Waubay National Wildlife Refuge EarthCache
Waubay National Wildlife Refuge
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In order to count this Earthcache as a find, you must complete the following tasks and email the answers to me.
1. What is the elevation at the top of the tower?
2. Describe the area you see from the top of the observation tower.
3. Estimate the size of the wetlands area.
4. Document any wildlife you see while at the refuge.
This Earthcache is located at the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge in the heart of the prairie pothole region. You will need to make your way to top of the observation tower. Parking is located nearby. The terrain rating reflects all of the steps you will need to climb to reach the top of the 110 foot tower. The view from the top of the tower provides a spectacular view of the prairie pothole region and the wildlife refuge itself. The refuge also offers several walking trails. Enjoy!
The Prairie Region of North America once formed the greatest grassland on Earth. It covered nearly a fourth of the continental United States, along with portions of Canada and Mexico. The northern part of this region was dotted with wetlands and native prairies and came to be known as the Prairie Pothole Region. Today, this area of wetlands and tallgrass prairies extends south diagonally from north-central Alberta, Canada, through the Dakotas and into western Minnesota and north-western Iowa.
The Prairie Pothole Region is a result of glaciation. Ten thousand years ago, when the massive glacier covering eastern South Dakota retreated (melted), it left behind in its path poorly drained and frequently flooded depressions called potholes. In the 300,000 square-mile region, about twenty-five million depressions of varying sizes were left behind. That is about eighty-three potholes per square mile. Over time, water from rain and melting snow accumulated in these depressions and filled them up.
Much of northeastern South Dakota lies in the prairie pothole region--in fact, the highest density of prairie potholes can be found in this region. Ponds, sloughs, and marshes are not an uncommon sight in this region and cover 1.7 million acres. The pothole wetlands in this region range from a few feet across and only inches deep, to basins 500 acres in size with depths of over ten feet. They also vary in type: temporary, seasonal, and permanent.
The Prairie Pothole Region is an ideal breeding ground for waterfowl and has become known as the “Duck Factory” of North America. This region--despite the fact that much of the wetlands and grasslands that once occupied this area have been converted for agricultural use--still produce 50 percent of North America’s breeding waterfowl population. Many species of waterfowl are dependent on the pothole region for breeding and feeding. The Waubay National Wildlife Refuge is the largest duck production area in the continental United States. The refuge also includes 4650 acres of lakes, marshlands, grasslands, and woodlands which support not only waterfowl species, but also other wildlife, such as pheasants and deer.
In order to protect the waterfowl, the wetlands areas, and the grasslands, refuges and waterfowl productions areas have been created. These designated areas consist of wetlands and the surrounding grasslands that provide a breeding, resting, and nesting habitat for millions of waterfowl and other wildlife. In addition to this, the wetlands also help filter ground water, control runoff and flooding, and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
Waubay National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The first waterfowl production area was established in 1959 within the Waubay Wetland Management District.
To learn more about the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge (visit link)
NOT A LOGGING REQUIREMENT: Feel free to post pictures of your group at the area or the area itself - I love looking at the pictures.
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