Wolverton Creek Habitat Restoration
Over the next six years, the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District (BRRWD), in partnership with landowners, federal, state, and local agencies, intends to implement a long-term comprehensive plan to restore the Wolverton Creek and its riparian corridor. This comprehensive project will turn 20 channelized stream miles to 26.2 miles of restored natural prairie stream channel. It will also protect, enhance, and restore over 740 acres (357 acres in Phase 1) of floodplain wetland and grassland habitat along the Wolverton Creek. The project will provide connectivity for wildlife and fisheries between the Lake Agassiz beach ridge region and the Red River.
The project identified reaches of Wolverton Creek for restoration and expansion of riparian buffers. The buffer
widths vary from a minimum of 200 feet with to over 750 feet wide. The minimum buffer width was determined
by designating a 10-year floodplain. The areas of land that were acquired help to provide connectivity between the
Manston Slough WMA and the Red River of the North with Wolverton Creek providing the corridor for that
connection. The Wolverton Creek is a unique resource in that it is one of only a few prairie streams in the Red
River basin that is located entirely within the Lake Agassiz Plain. The project was constructed in two phases.
Phase 1 began in 2018 and was hampered by wet conditions. Phase 1 was completed in 2020. Phase 2 began in
2020 with some clean up in 2021.
$1,877,000 the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District to acquire permanent conservation easements and restore and enhance aquatic and upland habitat associated with Wolverton Creek in the Buffalo-Red River watershed. A list of proposed acquisitions, restoration, and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
249 Prairie acres and 73 Habitat acres (for a total of 322 acres) Restored.
259 Prairie acres and 69 Habitat acres (for a total of 328 acres) Protected in Easement.
Watershed District Levy Funds, Clean Water Funds, Ecofootprint Grant , Watershed District Levy Funds, Clean Water Fund Target Watershed Grant, Enbridge Ecofootprint Grant, NRCS