Valley City Wetland Management District is located in east-central North Dakota and includes Cass, Traill, Barnes, Griggs, and Steele Counties. The District is operated as a substation of the Arrowwood National Wildlife Reufge Complex at Pingree.

There are 82 Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) totaling 16,898 acres, 40,980 acres of wetlands protected by FWS easement, four easement refuges totaling 5,502 acres, 1373 acres of which are owned in fee by the FWS, and 12,620 acres protected by FSA Ag Credit Easements. WPA acreage is roughly one-third wetland and two-thirds upland, with the bulk of the upland comprised of dense nesting cover (DNC), native prairie, and seeded native grass.

The eastern one-third of the District is located in the Red River Valley. This area, characterized by flat, intensively farmed lands was once the lake bed of Glacial Lake Agassiz. The remaining two-thirds of the District is part of the glaciated prairie pothole region known as the drift prairie. The area is characterized by an ever so gently and smooth rolling topography with numerous wetlands ranging from under an acre to several hundred acres.

Land use throughout the District is primarily agriculture with small grains such as wheat, barley and sunflowers being the main crops. The meandering and wooded Sheyenne River Valley, with its numerous draws and pastures, offers a welcome contrast and visual relief from the intensively farmed land throughout the District. Besides visual relief, the valley provides habitat for a variety of non-prairie wildlife such as wood ducks, tree squirrels, beavers, and a multitude of woodland passerines.

The headquarters of the WMD is located at the Valley City National Fish Hatchery two miles northwest of Valley City along the Sheyenne River. Office space, shop facilities and some equipment are shared between both entities. This setup has worked very well and provides the WMD with necessary facilities at an acceptable cost to the FWS.

Intended purpose/mission: Manage, restore, and protect habitat on public and privates land for all wildlife for the use and enjoyment of all people.

Headquarters location: 2 miles NW of Valley City, along the Sheyenne River.

Valley City Wetland Management District
11515 River Road
Valley City, North Dakota 58072

701-845-3466 (voice)*

ValleyCityWetlands@fws.gov

* Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals may reach the Valley City Wetland Management District through Relay North Dakota by dialing:

• 711
• 1-800-366-6888 (TTY)
• 1-800-366-6889 (voice)
• 1-877-366-3709 (speech to speech)
• 1-800-435-8590 (Spanish services)

---

Who We Are | Wildlife & Habitat | District Programs | Public Use
Maps | Arrowwood NWR Complex | Links | Site Map | Home

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Home Page | Department of the Interior
USA.gov  | About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  | Accessibility  | Privacy  | Notices  | Disclaimer  | FOIA

---