Acton WPA Wetland Restoration

Purchased by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in 1989, the eighty acre Acton Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) is located in Meeker County, one-half mile southeast of the town of Grove City. At the time of purchase the Service was aware that two tile drainage systems originated on adjacent private property (to the west), entered the WPA and drained a wetland basin located thereon, and then extended another 600 feet before its outlet into Grove Creek at the northeast corner of the WPA. As part of the WPA purchase agreement, the Service acknowledged the seller's right to maintain the tile system through the WPA but reserved the right to modify them in a manner that would allow the drained wetland to be restored while maintaining upstream drainage functions. With relatively new developments in materials and installation techniques (i.e., non-perforated plastic tile and GPS technology) the ability to successfully accomplish this wetland restoration project has been greatly enhanced. Utilizing the CPL program as a primary funding mechanism, Minnesota Waterfowl Association desires to assist the Service in accomplishing this long-overdue wetland restoration project. The subject wetland basin is approximately four acres in size and is currently dominated by reed canary grass, an undesirable invasive grass species that is commonly found in moist soil areas. The tract includes a few additional small pothole wetlands that were restored by the Service shortly after it was purchased as a WPA. Although much of the WPA consists of upland grasses, Grove Creek and its floodplain (which is tributary to the Crow River) is an important wildlife habitat feature on the eastern portion of the unit. Restoring the subject wetland will provide critical waterfowl production habitat as well as habitat for numerous other species of migratory and resident wildlife.