Staff Installing Beaver Deceiver 11/06/2008 USFWS photo by Michael Langlois

During the fall migration, 80-acre Cranberry Flowage on Petit Manan Point in Steuben, Maine, is filled with over 4,000 ducks. Black ducks, green-winged teal, and mallards rest and feed there on wild rice before migrating south.  Recently, however, the wild rice has not been germinating as it should.  Beavers have been continually stopping up the water control structure, making it impossible to manage the water levels.  Wild rice requires light to reach the bottom of the water column in order for the rice to germinate, and staff have been unable to lower the water levels enough for sufficient light to penetrate the dark, tannic water. 

On November 6, 2008, Jim Fortier, utilizing a coffer dam and assisted by other refuge staff, braved the cold water to wrestle and assemble four sections of large flexible pipe through the existing water control structure.  Now that this modified version of the Clemson Leveler has been installed, water levels are being managed effectively.  We expect a rice rebound next year!