Blog Posts from Duck Creek CA Updates - 2010

Despite the wet conditions over the last few weeks the contractors are still making progress at Cato Levee.

The Middle zone waterfowl season opens Nov. 6. There will be 12 flooded positions available at Duck Creek for opening weekend.

Well, it is about that time. I’m sure you all are anxious to see what this year’s waterfowl season has in store. I know I am. As we await the opener, my mind wanders and I begin to think about the number of birds produced this summer… in the northern prairies, but also right here in own our backyard.

It was another beautiful and dry week at Duck Creek as we rolled into October. The gates and air bladders were installed in the Ditch 111/1 structure. Yes, I said air bladders.

Salutations, steady progress continues straight through September. Silviculture, soils and structure work have all moved ahead as we’ve sneaked by without most of the state’s significant rainfall in the last two weeks.

It has been a busy week for the staff at Duck Creek, as you can see from this post and the previous one. Things are moving forward, and that is GREAT news. The contractors moved in this week and started working on the Ditch 1/111 structure on the west side of Pool 1. Access to Unit A from the east is closed because of construction.

Teal season starts tomorrow. I am glad this summer is nearing the end of its relentless onslaught of heat and drought. It was a rough one.

Mast surveys are done every year at Duck Creek to get an idea of the annual hard-mast production. Hard mast, or acorns, provide valuable food resources to wildlife and are the foundation of tomorrow’s overstory. This year’s acorn production looks better than it has for the last few years.

This week we started some timber stand improvement (TSI) work on the area. Although this isn't “renovation work” in the sense of construction, it is work being done to improve the habitat on Duck Creek in the long-term...so in a way you could still classify it as “renovation work.” Below is a little background on why we are cutting down some trees in order to “turn a new leaf” and make room for the future timber stand at Duck Creek.