currently found on the refuge include one about Baird's sparrow and one about the Medicine Lake Wilderness Area.
A new portion of the Wildlife Drive was constructed to by-pass the refuge headquarters area which was a safety hazard due to "S" curves and heavy equipment use. The new route will take visitors around the shelterbelts and to the north of the existing route. Plans are to open it to the public in the spring of 2000 after new directional signs are in place.
6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations
Other off site activities included staffing a booth at a Watershed Conference in Poplar, put on by the Office of Environmental Protection of the Fort Peck Tribe. Over 500 students and adults attended the two day affair.
Staff members attended the Pioneer Gun Club meetings at Dagmar. We were able to give a brief talk about refuge management practices and the Service's PFW program.
Rabenberg taught an Adult Education Class in Plentywood, MT on Waterfowl Identification to 11 students. Part of the course required a field trip to the refuge to get some hands on experience with bird banding and identification. Krumwiede and Sanchez helped with the field day.
7. Other Interpretive Programs
A Montana Hunter Education course was hosted at refuge headquarters with six local youths participating.
Gutzke participated in the Medicine Lake Annual Hunter/Landowner Appreciation Night where more than 100 people were in attendance.
Sanchez worked with a group of Cub Scouts (nine) from Plentywood to earn their Naturalist Badges. A field day at the refuge included a talk on flyways, migratory birds, and identification of local wildlife species. Part of the day was spent in the field identifying birds, plants, and mammals found on the refuge.
Gutzke attended the monthly meetings of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and the Medicine Lake Commercial Club. 58
8. Hunting
Grouse, partridge, and dove seasons opened 1 September. Hunter pressure was low for partridge and dove because of low numbers and was slightly higher than previous years for sharp-tailed grouse.
This was the third year the state of Montana participated in the Special One-Day Youth Waterfowl Season. This additional day is an elfort to provide a special hunting opportunity to encourage youth participation in waterfowling. Several local youths took advantage and hit the marshes and open fields in search of their quarry. Most only had limited success in the number of birds taken. The real success was in the fun and learning they were able to experience.
Waterfowl season opened 2 October. Good numbers of "honkers" resulted in a high harvest during the early season. Goose hunting pressure was concentrated in stubble fields north and south of Lakes 11 and 12, east of the Homestead Unit, and west of the main lake on the flats.
We saw a big increase in the amount of nonresident waterfowl hunters using the refuge. Improved wetland conditions provided some of the best duck hunting this area has had to offer in several years. With a predicted record fall flight, conditions were set for an excellent waterfowl season. Apparently someone forgot to tell Mother Nature and our usual fall and winter weather during that time of year never materialized. Above average temperatures compounded with "blue sky" windless days kept most of the birds lingering up north of us in Canada. Overall harvest was fair, with mallards being the most sought after duck.
This was the third year the refuge distributed excess swan permits to interested parties. We issued 25 permits to hunters. Several hunters commented on how they appreciated us distributing these permits in the field rather than having to go through MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks headquarters.
Pheasant season opened 9 October. Persons from at least 20 states and four Canadian provinces hunted the refuge and WPAs during the first two weeks of the season. Upland bird hunting had dropped off considerably by the month's end and substantially toward the end of the season because of low numbers. Overall, harvest this year was low. Although we had a mild winter and did not lose a lot to winter kill it is suspected that our upland bird populations were still feeling the effects from the 1996/1997 winter and a poor spring hatch.
We issued 40 sandhill crane hunting permits this year. For a few brief days over 10,000 cranes stopped at the refuge to rest and feed during their migration south. Most individuals with a crane permit experienced a good harvest.
Deer season opened 24 October. Refuge hunting pressure was concentrated in Lake Creek Flats, Homestead, and the Sandhills units. Resident deer population's hit hard by the winter of 1996-1997, faired well during last year's winter. Hunter success was good with a few does harvested and some bucks that were "decent" four or five pointers. 59
Late-season deer and upland bird hunting units opened 15 November. Since these areas were first opened in 1990, there has been a gradual decline in the number of deer hunters and an increase in pheasant hunting pressure. Late season pheasant hunting this year faired better than last year but was still poor when compared to previous years. A few "big" bucks in the units gave deer hunters something to chase after and some even managed to bag one.
9. Fishing
Fishing on the refuge continues to be sporadic at best. Several fisherman have tried fishing at various locations on Medicine Lake with only marginal success. Early ice fishing reports for the 1999 winter have been encouraging with fisherman catching a few northern pike. Average fish being caught were between 2-3 pounds with the largest weighing just over seven pounds.
A fish survey of Medicine Lake, completed in early August of 1999, showed plenty of forage fish available for consumption. With some 8,200-acres available to expand into and ample forage available we feel the pike we've been stocking over the past few years should continue to increase in number and size.
10. Trapping
Interest in the refuge's recreational trapping program continues to be low. Three trapping permits were issued for six available units. A total of 116 muskrats, one mink, and one red fox were harvested for the 1998/1999 trapping season.
11. Wildlife Observation
A news release was distributed to area newspapers describing the availability of a grouse photo blind on the refuge and other wildlife viewing opportunities. Several local residents and temporary employees used the observation blind.
The handicap accessible observation platform, located near Bridgerman Point with its colonial bird nesting rookeries, attracted a few refuge visitors. The platform has mounted binoculars that allow visitors to get up close and personal with nesting pelicans, cormorants, and various shorebirds and waterfowl without disturbing them.
14. Picnicking
An estimated 500 visitors used the refuge picnic area located on Medicine Lake near Highway 16. Most picnicking was combined with a leisurely tour of the refuge.
17. Law Enforcement
Non-toxic shot is mandatory for all shotgun hunting on the entire refuge. Most hunters are aware of this requirement and no problems resulted. Frequent patrols during the season by both refuge and state officers' make it apparent that if you hunt the refuge, you will be checked. 60
Refuge Officer (RO) Sanchez cited an individual for hunting upland birds in a closed area of the refuge. Two birds were confiscated and the individual payed the $100.00 fine.
RO Gutzke cited two individuals for hunting upland game birds in a closed area of the refuge. He confiscated two birds and fined each individual $100.00 each. Both individuals payed the fine.
On 10/8 RO Rabenberg received a report from a group of waterfowl hunters from Arkansas of a pile of dead ducks (at least 50) at a hunting cabin which they were renting. Rabenberg contacted RO Sanchez at home and both officers went out to investigate the report. Upon arriving they were shown a pile of dead ducks approximately 75 yards south of the hunting cabin under a tree. We recovered a total of 75 ducks (mixed species) which were bagged and stored at the refuges evidence freezer. Also found were a gadwall, hanging by its head from some decoy line which was stretched between two poles, and parts of three shovelers below the line. All four ducks appeared to have been shot to pieces (literally) after being hung up. The case was turned over to the state after it was determined that no federal laws had been violated. The state was going to pursue the case.
I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
1. Construction
A new road was constructed around the north side of the headquarters area to direct visitor traffic away from the maintenance/equipment yard. Previously the visiting public had to navigate a "S" curve around the headquarter buildings, past equipment storage, to finally reach the auto tour route. With the construction of the Vi mile loop the public can avoid this non-scenic area and view a natural vista they came to the refuge to experience. The new road was constructed force account by pulling fill material from the adjacent area to create a road crown. Then it was surfaced with 2,310 tons of Montana standard grade 3 gravel spread to a uniform 4-6 inch thickness. It was delivered and dumpspread by Prairie Sand & Gravel, Medicine Lake, MT. 61
Figure 13. Aerial view of the Homestead Dam construction which demonstrates how the curve on the creek will be cut off after construction is complete. The old Indian Service Dam can be seen at the top right of the photo. The excavated channel is left of the blue dam site. (RKS)
Work was finalized in September on a replacement structure for the Indian Service Dam which supplies the Homestead Unit with water from Big Muddy Creek. The new dam was constructed at an upland site on the refuge, where the creeks meandering creates a large bow. The structure sits in an upland site, and a channel was dug to the north and south of it, connecting the creek to the structure and cutting off the bow and the old water control structure from the rest of the creek (Figure 13). Scanlan Construction from Fort Peck, Montana was the main contractor. This was a NAWC A project with Ducks Unlimited designing and overseeing the construction. Excavation began in October and by year's end was not complete. The state-of-the-art dam has three radial arm gates that are opened and closed with electric motors. They are equipped with heaters that allow year round operation. Radio operated controls allow the gates to be operated from the refuge headquarters seven miles away. A digital control board in the office provides constant data on the status of each gate and the creek water elevation. 62
Figure 14. View of the Homestead Dam during construction looking north from the excavated ditch. (TWG)
The patrol road which passes directly down stream of the Knutsen Bay discharge structure had a new structure constructed by Ducks Unlimited, in association with the Homestead Dam construction. The road acts as a spillway, when water must be released from Knutsen Bay. A 36" diameter CMP was installed under the road to pass the discharged water. However, the flooding of 1997 heavily damaged the road, and when the Knutsen Bay unit had to be drained to alleviate avian botulism, the CMP could not handle the water and overtopped the road causing more damage. The past design was not adequate to handle current needs. DU engineered a concrete crossing with a box culvert and a installed cattle guard top. The box culvert with a cattle guard top can handle most discharges from Knutsen Bay. However, when excessive flows result, the water will rise out of the box culvert through the cattle guard and onto the concrete crossing. This should eliminate the cutting and erosion we experienced in the past.
Figure 15. Construction is progress on the Knutsen Bay discharge crossing (TWG) 63
The Sheep Creek Unit emergency spillway was washed out during the 1997 flooding. DU engineers designed and supervised construction of a new structure. This "Texas crossing" allows vehicles to cross a concrete structure during high water, and eliminates the erosion effects we have experienced in the past.
A new kiosk was constructed force account along Highway 16 at the entrance to the picnic area. It was constructed to duplicate the designs of other kiosks found on the refuge
2. Rehabilitation
A half-ton short box Ford pickup that was involved in a roll over accident during the summer was repaired. Instead of replacing the pickup bed we installed a flatbed on the vehicle. It will be used as a maintenance vehicle and is handy for moving bulky loads
The flooding of 1997 damaged or destroyed several miles of refuge boundary fence. During the summer a three member fencing crew was hired to continue to replace much of that loss. Over six miles of four strand barbed wire fence, along with new wood comer and support posts, gates, and boundary signs were replaced.
A ditch in Knutsen Bay, which facilitates the draining of the unit, had silted in due to the flooding in 1997. The unit was drained as low as possible, yet 6-8" of water remained in the eastern half. Work on the eastern portion which could not be completed last year, was done during the winter. About 300 yards of ditch was cleaned out using a backhoe and ice bucket. The excavated material was used to re-soil nesting islands in the unit.
The Dam #4 dike had damage to it again this year after high flows topped the structure. A large gaping hole had to be cleaned out, repacked and contoured. Several weak spots where the water had cut the dike when it overtopped were repaired as well. All work was accomplished force account with equipment purchased with flood money, including a 45 CAT Challenger with a Buffalo 5500 pull-type scraper.
4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement
MMS funding allowed us to replace a older 4x4 pickup with a Ford extended cab 4x4 short box pickup; replaced the office Merlin telephone system with a state-of-the-art Panasonic automated system; and were funded for the observation tower check for public safety and repainting of the stairs and top. To date COS has not finalized the contract for the tower rehabilitation, which will probably take place next summer.
A Heflee XL4000 equipment lift was purchased for the shop. This portable lift can accomodate small equipment from a ATV to small lawn mowers and weed eaters. It lifts and supports equipment so a mechanic can get under it or stand comfortably next to it to complete repairs.
We were able to replace two 1986 TRX-250 Honda 4x2 ATV's with two 500cc Actic Cat 4x4. Additionally we purchased a 4x4 Kawasaki Mule.
A John Deere 610 chisel plow was purchased for cultivating between shelterbelts, and for use during the rehabilitation of DNC plantings. 64
A service box was installed on the 1995 Ford pickup to provide space and all the necessary tools / equipment to complete repairs out in the field.
7. Energy Conservation
Table 36 compares the last five years of energy consumption. Coal was used to heat the shop, but was replaced in 1995 with a propane furnace. Propane is also used to heat the office and bunkhouse. The increase in diesel use is the result of several rehabilitation projects, completed force account, to repair damaged facilities after the flooding of 1997. The increase in electric consumption through the years is directly proportional to the increased amount of time required by the professional staff to work behind a desk.
Table 36. Energy consumed, Medicine Lake NWR, 1995 - 1999.
Energy 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Diesel (gal) 1,848 1,955 2,351 3,105 3,888 Gasoline (gal) 5,003 5,477 5,401 5,350 5,966
Propane (gal) 2,650 2,600 4,250 2,185 2,550 Elec. (KWH) 38,825 43,719 52,717 55,588 57,753 Coal (ton) 8 None None None None
J. OTHER ITEMS
2. Other Economic Uses
Yellowstone Honey, Inc., Sidney, Montana, placed 240 bee hives on the refuge at $0.50 per hive. Because of the early spring moisture, clover, alfalfa, and other nectar producing plants flourished. 65
Royalty income from the two refuge oil wells has fluctuated over the years due to changing prices and decreased volume (Table 37). The rise of gas at your local gas station is reflected in our substantial jump in royalty income this year.
Table 37. Production by well and royalty income to refuge revenue sharing fund, Medicine Lake NWR. 1995 - 1999. Well 13-1 Well 14-1
Year Oil* Gas* Oil* Gas * Royalty Income 1995 11,144 4,917 9,277 3,427 $41,826.15 1996 10,787 5,235 6,918 3,154 $40,794.17 1997 12,165 5,678 9,326 4,064 $49,000.00
1998 11,075 5,670 10,763 3,459 $43,049.64 1999 8,948 5.340 6,704 2,949 $141,012.60 * measured in barrels of oil. © measured in thousand cubic feet of gas.
4. Credits
The report was written and photographs taken by Gutzke (TWG), Krumwiede, Madden, McGarvey, Rabenberg (MJR), Rice, Rickettson, and Sanchez (RKS). LAMESTEER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Wibaux, Montana
This 800 acre easement refuge is located 20 miles southeast of Wibaux; 160 miles south of Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Service has no control of the upland. Only water management and facilities maintenance rights are covered by the easement. Pumping for irrigation from the reservoir is allowed when surplus water is available. No pumping was requested or permitted this year. Since enforcement of a hunting closure was impractical, the refuge was opened to hunting in 1981. The landowner controls access.
The refuge was visited on 9 November for the annual inspection. Water conditions were very good with water one foot below the spillway. The plentiful moisture conditions which occurred at Medicine Lake NWR also occurred here. Good emergent stands of cattail and hard stem bulrush were distributed throughout the wetland.
The dam and water control structure were in fair shape, two seepage areas were again observed which indicated leaks were present.
The land within the refuge boundary was mostly farmed. The area to the north and south had wheat stubble. The area to the west and southwest was in summer fallow. To the far west cattle were grazing in a pasture and to the far north the area had been heavily grazed. All refuge signs were absent; they were removed by the staff several years ago. INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. HIGHLIGHTS 1
B CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1
C. LAND ACQUISITION
1. Fee Title 2 2. Easements 2 3. Other 3
D. PLANNING
1. Master Plans Nothing to report 2. Management Plans 4 3. Public Participation Nothing to report 4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates 4 5. Research and Investigations 4 6. Other Nothing to report
E. ADMINISTRATION
1. Personnel Nothing to report 2. Youth Programs Nothing to report 3. Other Manpower Programs Nothing to report 4. Volunteer Programs Nothing to report 5. Funding 4 6. Safety Nothing to report 7. Technical Assistance 5 8. Other Items 5 9. Training and Meetings Nothing to report
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
1. General 6 2. Wetlands 7 3. Forests Nothing to report 4. Croplands 8 5. Grasslands 9 6. Other Habitats Nothing to report 7. Grazing 11 8. Haying 11 9. Fire Management 12 10. Pest Control 13 11. Water Rights 14 12. Wilderness Areas Nothing to report 13. WPA Easement Monitoring 14
G. WILDLIFE
1. Wildlife Diversity 15 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 15 3. Waterfowl 19 4. Marsh and Waterbirds 22 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 22 6. Raptors 24 7. Other Migratory Birds 24 8. Game Mammals 27 9. Marine Mammals Nothing to report 10. Other Resident Wildlife 27 11. Fisheries Resources Nothing to report 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking Nothing to report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to report 14. Scientific Collections Nothing to report 15. Animal Control 28 16. Marking and Banding Nothing to report 17. Disease Prevention and Control Nothing to report
H. PUBLIC USE
1. General 29 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students Nothing to report 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers Nothing to report 4. Interpretive Foot Trails Nothing to report 5. Interpretive Tour Routes Nothing to report 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations Nothing to report 7. Other Interpretive Programs Nothing to report 8. Hunting 29 9. Fishing Nothing to report 10. Trapping 29 11. Wildlife Observations Nothing to report 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to report 13. Camping Nothing to report 14. Picnicking Nothing to report 15. Off-Road Vehicling Nothing to report 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to report 17. Law Enforcement 29 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to report 19. Concessions Nothing to report
I. EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES
1. Construction : 30 2. Rehabilitation 30 3. Major Maintenance Nothing to report 4. Equipment Utilization & Replacement Nothing to report 5. Communications Systems Nothing to report 6. Computer Systems Nothing to report 7. Energy Conservation Nothing to report 8. Other Nothing to report
J. OTHER ITEMS
1. Cooperative Programs 30 2. Other Economic Uses 35 3. Items of Interest Nothing to report 4. Credits 36 INTRODUCTION
Northeast Montana Wetland Management District
The Northeast Montana Wetland Management District (WMD) is located in the extreme northeastern comer of Montana. It is bounded on the north by Canada, on the east by North Dakota, on the west by the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and on the south by the Missouri River. The District is located in Sheridan, Roosevelt, and Daniels counties. During 1990 Richland, Dawson, and Wibaux counties were added, mainly to handle Farm Bill, FmHA and Partners for Wildlife activities.
This tri-county management WMD was entirely glaciated and could be considered a continuation of the prairie pothole region of the Dakota's. The northern portions of Sheridan and Daniels counties have terrain common to the glacial Missouri coteau; a very hilly landscape dotted with many shallow wetland depressions.
Native vegetation is of the mixed-grass prairie type. The District lies in the transition zone between the tall-grass prairie to the east and the short-grass prairie of central Montana. Cool season grasses predominate with scattered shrub communities. Trees exist primarily in planted shelterbelts.
The climate is typical of the northern Great Plains, with warm summers, cold winters, and marked variation in seasonal precipitation, which averages 12 to 15 inches per year. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees in the summer and drop to minus 45 degrees in the winter. Spring is generally quite windy with velocities commonly exceeding 20 miles per hour. Winds may occasionally reach 50 mph with passing weather systems.
The WMD includes 44 waterfowl production areas (WP As) totaling 12,507 managed acres. These WPAs vary in size from four acres to 2,012.5 acres. An additional 8,556 acres of privately-owned wetland acres are protected from drainage, burning, leveling and filling by perpetual wetland easements. Perpetual grassland easements encompass 10,968 acres protected from cultivation. The potential for protecting mixed-grass prairie pothole habitat with grassland easements is great, however, a shortage of realty assistance has hampered growth of this program.
The WMD lies within the Williston Oil Basin, which was one of the most active oil regions in the lower 48 states during the early 1980s. Oil exploration and development is widespread throughout the area. Recent advances such as horizontal drilling and 3-D seismic technology resulted in renewed oil exploration activity in the mid-1990s. The majority of WPA tracts were acquired without the underground mineral rights. Reservations for development of the sub-surface minerals were retained by the owners or their assigned third party. For this reason, seismic exploration and oil well development is common on our WPAs. 1
A. HIGHLIGHTS
Exceptional spring wetland conditions result in the highest breeding duck populations since we began conducting four square mile pair counts in 1987. Blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, redhead, northern pintail, canvasback, and American wigeon pair densities were at record highs. (G.3)
Piping plover breeding population in WMD increases to 159 adults. Almost all nests receive supplemental protection. Despite cold temperatures and thunderstorms, 62 monitored pairs fledge 85 chicks. (G.2)
Partnerships and funding solidified to implement a coordinated piping plover recovery effort in the Alkali Lakes Core Area of North Dakota and Montana. TNC Plover Ecologist position is advertised. (G.2)
Progress on NAWCA grant continues. Eight wetlands totaling 73.5 acres created/restored on private lands. Three grassland (868 ac.) and three wetland (54 wet ac.) easements acquired. (J.l)
Scott Rickettson fills vacant PFW Technician slot in September. (J.l)
B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Refer to Medicine Lake NWR narrative for weather data. 2
C. LAND ACQUISITION
1. Fee Title
Table 1. Fee acres by county, NEMTWMD, 12/31/99. County Number of Tracts Number of WPAs Total Acres
Daniels 6 3 1,081 Roosevelt 2 1 179 Sheridan 72 40 10,531
Totals 80 44 11,791
Two new WPA tracts were purchased in Sheridan County during 1999. The 412.83-acre Vern Guenther tract was purchased for $85,000. It is located southeast of Brush Lake adjacent to a large meandered alkali lake (White Lake), and connects Erickson and Parry WPA's. The property contains excellent piping plover nesting habitat along the alkali lake as well as two nice freshwater brood marshes.
The second 320-acre WPA was purchased from Kenneth Keldsen for $66,500 and is located approximately two miles southwest of Westby, MT. The tract contains numerous drained wetlands (approx. 20 acres) which will be restored next year. The owners of both properties and their tenants were allowed agricultural use through December 31, 1999.
2. Easements
Three perpetual grassland easements were purchased from Richard Sampsen (320 acres), Jeppe Sorensen (160 acres), and Larry Falk (388 acres). All three tracts are located in Sheridan County and all were covered by existing wetland easements. Approximately 90% of the uplands are native prairie. Total cost was $73,200.
Three perpetual wetland easements were purchased from Larry Falk (25 wet acres) and Clayton Martinson et al. (27 wet acres) in Sheridan County; and Orville Haugo et al. (12 wet acres) in Daniels County. Total cost was $8,525.
In addition, a perpetual flowage easement was purchased from Orville Haugo et al. which will allow us to flood 43 acres as part of the 200+ acre International Marsh South Arm project. Cost was $4,300. Table 2. Wetland and grassland easement acres by county, NEMTWMD, 12/31/99. County Wetland Wetland Grassland Grassland Easements Acres Easements Acres
Daniels 7 274 0 0 Roosevelt 11 1,218 3 6,828
Sheridan 114 7,064 9 4,140 Totals 132 8,556 12 10,968
No FmHA easement activity occurred again this year.
Figure 1. Aerial view of Falk grassland easement. (MJR).
3. Other
Received a draft Land Use License from Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) which would allow us to lease approximately 40 acres between Stateline WPA and Westby Lake. The area provides habitat for several uncommon migratory birds such as Nelson's sharptailed sparrow, yellow rail, and piping plover. The proposed annual lease fee is 2-3 times higher than would be charged for a grazing lease, continuing the state's recent trend to try and gouge groups leasing lands for conservation purposes. The lease is on hold pending further direction from Realty. 4
D. PLANNING
2. Management Plans
The Medicine Lake NWR Complex began the Comprehensive Conservation Planning (CCP) process in the fall of 1998. Refer to Medicine Lake NWR narrative for details.
4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates
We consulted with our Regional Archaeologist and the Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) prior to moving dirt on all wetland restoration/creation projects on Service-owned or private lands. We also required companies wishing to perform shothole seismic surveys on WPAs to obtain a cultural resource clearance from the SHPO or complete an archaeological survey if required.
5. Research & Investigations
We participated for a fourth year in a study coordinated by Des Lacs NWR Complex biologist Bob Murphy to evaluate the effectiveness of nest cages and temporary electric fences to reduce predation of piping plover nests and young to increase recruitment. Details are presented in section G.2.
The Montana Natural Heritage Program completed their second field season to inventory herps, small mammals, birds, and plant communities in Sheridan County. The project is partially funded by a USFWS Challenge Cost Share grant.
Bruce Friesen-Pankratz from the University of Manitoba was issued a Special Use Permit (SUP) to collect water samples from wetlands on Gjesdal West WPA. The goal of the project is to assess residual pesticide levels in wetlands throughout the Prairie Pothole regions of the U.S. and Canada.
E. ADMINISTRATION
Operational funding and personnel are incorporated with the Medicine Lake NWR report. No separate program is work planned for the WMD.
5. Funding
The Northeast Montana PPJV II North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant proposal was selected for funding in 1996. The $3,300,000 project included $1,545,710 of matching funds from non-federal partners and received $640,000 from NAWCA. Internal legal disputes over contracting issues delayed implementation of the project. The Grant Agreement and 5
NAWCA funding were eventually received in September, 1997. The project was nearly complete at year's end. Additional details are presented in section J. 1.
Rabenberg worked with the Audubon and Des Lacs NWR Complexes and partners on Challenge Cost Share grant proposals to fund seasonal piping plover technicians in 1999 and 2000.
7. Technical Assistance Farm Bill
Inspected a USDA Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) intention on Rom RafFato property in Richland County.
Assisted NRCS with a wetland determination on the French Farms WRP intention in Roosevelt County.
Participated in a WRP training session for NE Montana NRCS staff led by state program coordinator Dave Heilig.
Provided technical assistance on a potential Swampbuster violation complaint in Roosevelt County where a neighbor complained that construction of ramps to facilitate a center pivot irrigation system was causing water to back up on his property. The Service and NRCS had issued a Minimal Effect determination for the ramps in 1992. A site visit by Rabenberg, NRCS, and the landowner found that the complaint was without merit and the ramps were within specifications.
NRCS informed us they had received and approved several drainage ditch maintenance requests in Sheridan County. None were located on Service easements.
Other
Coordinated with Montana Department of Transportation to make sure easement wetlands were not impacted by the 'Plentywood North' Highway 16 reconstruction project.
Reviewed Montana Natural Heritage Program report on Montana's NWR Research Natural Areas and provided comments.
Referred a sheep depredation complaint from the Brockton area to USDA Wildlife Services.
Attended Sheridan SCD meeting to discuss their plans to conduct a Biological Assessment of the Big Muddy Creek watershed in 2000.
Sent letter of support to the Montana Noxious Weed Trust requesting funding support for the Northeast Montana Noxious Weed Control Project, in which FWS is a partner. 6
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
1. General
Table 3 summarizes habitats managed. This includes 716 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management and the state of Montana that we manage as part of the adjacent WPA, and is the reason for disagreement with Table 1.
Table 3. Managed habitat types, Northeast Montana WMD, 12/31/99. COUNTY Habitat Type Daniels Roosevelt Sheridan Total
Wetlands*
Type 1 & 2 23 54 77
Type 3 82 6 502 590
Type 4 212 1,285 1,497
Type5 360 360
Type 6 160 797 1017
Subtotal 317 166 2,998 3,481
Grasslands
Native prairie 420 125 2,535 3,080
Native brush 12 289 307
DNC 302 47 4,073 4,422
Other Tame 27 1,048 1,075
Planted Natives 38 38
Subtotal 761 178 7,983 8,922
Other
Shelterbelt 13 13
Roads <1 58 58
Trails 17 17
Oil well sites 9 9
Building sites 5 5
Gravel pit 2 2
TOTALS 1078 344 11,085 12,507 * Wetland types based on Stewart & Kantrud (1971). 7
2. Wetlands
1999 will be remembered as "the year of the duck". Abundant snowfall during the 1998-99 winter coupled with excellent runoff and heavy spring rains resulted in the best wetland conditions since at least 1989. Nearly every basin held water and ducks in May. Pilot and Realty Specialist Rich Johnson from Charles M. Russell NWR commented that wetland conditions were "as good as I've ever seen in the District". That's saying a lot since Rich has been working this area for 25+ years. One objective method of comparing annual variations in wetland conditions is to compare the "wet" wetland acreage in the WMD as calculated by the Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET) from aerial videography on four square mile pair count plots (Table 4). According to this survey, the number of wet acres in the WMD increased 29% from last year's levels, and was 4% higher than 1997, another very wet year.
Figure 2. Spring wetland conditions in the WMD were excellent. (RKS)
Following several inches of rain in late June and early July, somebody turned off the faucet. Only 2.87" of moisture was received from mid-July until the end of the year. By October, all temporary and most seasonal basins were dry. We went into the winter with extremely dry soil conditions and virtually no frost seal. It would appear we are heading back into the "dry" cycle. 8
Table 4. HAPET's estimate of'wet' acreage, Northeast Montana WMD, 1990-1999. Year Land Ownership Category Easement Federal Private Total
1990 1,664 19,200 28,416 49,280 1991 768 7,920 18,048 36,800
1992 1,408 17,920 15,680 35,008 1993 1,984 17,408 17,280 36,736
1994 2,863 16,727 48,242 67,833 1995 3,784 18,580 52,227 74,592
1996 2,880 16,832 46,336 66,048 1997 5,376 16,704 70,784 92,928 1998 2,937 17,322 54,650 74,919
1999 6,820 18,217 71,536 96,573
4. Croplands
Short-term farming is utilized on WPAs to prepare lands for reseeding to dense nesting cover (DNC) or native grasses. All areas currently cropped had a prior fanning history and were dominated by monotypic stands of crested wheatgrass. Farming cooperators receive 100% of the hay and first grain crop in exchange for breaking and preparing the areas for farming. No pesticides are allowed.
Goose Lake WPA
Forty acres of a failed 1997 DNC planting were reseeded on 20 April by Nelson. We are still trying to locate a cooperator to complete the farming rotation on another 108 acres.
Erickson WPA
Jeppe Sorensen was selected to break and farm a 74-acre field of crested wheatgrass in preparation for reseeding. The entire field was hayed after 15 July and alternate 10-rod strips were broken (disked) in preparation for cropping in 2000. 9
5. Grasslands
Figure 3, Native prairie on Anderson WPA. (MJR)
For those of us that appreciate the diversity of plants that make up this thing called prairie, 1999 was a wonderful year. Heavy late winter snows and abundant spring rains resulted in phenomenal cool-season grass growth. Early season wildflowers were abundant, large and showy and bloomed much later into the growing season due to the abundant moisture. Thunderstorms in late June and early July came at just the right time to benefit warm-season grasses and forbs. 10
Figure 4, This was an excellent year for viewing wildflowers. Examples below include: (a) Harebell, (b) Prairie smoke, (c) Scarlet gaura, and (d) Pale-spike lobelia, a state critically imperiled species which was found at several locations in Sheridan County by Montana Natural Heritage Program biologist Bonnie Heidel, (MJR)
a b 11
WPA grasslands are managed to provide attractive nesting habitat for waterfowl and other ground nesting birds. A combination of management techniques, including prescribed fire, grazing, haying, interseeding, short-term farming, reseeding, and/or scarification are utilized as applicable.
On 13-16 April, 2 pounds of alfalfa per acre was interseeded into 98 acres of DNC at International Marsh WPA.
7. Grazing
Livestock grazing is used as a management tool to rejuvenate WPA grasslands and enhance nesting habitat for waterfowl and other migratory grassland birds. Grazing fees for 1999 were $8.72 per AUM. Due to the excellent range conditions, we had difficulty finding grazing cooperators this year. The only grazing on the WMD occurred on Wigeon Slough WPA.
Wigeon Slough WPA
A mini-joint venture grazing system was implemented in 1995 with Melvin and Clyde Hellegaard on 400 acres of WPA grassland and 410 acres of their adjoining native rangeland. WPA uplands had received little treatment since acquisition in 1969, and were badly in need of rejuvenation. Under the twice-over deferred rotation system, a portion of the WPA is grazed annually in exchange for idling a comparable acreage of adjoining private pasture (ie. there will be no grazing fees and no net increase in the landowner's cattle herd). This year, 63 cow/calf pairs and 2 bulls grazed 98 WPA acres from 15-31 May (0.43 AUMs/acre) - this same area was grazed at 0.40 AUMs/acre in late August of 1998. Another 65 WPA acres consisting of DNC and crested wheatgrass encroached prairie were grazed from 21 August - 14 September (0.97 AUMs/acre). In exchange, 125 acres of Hellegaard's pasture was rested from 11 July, 1998 until 21 July, 1999; another 126 acres are to be idled from 5 July 1999 to mid-July, 2000.
8. Having
Nine cooperators hayed 249 acres on four WPAs after 15 July to increase the vigor of old DNC or Waterbank plantings (Table 5). Permittees were required to have the hay removed 10 days after baling. The hay could not be sold and had to be fed to their own livestock. Former WPA owners and tenants were given priority per Service policy. All other permittees were selected at a public "hay drawing" held at refuge headquarters on 13 July. Preference was given to cooperators willing to perform tillage operations (twice-over tandem disk) in exchange for the hay. 12
Table 5. Haying Activities, NEMTWMD, 1999. Cooperator WPA Name Acres Payment
A. Eggen Rich Johnson 65 Spring 2000 Disk
M. Sorensen Erickson 80 Spring 2000 Disk
J. Juve Anderson 75 $937.50 + rake D. Anderson Rivers 29 Spring 2000 Disk
We have had excellent vegetative responses to experimental spring and fall scarification of DNC stands. In monitored fields, scarification has increased alfalfa densities from 69 to 432%. Spring scarification seems to result in a more consistent alfalfa response. Some increases in alfalfa densities have also resulted from interseedings, however responses have not been as dramatic or as consistent as those obtained by disking. Grasses in the disked areas are noticeably taller, more robust, and have larger seedheads than on adjacent undisturbed areas. Robel readings are consistently higher in scarified fields by the end of the first growing season, often by as much as one decimeter or more.
9. Fire Management
We were able to complete two of four prescribed bums planned for the WMD this year for a total of 7.1 acres. The seven-acre Flaxville WPA bum was performed on August 23. The unit is heavily encroached by Canada thistle, and we are experimenting with burning in the summer or fall, and then spraying the thistle with selected herbicides in the fall when the thistle starts to green up again and native grasses are dormant. The bum was successful, with nearly 100% of the thistle charred, if not completely consumed.
A 0.1 acre burn was completed on Base Camp WPA on December 20. The burn consisted of a small pile of Russian olive trees and branches.
Uncooperative winds and higher priorities prevented us from performing a bum on Goose Lake WPA to improve piping plover nesting habitat this spring or fall.
The fourth bum planned was a cooperative effort. Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex entered into a Wildlife Extension Agreement with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to help them accomplish a bum on their Comertown property. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate during the short time that TNC personnel were available to bum. We hope to try again next year. 13
10. Pest Control
Canada Thistle
The Service is a partner in the Northeast Montana Noxious Weed Control project. The project was funded by the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Advisory Council in 1998. For the second consecutive year, a research/demonstration area was maintained on Flaxville WPA to evaluate the effectiveness of selected chemical, biological, and mechanical treatments for controlling Canada thistle. This year, small experimental plots were added to evaluate KRENITE and CURTAIL herbicides. We also burned a 7-acre plot for evaluation. We perform the required mowing and burning operations, while Weed District and Montana State University personnel do the herbicide application and most of the monitoring. The specific control strategies being evaluated include:
1. RODEO herbicide. A research plot (0.12 acres) was established to evaluate the timing, application rate, method of appliation (broadcast vs wick), and number of applications. A total of 0.15 lbs. of active ingredient were applied.
2. KRENITE herbicide - small experimental plot
3. CURTAIL herbicide - small experimental plot
4. Mowing - single versus multiple treatments.
3. Biological Controls - Urophora carduii and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
4. Prescribed burning - with and without followup herbicide application. A 7-acre plot was burned in 1999.
Plans are to include a cattle grazing demonstration plot in 2000.
Results from our 1990 and 1991 gall fly (Urophora carduii) releases on Hansen and Flaxville WPAs continue to be disappointing. The number of plants exhibiting galls continues to increase and seed production has probably been reduced. However, the gall flies do not appear to be impacting the thistle plant population.
An experimental application of a native fiingus mycoherbicide (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) was made on Flaxville WPA to control Canada thistle in June, 1993. Monitoring in 1994 indicated the fungus had no noticeable impact on the thistle plant population. We monitored this site again in 1996 to see if there were any latent effects. Unfortunately, thistle stem densities on both the control and treatment plots had increased since 1994. A different strain of Sclerotinia was applied to a more mesic site in 1999. Results will be monitored as part of the grant. 14
Leafy Spurge
A small patch of spurge on Flaxville WPA was eradicated in the early 1980,s with 2,4-D. A small patch of spurge adjacent to the north boundary of this WPA was noted in 1998, but had already been sprayed by the Burlington Northern Railroad.
A small patch of spurge located near the north boundary of Parry WPA continues to be sprayed by the Sheridan Weed District. We have been told there are a few small isolated patches of spurge on the new Parry WPA tract we purchased from Vem Geunther this year. These locations will be located and aggressively treated with herbicide in 2000. To our knowledge, this is the only leafy spurge located on WPAs.
11. Water Rights
The proposed 800-acre International Marsh restoration project, located in northern Daniels County remains on hold while Ducks Unlimited, Canada continues to negotiate with the two affected Canadian landowners. Area Land Negotiator Fred Smith reported that negotiations with landowners Gerde and Gillies are still at an impasse. Efforts to restore/enhance 230 acres of the wetland basin on the U.S. side of the border continue. This project is part of the Northeast Montana PPJV IINAWCA Grant (refer to Section J.l).
Refer to the Medicine Lake NWR narrative for a discussion on the Service's involvement in administration of the Sheridan County Conservation District's groundwater reservation and the cooperative aquifer modeling study.
13. WPA Easement Monitoring
Easement comphance flights were flown with Charles M. Russell NWR pilot Rich Johnson on 12- 13 April.
A meeting with Bill and Merlin Danielson regarding plans to place rocks in a waterway which is head-cutting on Roosevelt wetland easement #13X., demonstrated the work will not affect any protected wetlands.
Terms of an easement permit were negotiated with Rick Sampsen who wanted to plant trees on the 320-acre grassland easement (Sheridan #160G) we purchased this year. The small tree planting was limited to non-invasive shrub species (buffaloberry, chokecherry) and was located in an old cropland area.
No easement permits for dugouts were issued for the seventh consecutive year. 15
G. WILDLIFE
1. Wildlife Diversity
Habitat diversity is an integral part of wildlife diversity within the WMD. The mixture of wetlands, native and tame grasslands, and agricultural fields provide habitats for various resident and migratory birds as well as numerous species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Elk, moose, woodland caribou, black bears, wolverines - we've had 'em all. Just about every year something unusual shows up.
2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species
Whooping Cranes
No confirmed whooping crane sightings were received this year from the WMD.
Bald Eagles
Occasional sightings are routinely made in the WMD during spring and fall migration; no nesting occurs.
Peregrine Falcons
No confirmed peregrine sightings were made in the WMD this year.
Piping Plovers
Adult piping plovers were surveyed in the WMD from 1-13 June. A concentrated effort was made to search all known piping plover habitat on WPAs, private wetlands, State lands, and meandered lakes. The thrust of the survey was to locate breeding adults and identify indicated breeding pairs. This survey has been conducted since 1988 and provides good baseline numbers to compare annual population fluctuations. Approximately 50 miles of shoreline were searched.
During the June census, a total of 159 adult plovers and 72 indicated pairs were found (Table 6). Adult plover numbers increased decreased 25% (32 birds) and indicated pairs increased 41% (21 pairs) above 1998 levels, and was the second highest breeding population recorded on the WMD since complete surveys began in 1988. 16
Table 6. Number of piping plover adults and indicated pairs, Northeast Montana WMD, 1989- 1999.
YEAR PAIRS ADULTS 1989 34 95 1990 33 73 1991 64 181 1992 49 125 1993 22 71 1994 33 93 1995 41 112 1996 49 122 1997 70 151 1998 51 127 1999 72 159
Most alkali lakes entered the spring with higher than normal water levels due to abundant winter snowfall and heavy spring runoff. Adequate spring rainfall and cool temperatures kept the lake levels high through May. Numerous severe thunderstorms passed through the area in late June and early July, refilling most lake basins, yet no monitored nests were flooded. Water levels steadily receded throughout the fall, but lakes generally provided good brood-rearing habitat.
In what has become a consistent trend, only seven plover pairs were located on WPAs, while 65 pairs (90%) were located on state/private lands (Table 7). After being dry much of 1998, Flat Lake regained its title as Montana's top plover lake with 32 adults and 15 indicated pairs. Other areas supporting high numbers of plovers were Throntveit Lake (20 adults and 10 pairs). Upper Goose Lake (20 adults and 9 pairs), and West Goose Lake (16 adults and 8 pairs).
Figure 5. Flat Lake, Montana's premier alkali wetlandfor breeding piping plovers. (MJR) Table 7. Piping plover survey results, NEMTWMD, June 1-13, 1999. LOCATION SINGLES PAIRS TOTAL WPAs Berger Pond 0 0 0 Big Slough i 3 7 Chandler/Valpone* 0 0 0 Dog Leg 0 0 0 H Erickson 1 1 3 H Ferguson 0 0 0 | Gjesdal East 0 0 0 | Goose Lake 4 3 10 | Johnson* 0 0 0 Long Lake* 0 0 0 Melby 0 0 0 Northeast* 0 0 0 Parry 0 0 0 Stateline 1 0 1 Widgeon Slough 0 0 0 SUBTOTALS 7 7 21 STATE/PRIVATE Anderson Lake(north end only) 1 0 1 Border Lake 0 0 0 Brush Lake 0 0 0 Clear Lake 0 0 0 Flat Lake 2 15 32 Galloway Lake 0 6 12 Goose Lake-North End 0 0 0 Haugen/Lutnes DSL* 0 0 0 Justice Slough* 0 0 0 Lone Tree Lake 0 0 0 Nielson Slough 0 0 0 North Lake 0 1 2 |North of Espen WPA 1 1 3 |North of Stateline WPA 0 3 6 11 Parry (White) Lake 0 3 6 | Round Lake 0 0 0 |Salt Lake 0 2 4 Southeast of Parry Lk 0 6 12 Southeast of Salt Lk 0 1 2 Throntviet Lake 0 10 20 11 Throntviet Lake (West Ponds) 2 0 2 |Upper Goose Lake 2 9 20 | West Goose Lake 0 8 16 | SUBTOTALS 8 65 138 TOTALS 15 72 159 * Not searched in 1999 due to high water levels and lack of breeding habitat 18
Information on plover nest success and fledgling rates was collected as part of a larger cooperative project with TNC and the Service's Crosby, Lostwood, and Audubon WMDs in North Dakota to evaluate the use of protective nest cages and temporary electric fences as management tools to increase recruitment. The persons responsible for collecting this information for the Northeast Montana WMD were Peg and Don Althoff, seasonal technicians hired by TNC using funds from a Service Challenge Cost Share grant. It takes a special breed to put in the countless miles of hiking, lugging cages, and putting up with biting insects and stinking alkali mud. Don and Peg worked very hard, got along great with our cooperating landowners, and did an excellent job.
A total of 61 nests were monitored; 60 were protected with cages to reduce egg predation and increase nest success. Fifty of the 61 nests hatched for an apparent nest success rate of 82%. The 62 pairs of plovers we monitored through the nesting season fledged 85 chicks, or 1.37 fledglings per nesting pair, well above the approximately 1.1 level that is required for population stability according to current population models. Production would no doubt have been even higher were it not for the numerous thunderstorms and accompanying cold temperatures in late June and early July when many nests were hatching. Don and Peg felt many young chicks perished as a result of these storms.
Figure 6. Adult piping plover and chick. (DPA). 19
On 4-5 May, we hosted the annual meeting of the Montana Piping Plover/Least Tern Working Group. Rabenberg and Bob Murphy (Des Lacs Complex) discussed the need for a coordinated plover recovery effort on alkali lakes in North Dakota and NE Montana. We also discussed the pending Montana Piping Plover Recovery Plan which MDFWP plans to write. Cold, wet, windy weather didn't cooperate for the field tour portion of the meeting.
The best news for plovers this year was the partnership forged by the Service (Refuges, Ecological Services, PPJY), TNC, NDGFD, and MDFWP, to hire a full-time person to coordinate plover recovery efforts in the Alkali Lakes Core Area of North Dakota and Montana. At year's end, TNC had advertised the 'Plover Ecologist" position and a joint FWS/TNC selection committee was preparing to interview the top candidates.
3. Waterfowl
Since 1987, duck breeding populations have been estimated using the four square mile survey technique. We currently census 14 four square mile blocks within the WMD. Approximately 200 randomly selected wetlands within these blocks are surveyed. Wetlands occur on WPAs, Medicine Lake NWR, private land protected by a wetland easement, and private land without protection of a wetland easement. Data for WPAs and Medicine Lake NWR are lumped together under the ownership class of federal land. Each plot is surveyed twice during the breeding season. The first count is conducted from 1 to 15 May; the second count from 20 May to 5 June. Pair and production estimates are calculated by the HAPET office in Bismarck, ND.
Breeding duck populations were the highest since we began using the four square mile survey, increasing 19% from 1998 and 14% above the previous record high in 1997 (Table 9). Blue- winged teal, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, and redhead densities were at record highs. Blue- winged teal and shovelers showed the greatest increase, probably a response to the abundance of wet temporary and small seasonal basins. Northern pintail, canvasback, and American wigeon densities matched previous record highs. The only species exhibiting a significant population decline from last year was the mallard (Table 10). 20
Table 9. Total duck pairs by ownership class, estimated from four square mile breeding pair census, Northeast Montana WMD, 1990-1999. TOTAL DUCK PAIRS
YEAR Easement Federal Private TOTAL
1990 4,140 9,391 79,830 93,361
1991 1,632 5,164 36,276 43,072 1992 4,456 8,917 78,517 91,990
1993 6,838 7,943 77,064 91,846 1994 9,413 6,331 103,203 118,947 1995 11,480 9,895 143,756 165,132 1996 8,072 7,642 113,486 129,199 1997 15,704 8,460 166,601 190,765
1998 12,521 11,404 158,918 182,843 1999 19,863 10,868 187,584 218,315 21
Table 10. Estimated breeding duck pair densities (pairs/square mile) by species from the four square mile census, Northeast Montana WMD, 1990-1999.
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Mallard 3.2 1.8 3.3 4.2 4.1 5.0 4.7 5.6 8.2 6.2 Gadwall 4.3 1.7 4.1 4.2 3.2 6.7 3.7 6.0 5.7 5.9
A.Wigeon 1.9 0.5 0.8 1.0 1.4 2.1 1.1 2.0 2.1 2.1* GW Teal 1.0 0.4 0.4 0.5 1.2 1.4 0.4 0.9 0.9 0.7 BW Teal 2.2 1.7 3.2 2.1 3.7 4.5 4.1 7.3 5.6 9.5* N. Shoveler 1.9 0.3 1.4 1.7 3.1 3.4 3.9 5.9 3.4 6.2*
N. Pintail 1.0 0.7 2.2 1.2 2.0 3.4 2.7 3.6 4.4 4.4* Redhead 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.5 1.1* Canvasbaek 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.5*
L. Scaup 0.5 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.6
Ruddy 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.5 1.3*
TOTAL 16.9 7.8 16.7 16.6 21.5 29.9 23.4 34.5 33.1 39.5* * Highest pair density since surveys began in 1987.
Island Nesting
Numerous islands have been constructed to enhance waterfowl production in the WMD. For four consecutive years (1994-1997), we documented nesting waterfowl use on these man-made islands. In 1998, we continued to trap the islands (#220 conibear cubby sets) and remove predators, but no nest monitoring was conducted. This year, no trapping or nest monitoring was conducted.
Canada Geese
The nesting Canada goose population in the WMD continues to slowly expand. The installation of culvert and platform nesting structures on private lands has ftirther expanded the nesting range. Population levels remain within landowner tolerances, with only an occasional complaint received. 22
Straw was replenished in 13 fiberglass tank-end goose nesting structures on WPAs in February, 2000. Eight structures were used by geese and successfully hatched nests on Parry (1), State Line (1), Hansen (2), Bolke (1) and Jerde (3) WPAs.
4. Marsh and Waterbirds
Common nesters on the WMD include eared, homed, pied-billed, and western grebe; American bittern; American coot; black-crowned night heron; sora; and Virginia rail. No systematic monitoring is conducted, however, populations of most species probably increased in response to improved wetland conditions. Great blue herons, white pelicans, and double-crested cormorants are observed throughout the WMD, but we haven't located any nesting colonies outside the Medicine Lake NWR boundary.
Local birding enthusiast Ted Nordhagen from Westby has heard yellow rails on Stateline WPA during the breeding season each of the past few years. No nesting has been documented.
5. Shorebirds. Gulls. Tems and Allied Species
Known nesters, in addition to piping plover, include American avocet, marbled godwit, long-billed curlew, upland and spotted sandpiper, willet, common snipe, killdeer, Wilson's phalarope, black tem, and ring-billed, California, and Franklin gulls.
We discovered a nesting colony of Franklin gulls on the Manning Lake wetland complex on the Fort Peck Reservation in 1997. To our knowledge, this is the only documented Franklin gull nesting location in the WMD. An airboat inspection on 17 July, 1997 yielded a rough estimate of 1500 nests. Nearly all young had left the nests and were just beginning to fly. In 1998, we monitored the colony on 4 June, approximately the mid-incubation stage. We calculated the area of the colony using a hand-held GPS (PLGR) unit on an airboat. We then estimated nest densities by counting the nests within three random 30x30m sample plots. Total colony size was estimated at 184,739 m2 (45.6 ac.) and calculated average nest density was 3.3 nests/100 m2 (134 nests/ac.). This yielded an estimate of 6006 total nests. 23
Figure 7. Survey of the Franklin's gull colony at Manning Lake. (RKS)
This year the Manning Lake colony was sampled on 8 and 9 June. Colony area was estimated at 65 acres (GPS). This year, we counted nests in 24 15x15m sample plots in an effort to increase the precision of our nest density estimate. Calculated average nest density was 1.76 nests/100m (71 nests/acre) yielding an estimate of 4641 total nests.
A small population of California and ring-billed gulls were first observed nesting on the pushup islands at Goose Lake WPA in 1993. This colony continues to expand and is the only nesting site for these species we know of in the WMD other than Medicine Lake NWR. A total of 140 California gull and 60 ring-billed gull nests were surveyed on four islands on 28 May. Larger gull colonies are located on natural islands in Miller Lake and Round (Westby) Lake just inside the North Dakota border in the Crosby WMD.
Additional species present during migration include long-billed dowitcher; black-bellied, lesser golden, and semipalmated plovers; greater and lesser yellowlegs; red-necked phalarope; hudsonian godwit; and a variety of sandpipers and gulls. We are planning to begin monitoring migrant shorebird species next year in cooperation with Manomet and the International Shorebird Survey. 24
6. Raptors
Swainson's, red-tailed, and ferruginous hawks; northern harrier; and short-eared, long-eared, great homed, and burrowing owls are known to nest in the area. Golden eagles and prairie falcons are sighted throughout the year. The "breaks" along Beaver, Plentywood, Eagle, and Whitetail Creeks (tributaries of the Big Muddy) have suitable nesting habitat for both eagles and falcons. A pair of golden eagles nested in a cottonwood tree just south of the Homestead unit of Medicine Lake NWR for the fourth consecutive year.
The annual raptor survey for MDFWP was conducted 28 June. Species observed along the 58 mile route were six Swainson's hawks and seven northern harriers.
During spring and fall migration merlin, American kestrel, gyrfalcon, rough-legged hawks, accipiter species, bald eagles, and snowy owls may be seen.
7. Other Migratory Birds
Mourning doves nest on several WPAs, particularly those areas that contain trees for nesting. The extent of ground nesting is not known. We conduct two coo-counts for the Migratory Bird Office; one 104 miles west in the Richland/Lustre area, and the other near Sidney about 50 miles south of the refuge. On the Sidney route, 77 individual doves were heard, a substantial increase from the 44 heard in 1998, and 88% above the 20-year average of 41. Twenty-eight doves were heard on the Richland-Lustre survey, down slightly from the 31 heard in 1998, yet still 22% above the 20-year average of 23. Nelson ran the Sidney route for the ninth consecutive year, while this was Gutzke's eighth year on the Richland-Lustre route.
Baseline monitoring of breeding grassland passerines and selected shorebirds was initiated on the WMD in 1998 with two basic objectives in mind: (1) to obtain baseline population data for the common nesting species; and (2) to determine relative species abundance in our major grassland habitat types: native prairie (NP); dense nesting cover (DNC); crested wheatgrass (AGCR); and smooth gromegrass (BRIN); thereby providing some clues to habitat preferences. Fifty-four point count plots (75 meter radius) were established on eight WPAs. Five plots were located in AGCR, three in BRIN, 18 in DNC, and 28 in NP.
In 1999, 33 plots were monitored on four WPAs. Fewer plots were sampled this year because volunteer Ted Nordhagen from Westby was unavailable and seasonal Bio-tech Mari Krumwiede was injured in an auto accident. Nineteen plots were located in NP, nine in DNC, three in BRIN, and one in AGCR. Plots were sampled twice in early and late June using standardized 'point count' methodology.
Phenology of grass growth was markedly different between the two years. 1998 was a dry spring with below average cool-season grass growth. Conversely, the spring of 1999 was very wet with 25 phenomenal growth of cool-season grasses and forbs, particularly in DNC. This annual variation in vegetative structure was reflected in varying bird species composition and abundance (Table 11). Unfortunately, due to manpower and time constraints, no systematic monitoring of vegetative composition or structure was conducted on WPA plots in either year.
A total of 24 suspected breeding species were found during the two years. In 1998, total bird abundance was highest in DNC (143 territorial males per 100 acres), followed by AGCR (128), NP (93), and BRIN (92). In 1999, DNC (107) ranked third behind BRIN (122) and NP (119). Savannah sparrow, LeConte's sparrow, and clay-colored sparrow densities were highest in DNC both years. Chestnut-collared longspurs, willets, and marbled godwits were most abundant inNP plots both years. Bobolinks were most abundant in BRIN and DNC. Other species, particularly meadowlarks and Baird's and grasshopper sparrows, utilized a variety of grassland habitats.
Most species exhibited stable or slightly increased populations in NP and BRIN in 1999. However, numbers of Baird's and grasshopper sparrows, and western meadowlarks declined severely in DNC, presumably because the DNC stands became too tall and dense and were no longer attractive to those species. BRIN plots attracted higher numbers of bobolinks and savannah sparrows in 1999, yet still remained attractive to Baird's and grasshopper sparrows. The three BRIN plots sampled contained relatively thin, short, decadent stands of bromegrass. 26
Table 11. Densities of territorial males for selected migratory non-game grassland birds in native prairie (NP), dense nesting cover (DNC), crested wheatgrass (AGCR), and smooth bromegrass (BRIN) habitats, Northeast Montana WMD, 1998 & 1999.
Number of Territorial Males per 100 Acres Species
NP DNC AGCR BRIN
1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 Baird's sparrow 18 17 27 5 41 23 31 31
Chestnut-collared longspur 16 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 Grasshopper sparrow 13 19 22 0 18 0 15 23 Sprague's pipit 11 17 1 0 18 0 8 0
Savannah sparrow 10 12 41 51 18 0 8 31
Western meadowlark 7 6 13 3 18 0 8 0
Clay-colored sparrow 6 1 11 13 9 0 0 0 Bobolink 1 7 18 15 5 0 23 28
Le Conte's sparrow 0 0 8 3 0 0 0 0
Willet 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 Marbled godwit 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
Homed lark 2 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 Sedge wren 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0
Total* 93 119 143 107 128 23 92 122 * Includes the following species observed in low numbers (eastern kingbird, brown-headed cowbird, upland sandpiper, American avocet, common yellowthroat, Wilson's phalarope, killdeer, common snipe. Brewer's blackbird, northern harrier, and piping plover). 27
8. Game Mammals
White-tailed deer populations continue to improve following the severe winterkill of 1996-97. The winter of 1998-99 was more severe than the 1997-98 winter but not overly tough on resident wildlife. Overwinter deer survival was good. We currently have a very "young" deer herd with the vast majority of animals less than 3 Vi years old. No Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has been noted in the WMD since 1987.
Mule deer are common in the "rougher" parts of the WMD, but are more limited in distribution. Pronghom populations are highest in Daniels County.
10. Other Resident Wildlife
Sharp-tailed grouse, ring-necked pheasant, and gray partridge are present throughout the district. Pheasants are by far the most popular upland gamebird, and attract large numbers of hunters to the area. Pheasant populations continue to rebound following the devastating winter of 1996-97, although not as rapidly as we had hoped. For the second consecutive year, heavy rains during late June and early July may have hurt chick survival. We do not conduct any systematic monitoring of pheasant populations in the WMD.
No formal surveys are conducted for gray partridge, but populations remain very low. The partridge population crashed in response to the cold, wet summers of 1993 and 1994 which resulted in heavy chick mortality. Populations were just beginning to recover when the winter of 1996-97 set numbers back again.
Grouse numbers were good again this year. Numbers of dancing males on leks were slightly higher than the previous year (Table 12). 28
Table 12. Sharptailed grouse numbers on dancing grounds, NEMTWMD, 1999. WPA # Males # Females Total Comments Anderson 13 13 +2 from 1998
Basecamp 19 19 -11 M from 1998 Big Slough 10+ -1 from 1998
Crohn's 12 6 18 +6 from 1998 Erickson (south) 16+ +15 from 1998 Erickson (west) 2+ -2 from 1998 Erickson (north) 9+ +9 from 1998
Gjesdal East — couldn't find ground
Gjesdal West 14 14 -8 M from 1998 Goose Lake (south) 21 1 22 +9 M from 1998 Goose Lake (north) 6 6 +3 M from 1998
Pintail Marsh 16 3 19 +7 M from 1998 Redhead Retreat 11 3 14 +8 from 1998 Rierson 7 1 8 -10 from 1998
Salter (#1) 24 15 39 +28 from 1998
Salter (#2) 19 3 22 +5 M from 1998 Salter (#3) 2 -3 from 1998 Valpone 20+ +4 from 1998 Wigeon Slough (1) 0 -1 from 1998
Wigeon Slough 8 2 10 +10 from 1998 (2,4)
Wigeon Slough (3) 2 -1 from 1998
15. Animal Control
No waterfowl nesting islands were trapped this year. Next exclosure cages were used to reduce mammalian predation of piping plover nests and young (Section G.2). 29
H. PUBLIC USE
1. General
Public use in the WMD is considered light and is dominated by wildlife observation (50%) and upland bird and big game hunting (35%). Total visits to the district were estimated at approximately 4,500.
8. Hunting
Upland birds (primarily pheasant) and deer are most popular with hunters. Pheasant hunter numbers increased slightly and early season success was good with limits common. However, success quickly waned. The extremely heavy cover and crispy dry conditions made for very noisy hunting and difficult scenting conditions for the dogs. Many pheasant hunters quickly moved south and west of here to areas with more birds. Other bird hunters spent more time hunting sharptails and reported good to excellent success.
Deer numbers and hunting opportunities continue to improve following the severe winter of 1996- 97. Deer hunter numbers were up slightly from 1998.
Waterfowl hunting pressure remains light in the WMD, but has increased markedly the past several years in response to improved local and flyway populations. Many waterfowl hunters are non residents who enjoy eastern Montana's wide open spaces, and relish having an entire marsh (or an entire WPA) to themselves to hunt.
10. Trapping
WPAs are open to the public for sport trapping per state seasons and regulations. Very little trapping occurs due to continued low fur prices.
17. Law Enforcement
Rabenberg and Sanchez spent the week of 22 February at Devils Lake WMD preparing wetland maps for pre-1976 wetland easement contracts.
This was the second year that non-toxic shot was mandatory for upland gamebird hunting on WPAs. Everyone we checked was in compliance except for one Canadian hunter who received a $50 NOV from Rabenberg.
Rabenberg checked a hunter who had recently moved to Montana from out-of-state, and found he was hunting with a resident upland bird license. Turned the case over to the state which resulted in a citation issued for making false statement to license vendor. 30
Rabenberg and Sanchez investigated a report of hunters throwing away "a pile" of dead ducks. Discovered a group of three hunters from Indiana had discarded 75 ducks. This was not a federal offense since they had retrieved the birds prior to throwing them away, however it was a violation of Montana's wanton waste statutes. At year's end Indiana wardens were cooperating with MDFWP in preparing a case.
Rabenberg cited a Minnesota hunter for an overbag of pintails and wrote a $250 NOV.
Rabenberg responded to a complaint of persons chasing and shooting deer from a pickup. Conducted interviews, seized the deer, and contacted FWP. Resulted in the state issuing an 18- year old citations for illegal use of vehicle and driving off established roads while big game hunting. The judge fined the young man $200 and revoked his hunting privileges for one year.
I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
1. Construction
1.25 miles of new boundary fence was constructed around the northeast portion of the new 413- acre WPA tract acquired from Vem Geunther.
2. Rehabilitation
Seasonal staff repainted the large wood recognition sign for Johnson Lake WPA.
Maintenance staff used the backhoe to clean out a beaver dam from in front of the Lake Creek Marsh structure.
J. OTHER ITEMS
1. Northeast Montana Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Project
Medicine Lake NWR and the Northeast Montana WMD are located within the North American Waterfowl Management Plan's Northeast Montana (formerly Comertown) Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (NEMTPPJV) project area. Since the project was initiated in 1987, nearly $3,500,000 has been spent on habitat projects on private and state lands, Medicine Lake NWR, and WPAs. Primary funding partners have been the Service, MDFWP, and DU. Service funding for projects on private lands comes primarily from our Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) program. 31
Rick Northrup (MDFWP employee) has been the NEMTPPJV Project Coordinator since 1996. Scott Rickettson was hired as our term PFW Technician in September 1999, refilling the position Joe Weigand vacated in August, 1998. Scott spent most of 1999 in training, but was able to complete a few wetland restoration projects we had waiting for him.
NEMTPPJV IINAWCA Grant
The Northeast Montana PPJV II North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant proposal was selected for fimding in 1996. The $3,300,000 project requested $640,000 in NAWCA funding and included $1,545,710 from non-federal partners. Internal legal disputes over contracting issues delayed implementation of the project. The Grant Agreement and NAWCA funding were eventually received in September, 1997.
Following is a brief status of the four projects receiving NAWCA grant funding.
Ft. Peck Reservation Habitat Restoration/Enhancement
$110,000 of NAWCA money was fund targeted to Benton Lake NWR and the Montana PFW program. A Cooperative Agreement between the Service and the Ft. Peck Tribes was signed 9/97. We cooperatively developed a Position Description and Performance Standards for the Private Lands Field Biologist position to be hired. A modified PFW Wildlife Extension Agreement (WEA) form was developed for use on the Ft. Peck Reservation. Mike Redstone has worked in this position for approximately 1.5 years contacting landowners and working on fimding ideas with USD A programs.
Indian Service Dam Replacement
The Indian Service Dam replacement project, which was started in October, 1998, was completed this summer. Over 1500 wetland acres on the Homestead Unit of MLNWR were enhanced by this project. Funding for this project included $300,000 from NAWCA, $234,533 from DU, and $420,000 from the USFWS for a total cost of $954,533.
International Marsh WPA Crossdike
This project will restore/enhance 230 wetland acres on International Marsh WPA and adjoining private lands. A Grant Agreement with DU was signed in August, 1997 which obligated the financial commitments of DU ($55,000 + project design/contracting/supervision) and NAWCA ($55,000) for project construction. DU has completed a topographic survey, soils investigation, hydro logic analysis, and project design. The Service purchased a wetland/Howage easement from Orville Haugo, and continues to negotiate the required flowage easements from two additional landowners. 32
Northeast Montana Habitat Restoration/Enhancement
$160,000 of the NAWCA grant is to be used for habitat projects on private lands outside the boundaries of the Ft. Peck Reservation and is administered by MDFWP. The following accomplishments are considered part of this project.
Wetland Restorations
In 1999, five previously drained wetland basins totaling 30.3 acres were restored. To date,808 acres of wetlands have been restored in the NEMTPPJV project area at a cost of $98,317 or approximately $123 per wetland acre.
Figure 8. Floodplain wetlands on Hjort property were restored in the fall of 1998 and permanently protected by purchasing a wetland easement. The basins were previously ditched into adjacent Big Muddy Creek. (MJR).
Wetland Enhancements
Preventative maintenance was completed on Whitetail Reservoir and two stockpond projects by rip-rapping the dam face and/or spillway. 33
Wetland Creations
During 1999, 3 reservoir projects were completed creating 57.2 new acres of wetland at a cost of $30,826 or $539 per acre. To date, 112 reservoir projects have been completed, totaling 1,227 surface acres at a cost of $719,212 or approximately $586 per acre.
Table 13. Cooperators, acreage, and funding sources for wetland projects on non-Service lands, ^EMTPPJV, 1999. Acreages not shown have been previously counted in totals. Cooperator Project Type # of Basins Acres Cost Funding Source
Bertelsen restoration 1 14 $600 FWP Carney rip-rap 2 revisit $13,800 FWP
Carrier creation 1 15.7 $4244 FWP
Chabot creation 1 36.0 $23,265 FWP Hedges creation 1 5.5 $3317 FWP Nelson restoration 1 7 $0 FWS Wiley spillway repair 1 revisit $5000 FWP Tininenko restoration 3 9.3 $925 FWS
Total 73.5 $50,551
Figure. 19-acre stockpond created on the Carney Ranch in 1997. (MJR). 34
Artificial Nest Structures
To date, 178 goose and duck nesting structures have been installed within the NEMTPPJV project area. Eight Delta Waterfowl "hen house" structures in Sheridan County and two culvert structures in Daniels County were placed during 1999. Of the 178, 42 are known to have been destroyed, primarily by ice action. Most of these will not be replaced in their current location.
CRP Co st-Share/Assistance Payments
Since the NEMTPPJV was implemented in 1987, MDFWP has cost-shared and the Service has offered assistance payments to landowners to establish high quality nesting cover on over 48,000 acres enrolled in the USD A Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). In 1999, the Service provided CRP assistance payments in conjunction with Wildlife Extension Agreements on 1,116 acres totaling $7136 ($6.39 per acre).
Grazing Systems
To date, five rest-rotation and one twice-over deferred rotation system have been developed affecting over 6,507 upland acres at a cost of $133,159 ($20.50 per acre). In 1999, a rest-rotation system was initiated north of Westby (Throntveit). This system involves 266 acres of retired cropland which had been enrolled in CRP as well as 529 acres of native range and 80 acres of crested wheatgrass. Contributors to this project include USD A Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program ($20,513), Montana Waterfowl Stamp Program ($8,000), PFW ($3,850), and Ducks Unlimited ($3,000).
Figure 10. Expiring CRP and restored wetland basin on Kent Throntveit property will be managed using rotational grazing system. (MJR). 35
2. Other Economic Uses
A permit was issued to Yellowstone Honey, Inc., Sidney, Montana to place up to 273 bee hives in six yards on WPAs at S0.50 per hive.
Oil Exploration
The combination of increasing crude oil prices, more accurate 3-D seismic technology, and the increasing use of horizontal drilling practices, resulted in another "mini" oil boombeginnng in the mid-1990's. Most area residents welcome the renewed oil exploration with open arms. However, along with the economic benefits come a large number of environmental problems and headaches for us. A steep decline in crude prices towards the end of 1998 once again slowed interest in seismic exploration and well drilling.
Because landowners generally retain the mineral rights when the Service acquires a WPA, we cannot prevent oil exploration or extraction activities. We can and do however, impose restrictions to make those activities as compatible as possible with the land's primary purpose of waterfowl production. Following is a summary of oil-related activities affecting WPAs and easements in 1999.
February Hallwood Petroleum began drilling a new oil well just south of Flat Lake on wetland easement Sheridan #34X. This site was reviewed in 1998 and drilling pad and haul road locations were negotiated to avoid impacts to protected wetlands.
March The Hallwood Petroleum well on 34X was a dry hole. The company plugged the well and reclaimed the site. Two additional wells planned for the area which also could have serious implications for piping plovers are currently on hold.
September Landowner Rick Sampsen informed us of a proposed oil well and access road on Roosevelt grassland easement #23G.
October Consulted with Regional Office on how to handle Headington Oil's plans to drill a well on Roosevelt #23G. Decided to issue a Special use Permit to the oil company. Drafted the required permit, and inspected and verbally approved access road and drilling pad locations. Met with company representatives on site to review the permit conditions. This issue is not adequately addressed in the Easement manual and there is much disagreement within the Service over what our legal authority is in regulating mineral development on grassland easements.
November Negotiated future flowline location from the #23 G well to an existing tank battery site (also on easement). Received signed SUP from Headington Oil's Texas office. 36
4. Credits
McGarvey wrote section B, Rice wrote F.9, Rickettson wrote J. 1, Rabenberg wrote the remainder of the report. Photographers include: Sanchez (RKS), Rabenberg (MJR) and Don & Peg Althofif (DP A).