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Six Refuges Pitch In To Overhaul Dike and Enhance Habitat
Midwest Region, September 30, 2004
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Led by Refuge Wildlife Biologist Ken Dalrymple, maintenance workers and equipment from six Refuges combined their skills, abilities, and efforts to complete a long awaited dike rehabilitation project on Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge in September. The Calhoun Moist Soil Unit dike had served its purpose well for more than 40 years, but decades of muskrat and beaver burrowing, combined with several flood events had taken its toll. During the past five years the dike had been "band-aided" more times than a second grade soccer team. Two bull dozers and a road grader were loaned from other Refuges, and heavy equipment operators from five other Refuges rotated through the month-long project to complete the tasks necessary to turn the dilapidated dike into a safer, more functional structure. Work included stripping the existing levee of vegetation, cleaning three feet of sediment out of the original borrow ditch, filling the ditch with firmer earthen fill, placing over 20,000 cubic yards of earthen fill on the inside slope of the dike, sloping the dike to a 5:1 ratio for safe and proper maintenance, replacing the stop-log structure, and finally, planting grass seed on the finished dike. Two 18-cubic yard scrapers with operators were contracted to move on-site borrow material, while Refuge operators and equipment placed and shaped the material. The wetland habitat unit was enlarged and enhanced by taking the fill material from the periphery of the unit, thus increasing the wetted area. The end result is a wider, well constructed dike with a 5:1 slope that will be much more rodent resistant, as well as easier and safer to maintain.

Thanks go to Allan Lagemann from Great Rivers NWR, Mark Eldredge from Port Louisa NWR, John Killburg from the Upper Mississippi NF&WR, Bob Espelend from Crab Orchard NWR, and Fred Nienke from Two Rivers NWR. Thanks also to Illinois River NWR for loaning their bull dozer, and to John Dobrovolny, Doug Johnson and Clark Bartelt of the Regional Office for NEPA coordination, and contracting for scrapers with operators. This completed project is yet another fine example of combining Refuge resources in order to accomplish our mission.

Contact Info: Midwest Region Public Affairs, 612-713-5313, charles_traxler@fws.gov



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