DuckSouth.com

The duck community and the oil industry are kicking around some ideas to help minimize the damage that is expected to occur during fall migration.

I was asked by a biologist today if I thought private landowners would pump water to give shorebirds a delta stopover this fall so they aren't so dependant on coastal wetlands. I was asked how much incentive I thought it'd take to get landowners to create shorebird and diver habitat this fall and winter in the Delta.

I would already have some teal holes pumped so it isn't gonna be such a strain on me. I wonder if other folks would water some low spots and pump a few holes deeper for scaup and cans this year if they were given funds to do it?

Something to think about.

I will tell you in my experiences and people I know that farm, they like money. I don't think you would get many results from just askin "Money talks, $#!+ walks". The main problem would be would they have there crops out in time. But I think it would for sure be worth pursuing and see what could be done.

I've been wondering the same thing myself. Glad to think someone is thinking ahead. Good idea!

I don't think many, if any, ag fields would be ready by the time the shorebirds move back through in September, but abandoned fishponds would.

Paying people to pump up abandoned fish ponds could only benefit everyone. There is a lot of rice planted this year and pumping those ponds could only help the overall duck situaltion. Great idea Wingman!!

This is certainly a good idea. The problem is getting the farmers to agree. I could see a few guys that would not mind helping out but you"d have a lot that would have the "whats in it for me" mentality. Im behind you Wingman..

Deltacottonboy12 wrote:This is certainly a good idea. The problem is getting the farmers to agree. I could see a few guys that would not mind helping out but you"d have a lot that would have the "whats in it for me" mentality. Im behind you Wingman..

Did you read the part about being paid to pump? That's what's being discussed, not doing it for kicks and giggles.

And its not my idea. I was just asked if I thought folks would do it.

Well we need to strike now while the iron is hot. This would really make a difference this year on the bird population. If we had more places to winter them, then maybe we could hold them longer and have a better season overall. who knows, this disaster could really change some migration patterns that could push more birds in on us or more away from us.

so you guys are gonna short stop from us now?

kris Schaumburg wrote:so you guys are gonna short stop from us now?

You do realize it's not out of a desire to short stop them from you, but to try and save them from dying due to the oil right?

Wingman wrote: Did you read the part about being paid to pump? That's what's being discussed, not doing it for kicks and giggles.

And its not my idea. I was just asked if I thought folks would do it.

I know we used to cost-share $6/acre on some contracts for winter water management, and most of the farmers told me that was nowhere near enough to justify it. According to the University of Arkansas Extension Service website, the average cost/acre to flood irrigate rice is +/- $25. I would guess you'd have to get somewhere in the $10-$15/acre range for a farmer to consider it. However, I'm just going by what I've read and heard. SWAG would probably know better than I with his experience.

I'll pump my front yard for the right price.

JaMak84 wrote:

kris Schaumburg wrote:so you guys are gonna short stop from us now?

You do realize it's not out of a desire to short stop them from you, but to try and save them from dying due to the oil right?

Johnny was kidding Im sure.

The costs won't be a one time pumping. Evaporation in August and September would require multiple pumpings to keep a field at 6" or less for maximum use of the various species.

Wingman wrote:
Johnny was kidding Im sure.

My bad. Without the little smiley its sometimes difficult to separate the jokers from the real conspiracy theorists.

Sorry, I meant Kris, not johnny.