Effects of Stream Channeling on Wetlands in a Minnesota Watershed

Abstract

Over 60 miles of stream was channeled in the lower three quarters of the Hawk Creek Watershed, west-central Minnesota. Ite channels permitted more rapid removal of flood waters but also encouraged construction of ditches and tilees by providing improved outlets. Wetlands valuable to waterfowl and other wildlife were drained as a result. On a percentage basis, wetland loss in the lower part of the watershed was nine times greater than in the unchanneled upper quarter. BRIEFER ARTICLES This paper presents a case history of a federally assisted, stream-channeling project and resultant wetland loss in the Hawk Greek Watershed, Minnesota. Streams straightened and deepened (channeled) to remove flood waters rapidly and to improve land for agriculture under federal watershed programs encourage drainage of adjacent wetlands valuable to wildlife. These losses are seldon1 measured and documented. The Hawk Creek Watershed is 1 of 11 pilot watershveds established under ffie Flood Control Act of 1936. These watersheds were to be managed with fish, wildlife, and recreational values in mind, as well as for flood control and agricultural purposes. Funds and technical assistance were made available through the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Pilot watersheds were forerunners of those administered under the small watershed program of Public Law 83-566 passed in 1954. I express appreciation to R. Jessen, Minnesota Division of Game and Fish, who initiated the study and reviewed the manuscript. E. Huber, O. Jarvenpa7 and Dr. J. Supported by Federal Aid Project FW-1-R-15. 2 Present address: New Brunswick Fish and Wildlife Branch, Fredericton. 940 Moyle of the same organization, and Dr. K. Harmon, Wildlife Management Institute, provided editorial assistance. HAWK CREEK WATERSHED Hawk Creek drains 502.4 square miles (321,553 acres) in Chippewa, Kandiyohi, and Renville counties of west-central Minnesota and empties into the Minnesota River. A major tributary, Chetomba Creek, drains the eastern part of the watershed and joins Hawk Creek near the lower end (Fig. 1). Much of the watershed is excellent farmland with corn, soybeans, and small grains the principal crops. The topography is rolling to nearly level. Soils7 developed from calcareous glacial tilln are in the Clarion-Nicollet-Webster and Barnes-Aastad-Flom associations ( Arneman 1963:5). Undrained and poorly drained depressions were originally occupied by highly productive shallow lakes and marshes. Although the number of these is unknown) it must have been considerable.