The Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge is part of a multi-partnership approach restoring more than 35,000 acres of prairie and wetland habitat in northwestern Minnesota.  The restoration of wetlands, especially in this area dominated by past and present agricultural practices, can be highly controversial. 

Glacial Ridge NWR, being in the infancy stages of restoration work, provides the perfect stage for documenting pre-restoration conditions, and comparing to post-restoration effects. 

Accordingly, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Geological Survey, the Red Lake Watershed District, and the Service have been documenting water quality and hydrology in the Glacial Ridge project area.  Beginning in FY2007, the Service will provide additional support through the Environmental Contaminants Program’s On-Refuge Investigations process to evaluate the response of environmental contaminants (fate, transport, and effects) to the restoration of prairie and wetland habitat, and their supporting hydrologic processes. 

The investigation will be implemented as part of the existing partnership approach, and is scheduled to be completed in 2010.  The information is expected to directly link to the most primary of management tools - restoring habitat, while providing Refuge managers the hub for determining future management requirements as well as accurate information to the public.  The EC Program at the Minnesota ES Field Office assists National Wildlife Refuge managers in Minnesota with On-Refuge EC Investigations to scientifically evaluate the effects of contaminants to Refuge resources and Refuge management goals.