CRAB ORCHARD NARRATIVE REPORT January-December 1966 NARRATIVE REPORT 19 6 6 U, S. DEPARTAIENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE CRAB ORCHARD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Post Office Box J' Carterville, Illinois 629I8 CRAB ORCHARD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE REFUGE STAFF Administrative, Managerial and Technical L. A. MEHRHOFF • PROJECT MANAGER MARVIN P. DUNCAN REFUGE MANAGER G. H. HUNTER ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER L. E. HOVELL REFUGE MANAGER C. W. WINGARD. oTransferred August 15 . .ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN D. G. ROSE Transferred July 2 REFUGE MANAGER R. G. JOHNSON FORESTER H. T. GUALDONI CLERK (TYPING) M. SUE SPEES «CLERK-STENOGRAPHER JO ANN WILKINS. Resigned September 2 CLERK-STENOGRAPHER ROSE M. CASSIDY.. E. 0. D. September • • FISCAL ACCOUNTING CLERK ESTHER M. DUNGEY CLERK-STENOGRAPHER ARLIE JACK STOCK CONTROL CLERK E. H. NICHOLS U. S. GAME MANAGEMENT AGENT R. W. PRIEST REFUGE MANAGER GORDON TRIPP FIRE CONTROL AID JAMES F. VOELZER. .E. 0. D. November 9 REFUGE MANAGER WESLEY F. JAM€S. .E. 0. D. November 3. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT J. R. RICE BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIAN (WILDLIFE) DONALD AUTRY BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIAN (SUMMER) B. G. MILLER BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIAN (SUMMER) M. J. ARMBRUSTEe BIOLOGICAL AID (SUMMER) Construction, Operations and Maintenance J. J. PICKER FOREMAN III, MIXED GANG W. E. ELLIOTT FOREMAN II, SHOP R. L. BASLER FIREFIGHTER, SUMERVIbORY A. G. BOLES FOREMAN, MUNICIPAL UTILITIES (WATER & SEWER) W. T. CAMPBELL FOREAIAN II, MIXED GANG F. L. NORTON FORE AAA N II, MIXED GANG P. E. EASTWOOD FIREFIGHTER J. T. GIBBENS FIREFIGHTER W. E. WEBB FIREFIGHTER - Continued - K. W. SU/VWERS FIREFIGHTER H. L. DAVIS GUARD L. J. GASS GUARD H. Lm SUMMERS GUARD C. B. ORANGE GUARD J. E, STEPHENS GUARD J. C. COX FILTER & DISPOSAL PLANT OPERATOR J. C. LILLICH FILTER & DISPOSAL PLANT OBERATOR L. R. PARKS .o FILTER & DISPOSAL PLANT OPERATOR W. R. WALL IN FILTER & DISPOSAL PLANT OPERATOR H. L. GARNER FILTER & DISPOSAL PLANT OPERATOR H. P. BUTLER BUILDING RE PA IRAIAN J. C. CALCATERRA BUILDING REPAIRMAN C. L. DAVIS BUILDING REPAIRMAN W. C. HERRING OPERATOR GENERAL L, MORSE OPERATOR GENERAL L. R. TIPPY OPERATOR GENERAL E. E. DARNELL OPERATOR GENERAL R. £• GOLDSMITH OPERATOR GENERAL J. E. I€LLY MECHANIC, AUTOMOTIVE R. H, HOWELL MECHANIC, AUTOMOTIVE J. H. MOORE. GARAGE SERVICEMAN J. W. BOOTH MA I NTENANCEMAN D. ELLIOTT MA I NTE NANCE MAN T. GAL I NES MA I NTE NANCE MAN W. J. STAGEY o MA I NTE NANCE MAN C, ADAMS MA INTENANCEMAN J, L. SMITH LABORER C. L. FLORA LABORER G. STAPLETON LABORER C. L. JERALDS LABORER R. L, VENEGONI LABORER 25 Employees WAE Laborers CONTENTS Page I. General A. Weather Conditions * • I B. Habitat Conditions , 2 1. Water , 2 2. Food and Cover 5 II. Wildlife A. Migratory Birds B. Upland Game Birds 6 C. Big Game Animals 6 D. Fur Animals, Predators, Rodents, and Other Mammals 6 E. Hawks, Eagles, Owls, Crows, Ravens, and Magpies 7 F. Other Birds 7 G. Fish.... 7 H. Reptiles. 7 I. Disease 7 III. Refuge Development and Maintenance A. Physical Development 10 B. Plantings 12 C. Collections and Receipts 1]^ D. Control of Vegetation E. Planned Burning 1^ F. Fires IV. Resource Management A. Grazing 16 B. Haying,.... |6 C. Fur Harvest 16 D. Timber Removal 16 E. Commercial Fishing 17 F. Other Uses 17 V. Field Investigation or Applied Research A. Progress Reports 19 -B* Bureau Projects 19 -C«» Cooperative Projects 21 -a- -fi» VI. Public Relations A. Recreational Uses 25 B. Refuge Visitors 26 C. Refuge Participation 51 D. Hunting 58 E. Violations,. I4O F. Safety 1+2 VH—-0tkea?-»«aB -A*—ii^ifi^-ef-iftteresi. —£ke4eg?3-$ke C-—g£g&a4«i^e-. CONTENTS - (Cont'd.) VII. Industrial Activities A. Water Use kk B. Facility Development and Maintenance 1+5 C» Industrial Lease Management h9 D. Lease Prospects 5C VIII. Other Items A. Items of Interest 5^ B. Personnel .55 C. Photographs 55 D. Credits for This Report 56 E. Signature 57 N. R. FORMS Appended Page I GENERAL A. Weather Conditions Precipi tation Max. Mi n. Month Norma 1 Snowfa 1 1 Temp. Temp. January i+.IO 3.68 6.914 65 -5 February 2.6h 3.75 2.05 65 -2 March 1.08 h.63 75 18 Apr i 1 8.16 h.k0 - « 77 26 May 3-92 89 32 June 3.89 3.6U - - 95 he Ju 1 y .25 3.16 - - 105 52 August 2.37 i+.OI - - 9h 53 September 3.21 3.56 - - 93 39 October I.83 3-h6 - - sh 29 November 5*59 3.30 - - 76 21 December 5-78 3.27 il.OO 69 • 3 Annua 1 Totals - i+2.82 h5*kh 12.99 Extremes: 105 -5 Total rainfall for the year 1966 was just 2.62" below normal. April, with 18 days of rain measuring 8.16 inches, was our wettest month. November and December, with 5»59 Qnd 5»78 Inches, helped bring our annual rainfall to the near norm. July, with only .25 inches of rain and five continuous days (10th - li+th) of 100-plus degree temperature, was not only our driest month, but was the contributing factor in poor crop yields. Although rainfall was near the norm, crop yields were poor. Early plantings were delayed by April's rains. Late plantings failed to pro­ duce due to July's excessive heat and dryness. Weather data for the year was obtained from records at the Forest Service Wood Pilot Plant located at V.T.I, on the refuge. Page 2 B» Habitat Conditions Water Crab Orchard Lake - Lake level at the beginning of the year was l-g- feet below the spillway level of 1405,0 feet, MSL, Heavy rains in early January brought the lake level to l+0i4,8 feet on January 10th. The gate valve was opened on January 5th and re­ mained open until April 1+th, During this time the lake remained at or near the spillway level. Heavy rains in late April raised the lake to I+O6.85 feet on April 28th, Lake levels remained at or above spillway elevation until June 27th, A gradual drop in the lake level began in mid-July and continued into October, reach­ ing the 1405-9 foot elevation on October 17th, Because of frequent and heavy precipitation, the gate valve was opened on October 20th and remained open during the remainder of the year. The lake level at the close of the year was l+Ol+.O feet; one foot above the ap­ proved fall drawdown elevation. Little Grassy Lake - The lake level was at the spillway eleva- tion of 500,00 feet, MSL, at the beginning of the year. The lake level remained near the spillway elevation until late April, Heavy rains brought the lake level to a peak of 5OO06 feet on April 27th, Lake levels remained near the spillway elevation until mid-July when a gradual drop began. The level had reached I|.99,0 feet on October 20th when the valve was opened to further draw the lake down for a beach improvement project. The valve was closed on November 8th when the lake level reached 1+97,5 feet. Rains raised the lake level to l499»7 feet at the end of the year. Devils Kitchen Lake - The lake level was at the spillway ele­ va t iorT^T^ToTo^TeeTTlASL, at the beginning of the year. With minor fluctuations, the lake level remained at the spillway ele­ vation until mid-April, By April ll+th, the lake level had risen to 5'0,6 feet, and the lake remained over spillway elevation during the remainder of the month. Heavy rains in early May raised the lake level to its peak of 511,0 feet on May l6th. The lake level receded to the spillway elevation by the end of May and remained at that level until a gradual drop began in mid-July, The lake level had dropped to 509«0 feet by the end of November, but December rains brought the level up to 510,0 feet by the end of the year. Page 3 2. Food and Cover For all practicable purposes, corn available for geese in the fields was gone by December 3'* 1966. The amount of corn planted this year was reduced by 61+5 acres over that planted in I965, and along with dry weather and a late plant, combined to produce about a Lpfo drop in the production compared to the 1965 crop. Winter wheat for use as a green browse for geese was greatly increased from 1+26 acres in 1965 to 997«5 acres in 1966. The pro­ duction was good, and excellent utilization resulted. As a result of the heavy utilization of the wheat crop and the poor corn crop, the majority of geese were forced to feed off of the refuge by December 3'* some traveling as far as 60 miles to feed, Pasture land has received higher utilization by geese this year. This is also the first year that they have utilized the middle of standing corn fields in appreciable numbers. We believe the reason for the greater use of pasture lands and standing corn is a direct result of limited available food. Four and one-half acres of supplementary winter food plots for up land game now exist wi th in Areas I and III. Proso M i I let and AM lo were seeded, but due to late planting and dry weather, the yield was of poor qua Ii ty. Page h II. WILDLIFE A* ^'gratoT Birds I • Geese The wintering goose flock reached its peak during the week of February 18, with a population of 57,000 birds.