U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Iowa Wetland Management District Environmental Assessment and Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 (Midwest Region) Division of Conservation Planning; Bloomington, MN The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. Comprehensive Conservation Plans provide long-term guidance for management decisions; set forth goals, objectives and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes; and, identify the Fish and Wildlife Service's best estimate of future needs. These plans detail program planning levels that are sometimes substantially above current budget allocations and, as such, are primarily for Service strategic planning and program prioritization purposes. The plans do not constitute a commitment for staffing increases, operational and maintenance increases, or funding for future land acquisition. United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990 Bloomington, MN 55437-1458 Monday, August 19th, 2013 Dear Reader: We are pleased to provide you with this Environmental Assessment and Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (EA/CCP) for the Iowa Wetland Management District (WMD, district). The Iowa WMD encompasses 35 counties in north-central and northwest Iowa following the southern range of the poorly drained Prairie Pothole Region. The primary purposes of the district are production areas for waterfowl and habitat for migratory birds. Together with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) provides wetland habitat with adjacent upland grassland habitat across the district. This EA/CCP identifies and evaluates a range of alternatives for managing the Iowa WMD. Four alternatives are described, compared, and assessed, including a No Action Alternative (Alternative A) as required by the National Environmental Policy Act regulations. The final version of this plan will guide management of the district over the next 15 years. It will also help the district meet its purposes and contribute to the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System as well as provide both broad and specific guidance for management of the district’s physical, biological, socio-economic, and cultural resources. Public involvement in the planning process is essential for development of a quality plan. We invite you to review the document and submit comments to ensure that the final CCP is both visionary and practical. We will host open houses where you will be able to ask questions and voice concerns and suggestions. Meeting dates and locations will be announced through local media outlets and by other means. Please submit your comments to the Service during the 30-day public review period so they can be taken into consideration during the preparation of the final CCP. Address comments to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa WMD, Attention: CCP Comment, 1710-360th Street, Titonka, Iowa, 50480; fax comments to "District Manager” at 515-928-2230; and e-mail comments to [email protected] (include “Iowa WMD CCP Comment” in the subject line). Please review and provide comment on the plan’s content by Tuesday, September 17th, 2013. All comments received from the public will become part of the Service’s planning record. We look forward to continuing the dialogue about the future of the district, and thank you for your continued interest in keeping the district a special place for both wildlife and people. Sincerely, Tom Larson Chief, Division of Conservation Planning (This page intentionally left blank) NOTE: Appendix K was added to this document after it was released for public th review on August 19 , 2013 in response to public comment. (This page intentionally left blank) Iowa Wetland Management District Environmental Assessment and Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 1: Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action .................................................... 1 The Process and the Plan ...................................................................................................................... 1 The Chapter ............................................................................................................................................ 2 The District .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Easements ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Proposed Action ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action ....................................................................................... 5 Decisions to be Made ............................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 2: District Planning Context ...................................................................................... 7 Refuge System Planning Guidance........................................................................................................ 7 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .................................................................................................. 7 FWS Mission.............................................................................................................................. 7 The National Wildlife Refuge System .............................................................................................. 7 NWRS Mission........................................................................................................................... 8 NWRS Goals ............................................................................................................................. 8 NWRS Guiding Principles .......................................................................................................... 8 Ecological Integrity ........................................................................................................................... 9 Cooperative Farming ...................................................................................................................... 10 Legal and Policy Compliance ......................................................................................................... 11 Wilderness Review ......................................................................................................................... 11 District Management Guidance ............................................................................................................ 11 Brief History of District Establishment and Acquisition .................................................................. 12 District Purposes ............................................................................................................................ 14 District Vision Statement ................................................................................................................ 17 District Goals .................................................................................................................................. 17 Relationship to Other Conservation Initiatives ..................................................................................... 17 Migratory Bird Conservation Initiatives .......................................................................................... 17 Strategic Habitat Conservation ...................................................................................................... 18 SHC Guiding Principles ........................................................................................................... 20 Plains and Prairie Pothole Landscape Conservation Cooperative ................................................ 20 Region 3 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Priorities ........................................................................ 21 Climate Change Planning .............................................................................................................. 21 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ................................................................................................. 21 State of Iowa ............................................................................................................................ 22 Iowa’s State Wildlife Action Plan .................................................................................................... 24 Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program .......................................................................................... 24 Iowa DNR Private Lands Program ................................................................................................