Posted on September 26, 2022
Ducks Unlimited has a variety of wetland restoration projects in northeastern South Dakota, and the local water development district helps with those efforts.
Randy Meidinger, regional biologist for Ducks Unlimited, appeared before the James River Water Development District Board earlier this month when it met in Aberdeen. He sought support for Ducks Unlimited’s latest wetland restoration projects.
Historically, most requests are before the work is done. But, Meidinger said, this request is to help pay for seven wetlands restored last fall near Frederick.
Meidinger said at the time the work was being done Ducks Unlimited didn’t think it would be eligible for support from the water development district. To receive support, the water must filter from these wetlands to the James River or a tributary that eventually flows into the James River.
Meidinger said the group later discovered that water from these wetlands ends up in the Maple River. Given that the restoration work is completed, and that a wetland restoration project in Sandborn County came in under budget, Meidinger asked for a 50% cost share, or $12,500 instead of the typical 75%.
“Sandborn County came in $14,000 under budget,” he said.
Meidinger said one contractor bid restoration work for 12 wetlands in Sandborn County, seven in Faulk County, six in Marshall County and seven in Brown County, which resulted in a savings.
The cost share request was approved as was with a 75% cost share request of $15,089 to restore three wetlands in western Marshall County. This water drains into Crow Creek, he said.
Meidinger said through these projects, Ducks Unlimited strives to restore shallow wetlands where property owners have cut a ditch to drain the area. In some cases, the work is done on private land, he said, and in other cases Ducks Unlimited purchases the property, restores the wetlands and then sells the land on the open market.
When sold, he said, the land goes back into private hands with the understanding that the wetlands remain in place.
Overall, Meidinger said, the goal of the restoration projects is to not only reduce flooding, but also help remove excess nutrients going into the rivers.
He said another seven wetlands in Brown County will be restored this year in the Barnard area. The $40,010 cost share for that project was approved by the water development district in July.
