January 30, 2009 - TOP STORIES
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Comments wanted on Refuge in Little Falls
Lake Bronson dam feasibility study final report released
Kittson County challenges DNR over trails
Minnesota boating fatality rate lowest on record
Deer do not need supplemental feeding
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Comments wanted on Refuge in Little Falls
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge announces open house meeting to gather public comments for the development of a Comprehensive Conservation Plan
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Reports
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Little Falls, MN, will begin soliciting public comments as part of a Comprehensive Conservation Planning process. The resulting Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) will determine management policies for the Refuge and ensure the Refuge fulfills its established purpose and mission. Public involvement is an essential part of the planning process. All interested individuals are invited to the open house Thursday, February 19th, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters.
The CCP process for Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is in the initial stages of development and may take a few years to complete. Soliciting public comments and gathering information is the next step in the CCP process and the open house will provide the public an opportunity to share opinions and information about the Refuge and learn about the CCP process. We encourage the public to submit written and/or oral comments on management issues they feel important for the future direction of the Refuge.
Individuals may submit written comments to the Refuge through the mail or internet. Address comments to: Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Attn: CCP Comment, 19502 Iris Road, Little Falls, MN 56345 or: r3planning@fws.gov. Comments should be submitted by the end of March 2009, so that they may be adequately considered during the planning.
In addition to managing the fish, wildlife and plants that inhabit the Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will also consider the needs of visitors to Crane Meadows NWR and the local community. With a wide range of resources and activities on the Refuge, the refuge staff expect an diversity of ideas, opinions and interests to be expressed during the public comment period in March, and hope to develop a management plan that adequately addresses all the issues.
Crane Meadows NWR was established in 1992. The Rice-Skunk Lakes wetland complex was identified as a nationally significant wetland complex in 1990, and a Regional Wetlands Concept Plan developed by eight states in the upper Midwest described this area as important for waterfowl, Greater Sandhill Cranes, its unique and diverse vegetation communities, and many nongame species. The Refuge also protects some of the most threatened plant communities in the Midwest: oak savanna and tallgrass prairie habitat.
For further information about programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit the website at http://midwest.fws.gov
Lake Bronson dam feasibility study final report released
DNR News
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will discuss the recently completed Lake Bronson dam feasibility study final report during a public meeting on Jan. 29. The meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the park’s visitor center.
The feasibility study, prepared by Barr Engineering and more than a year in the making, was undertaken to identify and evaluate alternatives for addressing the historic dam’s safety deficiencies in order to assure public safety and the long-term integrity of the dam.
The study was completed in three phases:
• phase one identified 11 alternatives for addressing the dam’s safety deficiencies; these were presented at a public meeting in Jan. 2008
• in phase two, the alternatives were narrowed to three hybrid concept alternatives, which were presented at a public meeting in May
• the final report completes phase three and presents the alternative chosen by the DNR and describes the project conditions and issues that need to be addressed for the Lake Bronson Dam and the selected alternative for the long-term repair of the dam.
The repair alternative developed during the feasibility study, recommended by Barr Engineering, and selected by the DNR is outlined in the final report. It involves rebuilding the existing spillway and allowing embankment overtopping, meaning water will be allowed to flow “overtop” or spill over the embankment.
According to the report, the repair alternative includes the following recommendations:
• modifying the existing spillway, replacing the existing gates with gates that can pass normal and seasonal high flows (flows that are typical for an average snowmelt) through the existing spillway
• overlaying the spillway and the downstream concrete apron with reinforced concrete
• extending the downstream retaining walls, and adding rock, gravel, and granular filter downstream of the spillway apron
• lowering the embankment and armoring it with Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) to allow safe overtopping by major floods without significant embankment erosion; public access along County Road 28 will be maintained with this option, with a portion of the road at a lower elevation.
As part of the alternative, Barr also recommends replacing the bridge over the existing spillway to facilitate reconstruction of the spillway.
The complete study along with conceptual drawings of the selected alternative is available online at www.barr.com/lakebronson
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Kittson County challenges DNR over trails
MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) – A dispute over control of roads and trails in Kittson County is going to trial this week.
Kittson County officials want to open some old trails in a state wildlife management area so they can be used by all-terrain vehicles. But the state says those roads were never intended for public use.
The trails in question are inside the Beaches Lake Wildlife Management Area near Lake Bronson.
A couple of years ago, Kittson County put up signs saying the trails were open to ATV traffic. Then, the DNR put up signs barring ATVs and put up gates – only to have the gates torn down by a county commissioner.
After months of negotiation, the two sides failed to reach an agreement so the dispute will be settled by a judge.
Minnesota boating fatality rate lowest on record
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The state Department of Natural Resources says 12 people died in boating accidents on Minnesota lakes last year.
Boating fatalities have been on the decline in recent years, with 15 in 2007 and 14 in 2006. By comparison, 57 boaters died in 1961, 30 died in 2002 and 23 died in 2005.
DNR officials say more people are wearing life jackets and taking boat safety classes. There are also tougher alcohol laws and larger, more stable boats.
Of the 12 deaths last year, 11 were single-boat accidents. Half of the boats were non-motorized canoes or paddle boats.
Ten victims weren't wearing life jackets. Alcohol was a factor in five deaths and cold water also contributed to five fatalities
Water safety information and accident statistics are available on the DNR’s Web site at www.mndnr.gov/safety/boatwater.
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Deer do not need supplemental feeding
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife managers are urging people not to feed deer this winter even though it may appear they need help to make it through the cold and snowy conditions.
“Deer have evolved several strategies to help them survive Minnesota winters,” said Jeff Lightfoot, DNR Northeast Region wildlife manager, who added the DNR has received an increase in the amount of calls about deer feeding in the past few weeks.
Even though individual deer may die in severe winters, deer populations recover quickly.
“The deer have insulating hollow hair that helps them retain body heat, their metabolism slows down, and they live on browse and body fat reserves,” Lightfoot said. “When it’s cold and the snow is deep, they move to traditional wintering areas that have areas with extensive conifer cover, which moderates temperatures and intercepts snow. When people feed deer, they often interrupt these natural movements to wintering areas, keeping deer in areas without adequate conifer cover or natural food.”
Deer do not normally feed in close contact with each other. Deer feeding changes normal behavior increasing the likelihood of disease and parasite transmission. Deer that become accustomed to eating from feeders become tamer, and their ability to survive in the wild is compromised.
“The strongest deer usually eat first at a feeder and chase away younger, older, and weaker deer,” Lightfoot said.
Too many deer in a small area can quickly over-browse their surroundings. Deer that are artificially fed are likely to eat trees, gardens, flowers and shrubs in neighborhoods, making people less tolerant of deer.
Deer feeding can also create hazards by drawing deer across roadways. Nationally, about 29,000 people are injured and 200 people die from deer-vehicle collisions each year.
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