Prairie Restoration

Approximately 125 acres are still occupied by some combination of the original prairie species that once clothed much of Rathbun Lake Project's 33,909 acres. These scattered patches are being augmented by past and present prairie reestablishment plantings on the land surrounding Rathbun Lake.

It beginning with the Iowa Conservation Commission (ICC) District Forester's prairie grass plantings within the Corps parks to revegetate open crop lands in the early 1970's. It continued with the ICC Wildlife Area Biologist's prairie grass plantings to provide wildlife cover in the upper portions of Rathbun Lake. And the Corps of Engineers has added to these prairie grass plantings in the 1980's for wildlife. As these plantings were being done., it became evident that pure or mixed prairie grass plantings were not providing the full benefits that the original prairies provided. The addition of prairie forbs (wildflowers) greatly improved the prairie grass plantings value as wildlife habitat, as a soil builder, and most important as a self sustaining closed plant community that can thrive to exclude weeds. Efforts to add forbs to the existing prairie grass plantings are under way.

Present totals for Rathbun Lake are approximately: 125 acres of remaining prairie species; 625 acres of pure and mixed prairie grasses; 350 acres of mixed prairie grasses and prairie forbs; and 35 acres of inter seeded prairie forbs into existing prairie grass plantings.