Hurricane Jeanne, the 4th hurricane of the season, dumped more than 23 inches of rain on Puerto Rico, closing Vieques and Culebra NWRs. It came ashore on the east coast of Florida on September 26, causing damage to 9 National Wildlife Refuges throughout Florida and Georgia. The total damage estimate was $7.7 million.

Adding this hurricane season to Hurricane Isabel, which hit North and South Carolina in September, 2003, the Southeast Region estimated more than $47 million in damages to Fish and Wildlife Service facilities in the Southeast for FY2004. The worst damage from Hurricane Ivan occurred to Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge located west of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The refuge is home to the endangered Alabama beach mouse, which depends on sand dunes along the beach for survival. Major primary dunes at Bon Secour NWR were almost completely destroyed and tons of debris washed up on the refuge, turning this once pristine area into a landfill. Propane tanks, jet skis, boats, parts of buildings such as walls and roofs, downed trees, and many other types of debris inundated the area. One of the refuge residences also suffered major structural damage. The refuge is closed to the public until further notice to ensure public safety. An emergency response crew including 65 Fish and Wildlife Service personnel supported recovery efforts for the affected facilities at Bon Secour NWR, Grand Bay NWR, Choctaw NWR and other Service facilities affected by hurricane force winds, heavy rains and high storm surges. Wildlife impacts are expected to include loss of Alabama, Perdido Key and Choctawhatchee beach mice populations (all endangered species) due to severe impacts to primary dune habitat. Sea turtle nests were destroyed or buried due to beach erosion, inundation, or deposition of additional sand over the nests. Surveys will also be done to assess impacts to the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane, which is only found around Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR in Jackson County, MS. Aquatic species will also be adversely impacted by additional sediments, effluents and contaminants washed into streams, lakes, and into the ocean. Hurricane Jeanne followed a path similar to Hurricane Frances, which hit Florida just weeks earlier. This double punch destroyed 4.5 miles of dikes at Merritt Island NWR, which had already been damaged by Hurricane Charley and Frances. Jeanne finished off a visitor's center at Hobe Sound NWR, wiped out another maintenance shed and damaged roofs at Pelican Island NWR in Sebastian, and applied the final blow to two beach houses used for sea turtle research housing at Archie Carr NWR. On Florida's west coast, whooping crane protection pens were ripped apart by the strong winds at Chassahowitzka NWR.