Missouri Wetlands Reserve Program

Missouri Wetlands Information

• Success Story — The Missouri River Project
• Success Story — Pike, Chariton, Vernon, New Madrid, Johnson, and Knox Counties

Overview

The loss of historic wetlands in Missouri has exceeded the national rate; approximately 87% of Missouri's original 4.5 million acres of wetlands have been lost. The loss of these wetlands not only affected wildlife habitats of many wetland dependent species, but also reduced flood storage and other valuable wetland functions. Although state and federal conservation agencies have made great strides in acquiring and managing wetland habitats, the greatest potential for wetland restoration is on private land. The Wetlands Reserve Program has offers an opportunity to restore wetlands on private land and help achieve a "no net loss" of wetlands, with potential for achieving gains in total wetland acres.

The Missouri focus includes any potential acreage for wetland restoration, however, the greatest need and potential is along the Missouri River and its major tributaries, and in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley in southeast Missouri. Wetlands within north Missouri watersheds are extremely valuable for flood attenuation, water quality improvement by filtering sediment and agricultural runoff, and migratory wetland wildlife habitat. The Wetlands Reserve Program has provided the means to address these watershed issues, and will reduce future federal disaster relief expenditures by retiring flood prone cropland and opening up the floodway.

Missouri has participated in WRP since 1992 when the state was selected as one of nine states to participate in a pilot program. Since 1992, Missouri has enrolled approximately 65,000 acres. Landowner interest in WRP continues to far exceed available funding. Currently, 190 tracts, comprising nearly 16,000 acres, are on a prioritized "waiting list" for permanent easements, and 32 tracts, comprising 1700 acres, are waiting for funding in the 30 year easement option. Over $17,000,000 would be required to acquire easements and complete restoration on all offered sites.

Restoration efforts concentrate on emulating historical wetland hydrologic conditions. In a highly altered landscape, like the rivers of Missouri, this restoration often involves installation of low profile levees and water control structures to capture floodwater and runoff, and slowly releasing the water into the watershed. See a table showing the extent and types of land prior to implementation of easements and the future land types resulting from the WRP restoration.

Landowner Interest

The two dominant reasons for landowners interest in the WRP are the desire to retire marginal flood-prone cropland and recreational interests. Retiring flood-prone cropland can improve the "bottom-line" for the entire farm by removing these high risk, high maintenance areas from the farming operation. Although the reasons behind landowner's initial interest in WRP vary, some landowners become more interested, and often excited, about having a healthy, functioning wetland on their property.

Partnership

The Wetlands Reserve Program provides an excellent forum for cooperation by related state and federal agencies. The Missouri NRCS, in 1985, established four Wetland Emphasis Teams made up of an NRCS Soil Scientist and a Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Wetland Biologist. These teams are strategically located throughout the state to provide technical assistance to landowners for wetland restoration and management, with primary responsibility for implementation of WRP. An MDC Wetland Wildlife Biologist is located in the NRCS State Office to assist with statewide implementation of WRP. The "pooling" of different disciplines and expertise provide landowners with the best wetland assistance, as well as providing optimum habitat for wetland wildlife.

Successes

Four Rivers Conservation Area

A partnership acquisition, through a 30-year WRP easement and the subsequent fee title acquisition by the Missouri Department of Conservation of a 7,034-acre tract in Vernon County will complement the existing Four Rivers Conservation Area. This acquisition will result in a 14,000-acre wetland management complex, providing valuable migratory and resident wildlife habitat.

This tract is located in west central Missouri, being in the watershed above Truman Reservoir, and bisected by the Osage River. Environmentally, this tract has national significance for wetland and riparian habitats, and for migratory wetland birds. The existing Four Rivers Conservation Area provides habitat for literally hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, shorebirds, and other migratory birds. The resultant 14,000 acres will be the largest state owned wetland management area in Missouri. Restoration plans include providing 4,000 acres of seasonally flooded bottomland hardwoods, 2,000 acres of emergent wetlands, 400 acres of wooded riparian, and 800 acres of native prairie and grassland habitat. The juxtaposition with other conservation areas, Truman Lake, and river systems will provide a very diverse riverine ecosystem.

This site will be a showcase for both WRP and wetland restoration and management to thousands of public users each year. The MDC will manage land as a public use area, providing many hours of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activity.

Marion Bottoms

This 3,000 acre tract of land encompasses an entire levee district upstream from Jefferson City, Missouri on the Missouri River. A permanent WRP easement coupled with fee title acquisition by the Missouri Department of Conservation results in an excellent example of wetland and floodplain restoration. The Marion Bottoms Project is a sample of the cooperative spirit that the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have enjoyed for many years, and exemplifies the way state and federal agencies can work together with private landowners to accomplish mutual goals.

This project is an excellent example of expansion of the floodway of one of America's greatest rivers, retirement of flood-prone cropland, and habitat for wetland wildlife. Although we can't discount the importance of agriculture in these rich bottomland soils, providing additional flood storage is vitally important in reducing flood damage to downstream interests, including agriculture. This tract, once protected from flooding by a major levee system, is now open to flooding and will provide valuable flood storage functions.

Contact

Allen Green, 573-876-0900

Last updated: 1/1/1999

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