By Steve Weisman

Back on Thursday, September 14, 2023, the formal dedication of the Howard K. Vincent Waterfowl Production Area Site (Moore Slough Waterfowl Production Area), a 195.5-acre parcel of farmland took place, which when completed would become both a much-needed wildlife area and an important buffer to help protect Big Spirit Lake waters.

This was an incredible collaborative effort across borders among conservationists in both Minnesota and Iowa to make the purchase of this land a reality.

Since that time, much work has been going on behind the scenes to turn this property into a true waterfowl production area. However, before we look at the current work, let’s take a look at how this all happened.

History of the Howard K. Vincent WPA (Moore Slough WPA)

Located northeast of the Mini-Wakan State Park entrance (north side of Big Spirit Lake) on the Minnesota side of Grade Road or Stateline Road, this parcel of farmland has historically flooded during the early spring runoff and again during heavy spring and summer rains, sending the temporary nutrient rich water across into McClelland Slough, finally reaching Big Spirit Lake.

Conservationists, clean water advocates and lake homeowners in the Iowa Great Lakes Watershed worked for years to secure this property. Finally in May of 2022, the land was secured through the contributions from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (USFWS), Wildlife Habitat Society of McLeod County, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Spirit Lake Protective Association, the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission (IA), onX Hunt, Nestle PURINA, Jackson County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, along with business and individual donors who believed in the need to purchase the land. All contributions support the Build A Wildlife Area® program which is seeking to raise funds to complete this project and pursue a second phase addition to build upon this habitat complex.

Moving forward

The property will now be managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for quality habitat and outdoor recreation such as hunting, hiking, trapping, photography and bird watching. When completed, the Howard K. Vincent WPA (Moore Slough WPA) will also address several conservation plans, including the MN Pheasant Action Plan, North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Iowa Great Lakes Watershed Management Plan.

Lots of physical work to get to “the now”

If only we could have simply waved a magic wand on September 14, 2023, and completed all the work on the property that has occurred over the last 15 months…but projects like this don’t just happen. Instead, it’s taken a series of steps.

Beginning in late September of 2023, Pheasants Forever seeded 105 acres of prairie uplands with native prairie species to create a large habitat complex critical to resident and migrant wildlife species. The resulting growth has been a positive sight on the seeded land.

At the same time, Ducks Unlimited was asked to lead the restoration of the 76-acre shallow lake in the heart of this WPA. Survey and design work were completed in the winter of 2023/2024. The next step in restoring this shallow lake was removing the surface water from the heavy spring rains so dirt work could begin.

History of farming the lowland

This is where the most labor-intensive work has taken place on the Howard K. Vincent WPA (Moore Slough WPA). First off, this land had been farmed in some capacity since the early 1920s. Meant to be a wetland, the land was tiled with clay tile in the 1920s with a minimal amount of success, followed by more drainage in the 1950s with the addition of cement tile hooked to the original clay tile. Row crop planting continued with more flooding issues, so in the 1960s, plastic tile was added and in the 1970s a pumphouse was installed to pump the water out of the bottom ground and across the road to McClelland Slough and eventually into Big Spirit Lake. This would get the water out, but with huge rainfalls, the bottom land would continue to flood and have to be pumped out.

Reclaiming a wetland

Why? People often ask what good is a wetland anyway? Well, here’s an important fact. Wetland restoration of the previously drained 76-acre wetland, along with its surrounding upland will provide an estimated 85 percent reduction in phosphorus and nitrogen leaving this tract annually and a reduction of 30 tons of sediment per two-inch rainfall going into Big Spirit Lake. Now that’s significant.

The total package of new wetland and grassland offers habitat for waterfowl and upland wildlife, reduced soil erosion, improved water quality, reduced runoff, reduced flooding and sequestration of carbon. Now that’s the whole nine yards!

Moving dirt and busting tile

Over the past several weeks, heavy equipment has been used to remove drainage tile, get rid of the pumphouse and pump, remove sediment eroded into the basin, restore shoreline and protect neighboring landowners from future flooding. Jake Chronister, regional biologist for Ducks Unlimited, notes, “A lot of soil has been moved to restore a shallow lake with an average depth of 2-3’. This is ideal for growing both emergent and submergent vegetation. At the same time, during drier periods, there will be exposed soil, which will help these plants to germinate. There will be some areas where we removed eroded sediment that will approach 5’ in depth.”

To manage the entire wetland system, a custom-built water control structure will hopefully be put in place by the end of December, if the drier weather holds. “If that all happens, Chronister adds, “the goal is to let the snowmelt and spring rains fill the wetland!”

All this dirt work can be seen from the Grade Road or Stateline Road, that goes along the south side of the Howard K. Vincent WPA (Moore Slough WPA). There is also a parking lot just off the road on the east side of the property.

A final perspective

John Smeltzer, president of the Spirit Lake Protective Association (SLPA), shares just how important this project has been to the entire watershed. “The importance of the collaboration and patience required to make a project like this come together should not be underestimated. The SLPA is but a small partner in this entire effort. We have a passion for protecting our waters, and we appreciate the investment we are all making in this area. This is truly a legacy project.”

Landscape photo of early stages of wetland restoration work facing NW. Sediment removal can be seen already holding water and some tile removal lines are also visible, as well as embankment construction restoring the natural shoreline.

Restoration overview blueprint.