Habitat
Bear River MBR today is just over 74,000 acres of marsh, open water, uplands, and alkali mudflats. The marshes and open water are managed using a complex system of dikes and water control structures to provide different water depths suitable for a variety of water bird species over the seasons. Habitat Management Plans are adjusted each year based habitat goals and water supply forecasts.
Most of the uplands are dominated by grasses such as wheat and salt grasses, with iodinebush and greasewood scattered across the landscape. The grasslands are managed with prescribed grazing. The uplands also have scattered knolls that support a wheatgrass, saltbush, and greasewood plant community. These knolls are a unique ecological community in the Bear River delta.
