Current Waterfowl Report

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Weekly Waterfowl Report
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

Keith Stephens (501) 223-6342, e-mail: kastephens@agfc.state.ar.us

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's waterfowl report for Jan. 28, 2009.

The following report is a compilation of state reports and waterfowl surveys from across Arkansas.
This report provides a look at habitat conditions across the state.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Dave Donaldson Black River WMA View Current Gauge Readings	Upper Island GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	269.6 msl ~ 95% flooded and holding	View current weather conditions and forecast for Delaplaine, Arkansas	Area Info and Map Please remember to keep all boats off the levees so AGFC personnel can access the area. Boats that are blocking access will be moved. Unattended trailers are not to be left overnight in parking areas. They will be removed at owner’s expense.
	Lower Island GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	268.3 msl ~ 90% flooded.
	Upper Reyno GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	267.5 msl ~ 95% flooded and rising
	Lower Reyno GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	266.25 msl ~ 90% flooded.
	Winchester GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	263.75 msl ~90% flooded and rising
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA View Current Gauge Readings	Adam’s Brake GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	100% flooded	View current weather conditions and forecast for Lynn, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
	Rainey Brake GTR	Fair to good, with moderate abundance of mast crop within the GTRs.	90% flooded
	Phase III Moist-soil Unit	Fair wetland/type vegetation.	5% flooded
	Charles Crisp Moist-soil Unit	Fair wetland/type vegetation.	5% flooded
	Ward Field Moist-soil Unit	Fair wetland/type vegetation.	0% flooded
	River Field Moist-soil Unit	Good wetland/type vegetation.	80% flooded
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
St. Francis Sunken Lands WMA View Current Gauge Readings	Hunt Area	There is good acorn production in most areas within the floodways.	The water level at the Oak Donnick gauge is at 212.68 feet.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Trumann, Arkansas	Area Info and Map The target water level at the Oak Donnick gauge is 212.00 feet. Most natural waterways have water, but may be shallow in some areas. Please use caution while boating! Duck abundance is considered low in the area.
	Snowden WRA	There is a good stand of smartweed, panic grass, millet and sedges within the borrow areas.	35% Flooded
	Payneway WRA	There is a good stand of smartweed and a fair stand of millet and sedges within the borrow areas.	25% Flooded
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Earl Buss Bayou DeView WMA View Current Gauge Readings	South Oliver GTR	Acorn production is considered good.	40% with shallow water found within the natural sloughs and ditches. Current gauge reading is 0.46 feet.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Weiner, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
	Thompson Tract GTR	Acorn production is considered good.	Approximately 75% is flooded with most water found around the pipeline. Current gauge reading is 0.44 feet.
	Lake Hogue WRA	A small amount of smartweed is found around the edges.	Normal pool
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Big Lake WMA View Current Gauge Readings	North Woods GTR	Good acorn production in the timber	Gauge reading is 235.7. Target level is 235.5. 100% of the north woods are flooded.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Manila, Arkansas	Area Info and Map When the Ditch 81 Extension gauge (upstream of Big Lake North end control structure) near Manila reads 17.5, water is beginning to come over the north levee degrade on Big Lake WMA. When the Ditch 81 Extension gauge reads 18.0 or higher, the water level on the WMA will rise extremely fast and caution is needed while on the area. Beware of logs beneath the water in boat runs.
	South Woods GTR	Good acorn production in the timber	Gauge reading is 235.5 Target level is 234.5. 100% of the south woods are flooded.
	Simmons Field	Fair	100% of the unit is flooded.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Bell Slough WMA	Bell Slough GTR	Mast crop is fair and spotty.	GTR is 100% flooded	View current weather conditions and forecast for Mayflower, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Bell Slough WMA	Palarm Creek Waterfowl Rest Area	Moderate seed production on native vegetation with some residual millet.	Both units are 100% flooded.		Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Holland Bottoms WMA	Hunt Area	Fair to moderate mast crop.	The WMA is primarily dry, with a few shallow pockets of water. Heavy rainfall in the Cabot area is required to flood large portions of the WMA.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Cabot, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Holland Bottoms WMA	Lake Pickthorne Waterfowl Rest Area	Moderate seed production on native vegetation with moderate residual millet.	Both units are 100% flooded.		Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Harris Brake WMA	Harris Brake GTRs	Moderate to excellent mast crop.	Lower unit is 100% flooded, and the upper unit is 80% flooded.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Perryville, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Lake Conway	Pierce and Dix Creeks	Normal	The lake is at 100% of capacity.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Mayflower, Arkansas	Area Info and Map

EAST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA View Current Gauge Readings	North GTR	Excellent mast crop	100% flooded. Water has fallen slightly as a result of falling water levels on the White River.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Bald Knob, Arkansas	Area Info and Map Water is currently over the road in several locations and the main gate is closed at Mitchell Corner.
	South GTR	Excellent Mast Crop	100% flooded. Water has fallen slightly as a result of falling water levels on the White River.
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments

SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Bayou Meto WMA	Upper Vallier GTR	Good	180.0 (Full Flood Pool 180) 100%	View current weather conditions and forecast for Humphrey, Arkansas	Area Info and Map The Halowell boat ditch has underwater obstructions; watch for markers.
	Lower Vallier GTR	Good	179.5 (Full Flood Pool 179.5) 100%
	Government Cypress GTR	Good	179.8 (Full Flood Pool 179.5) 100%
	Buckingham Flats GTR	Good	100%.
	Temple Island GTR	Good	100%.
	Halowell WRA	Good	Under construction, putting in new levees and water control structures. East unit only is 100% flooded.
	Wrape Plantation WRA	Good	90%
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Cut-Off Creek WMA	Hunt Area	Fair	131.2 MSL. 100% flooded	View current weather conditions and forecast for Collins, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Cut-Off Creek WMA	Pigeon Creek Waterfowl Rest Area	Fair	100%		Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Seven Devils Swamp WMA		Fair	130.6 MSL. 100%	View current weather conditions and forecast for Collins, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Trusten Holder WMA View Current Gauge Readings		Good	Arkansas River gauge at Pendleton Ferry was at 26.3 feet on Jan. 20.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Yancopin, Arkansas	Area Info and Map River water only, with variable levels of backwater flooding.
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather	Comments
Choctaw Island WMA View Current Gauge Readings		Good	Mississippi River gauge at Arkansas City was at 22.6 feet on Jan. 20.	View current weather conditions and forecast for Arkansas City, Arkansas	Area Info and Map River water only, with variable levels of backwater flooding.

Area

Impoundment

Habitat

Water Levels

Weather

Comments

Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA

Current conditions are fair.

20%-25% flooded in sloughs. Water is off of the main road and dropping.

View current weather conditions and forecast for Huttig, Arkansas

Area Info
and Map

SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment	Habitat		Water Levels		Weather		Comments
Dr. Lester Sitzes, III Bois d’ Arc WMA	Bois d’ Arc Lake WRA	Closed to hunting		100% flooded		View current weather conditions and forecast for Texarkana, Arkansas		Area Info and Map
	Red Slough WRA	Closed to hunting		10% flooded
	GTR	Few ducks		90% flooded
	Little Grassy	Few ducks		75% flooded
Area	Impoundment	Habitat		Water Levels		Weather		Comments
Millwood Lake View Current Gauge Readings		Habitat conditions fair to good. Fair number of ducks.		Normal level is 259.20. Current level is 259.51.		View current weather conditions and forecast for Texarkana, Arkansas		Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat		Water Levels		Weather		Comments
Sulphur River WMA	Mercer Bayou	Fair because of fluctuating water level and late summer rain .		1 foot below normal pool		View current weather conditions and forecast for Texarkana, Arkansas		Area Info and Map
	Henry Moore WRA	Closed to hunting.		Low because of pump problems.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
Area	Impoundment		Habitat		Water Levels		Weather		Comments
Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA	Willow Island		Natural Vegetation		100%		View current weather conditions and forecast for Blackwell, Arkansas		Area Info and Map All impoundments are 100% flooded. All moist-soil units have relatively poor stands of productive moist-soil plants for waterfowl forage because of late-summer flooding.
	Little Hole		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Red Gate		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Pig Trough		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Cedar Ridge		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Duck Trap		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Salt Lick		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Bobby’s Pond		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Race Track		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Controversy Corner		Disked in August		100%
	Remmel Marsh		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Mud Pond		Natural Vegetation		100%
	Turkey Pond		30% Disked in August, 70% Natural Vegetation		100%
	Teeny Pond		Natural Vegetation		100%

Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather		Comments
Petit Jean River WMA View Current Gauge Readings	Santa Fe GTR	Green Timber	100%	View current weather conditions and forecast for Ola, Arkansas		Area Info and Map Petit Jean River level at Highway 7 was 4.91 feet as of Jan. 11.
	Olin Cain MSU	Disked in August	100%
	Blacklands MSU	10% disked in August. 90% natural vegetation.	100%
	Slaty Crossing MSUs	Disked in August	100%
	Pullen Pond	Buttonbush	100%
	Pond Creek GTR	Flooded Hardwoods. Poor mast production from red oak species.	100%
	Slaty Pond GTR	Buttonbush with little waterfowl forage production.	50%
	Black Lands Duck Area	Natural vegetation.	100%
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels	Weather		Comments
Galla Creek WMA	Galla Creek GTR	Buttonbush and smartweed.	0% flooded	View current weather conditions and forecast for Pottsville, Arkansas		Area Info and Map Because of restoration work on this GTR, the water control structure will not be closed this year in an attempt to keep the GTR dry for restoration purposes. Flooding will resume at a time in the future when hydrology work is complete and hardwood restoration has been accomplished. This is the second consecutive year that the structure has remained open and it is likely that two additional years will be required.
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels		Weather	Comments
Frog Bayou WMA	Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6 Unit 7	Planted millet Native Vegetation Native Vegetation Planted Millet Native Vegetation Native Vegetation and Volunteer Millet Native Vegetation	95% 100% 85% 90% 90% 75% 100%		View current weather conditions and forecast for Alma, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels		Weather	Comments
Lloyd Millwood Nimrod WMA	Nimrod GTR	Flooded green timber.	100% flooded		View current weather conditions and forecast for Plainview, Arkansas	Area Info and Map
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels		Weather	Comments
Ozark Pool	Dyer Lake Cells	Planted millet and native vegetation.	3 cells 100% Far western cell is rain dependant (no water).		View current weather conditions and forecast for Dyer Arkansas	No sheet water in fields along river.
Area	Impoundment	Habitat	Water Levels		Weather	Comments
Dardanelle WMA	Johnson County WRA	Moist soil units in native vegetation.	100% No water in woods		View current weather conditions and forecast for Clarksville, Arkansas	No hunting on Johnson County WRA. Half-day hunting for other areas.
	McKennon Bottoms	Millet and moist soil plants .	100%
	Potter’s Pothole/Hartman Waterfowl Unit	Millet and moist soil plants.	100%

Information on river levels can be found at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/or http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.htmlor
http://www.agfc.com/education/waterlevels_details.html

Sunrise/sunset tables are available at: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.htmland in the Arkansas Waterfowl Regulations Guide.

Information on river levels can be found at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/ or http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.html or
http://www.agfc.com/education/waterlevels_details.html

Sunrise/sunset tables are available at: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html and in the Arkansas Waterfowl Regulations Guide.

Information on river levels can be found at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/or http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.htmlor
http://www.agfc.com/education/waterlevels_details.html

Sunrise/sunset tables are available at: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.htmland in the Arkansas Waterfowl Regulations Guide.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

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