Moore Slough restored near Iowa/Minnesota border

Jackson, Minn. — The Moore Slough Waterfowl Production Area, located north of Spirit Lake, Iowa, and south of Jackson, just across the Iowa state line in southern Minnesota, served as an agricultural field for nearly a century until Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Pheasants Forever partnered to restore the property to a wetland and native prairie.

Historically, the 195-acre tract flooded each spring due to snowmelt and heavy rains. The standing water was pumped into nearby McClelland Slough to ensure the field was dry enough to plant. McClelland Slough transported the water to Spirit Lake, dumping sediment and pollutants, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, into the lake.

“Not only is this project great habitat for waterfowl, wildlife, and upland-dependent species, it’s a huge win for the people who live and recreate downstream,” said DU Regional Biologist Jake Chronister. “Clean, clear water will leave this project and flow directly into Spirit Lake and the entire Okoboji chain.”

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PF purchased the property in 2022 and seeded the uplands surrounding a 76-acre shallow lake to native grasslands. Ducks Unlimited was charged with restoring the wetland, removing nearly three miles of drainage tile, scraping 18,000 cubic yards of eroded sediment from the basin, and building a water-control structure on the outlet of the shallow lake. The structure allows site managers to perform drawdowns, which promote aquatic plant growth and control invasive fish species.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, and the Spirit Lake Protective Association were partners on the $2.6 million restoration of the WPA.

“Once the project was completed and the old pumps were turned off, the basin filled with water, and ducks started using it almost immediately,” Chronister said. “The native prairie provides essential nesting cover for ducks, and the shallow lake will be a stopover point for migratory birds in the fall and spring.

“The people who live here pushed for this restoration for years, and it finally came to fruition.

Spirit Lake is an important natural resource, and the collaborative work that’s been done at Moore Slough will help preserve it,” he said.

The SLPA, which includes people who live and recreate on Spirit Lake, was a strong advocate for the restoration work. The lake is a popular destination for boaters and anglers, all of whom are well-versed in the water-quality benefits of healthy wetlands.

The project reduces the property’s annual phosphorus and nitrogen loading, nutrients that are key players in the formation of toxic algal blooms. These blooms can result in massive fish die-offs and compromise drinking water quality. The conversion from row crops to wetland will also mitigate flooding.

“We have a passion for protecting our waters,” said SLPA President John Smeltzer. “It took a lot of collaboration and patience for this to happen. Moore Slough was a huge investment in what is truly a legacy project.”