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c Excavated Ponds <br />for <br />Waterfowl <br />*t <br />f! ; <br />, V “ '’- i <br />Mi <br />■#' <br />^ ♦^r**V* J <br />•v4w U <br />Landowners frequently ask natural resource agencies <br />how the\’ can improve their land for waterfowl. Specifi­ <br />cally, many people wonder if excavating ponds will help. <br />This brochure will outline when and where dug ponds, <br />or “dugouts ”, can be beneficial, and provides construc­ <br />tion guidelines for optimum waterfowl benefit. Refer to <br />our “Ecology of'X ctlands ” brochure tor more informa­ <br />tion. <br />SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A DUGOUT FOR <br />YOUR PROPERIT? <br />Dugmits should be considered only where other wetland <br />management options are not possible. Before you <br />decide to excavate a pond, you should surs ey the site to <br />determine if other options, such as ditch plugs, tile <br />breaks, or dikes would work. \Xetlands restored by <br />reducing drainage are always preferable to dugouts. <br />In general, dugouts should only be constructed if there <br />are other open-water wetlands within one-half mile. <br />W aterfowl use dugouts primarily for courtship and <br />territorial sites, and must have other wetlands to <br />fulfill feeding and brood-rearing needs. Small dug- <br />outs (less than one-half acre) are used mostlv in <br />4 <br />spring or fall migration, less so in summer. Larger <br />dugouts will get more summer use, if they’re the <br />right depth (1.5-3 feet). <br />You should not excavate a dugout in an existing <br />wetland, especially one with open water. This can <br />destroy the existing wetland by draining surface <br />water ofT. Excavations should be outside the edge of <br />the wetland, where the water table is still adequately <br />high. Cattail-choked wetlands are an exception to <br />this rule, where vegetation covers the entire surface <br />of the wetland, and surface water is rarely present. In <br />these cases, it may be acceptable to dig in the wetland <br />basin, but you should still stay close to the edge. For <br />these projects, you will need to observe permit <br />requirements described below arid should talk to the <br />local DNR Wildlife xManager.