Delineation of drained, restorable wetlands in the vicinity of Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

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Over eightyfive percent of historic prairie wetlands in Minnesota have been drained and converted to agriculture. Some of the consequences of this extensive drainage has been reduced water quality, increased flooding, and declining wildlife populations. Drainage of wetlands in the Thief River watershed above Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge has caused extensive sediment accumulation in the lake on the Refuge, altering the plant community and habitat quality and exacerbating downstream flooding with waters historically held on the Refuge during flood events on the Red River of the North and its tributaries. The purpose of this project is to map the drained wetlands around the Refuge so that they may be strategically restored to reduce sediment accumulation and flooding.

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