Operate and maintain two wetland enhancement projects on the Desert Wildlife Area that have been funded, in part, by the BPA.  This contract will provide funding to operate and maintain the enhanced wetlands for one year to insure that they remain functional.  

TD-1:  The initial enhancement project is near completion.  When operated in the fall, 7 wetland basins are filled by diverting surface water from the Frenchman Hills wasteway into wetland basins. Frenchman Hills wasteway is considered a flow-through system that diverts irrigation water return flow from the wasteway into the project, with return flows back to the wasteway downstream of the inlet structure.  Current enhancements at the TD-1 Project included: installation of 9 water control structures, construction of ditches and dikes for water management, sculpting wetland basins to optimal depth for wetland obligate birds,  armoring 400 ft of dikes to protect against beaver and burrowing mammals, seeding disturbed soil resulting from construction activities, and tilling wetland cells to promote desirable moist soil vegetation.  

An enhancement and expansion project at TD-1 is scheduled to occur in 2017.  The new project includes enhancements to the existing project and an expansion that would create an additional 21 acres of wetlands.  Dedicated funds will be used for the development phase, BPA TD-1 project funds will be used for the regular ongoing operation and maintenance activities as described below.    

TD-1:  Regular annual operation and maintenance includes: coordination with BOR and Quincy Irrigation District, inspecting/repairing enhancements, establishing desirable vegetation through varied methods, controlling undesirable vegetation and noxious weeds, operating water control structures, inspecting and maintaining dike and water control structure integrity and function,  producing required BPA reports, and administering the contract.  

TD-2:  The Winchester Wasteway Project basins historically had a high enough water table that many would develop into shallow ponds annually in the late summer/fall as the wasteway elevation was higher due to lessening agricultural use, with a 3 week peak wasteway flow at the end of the irrigation season when the canals and laterals are being dewatered.  The Winchester project has an off channel inlet structure that feeds a single delivery ditch, which has a number of control structures that feed the basins.  Over the last three years, shifts in the wasteway channel and new deep well irrigation adjacent to the project have combined to significantly affect our ability to seasonally divert water as well as impacting the water table (we believe).  It is not a flow through system, passive screens were installed at the inlet.  Carp are by far the most prolific fish in the wasteway. The enhancement project included: enhancement of 19 late-succession stage wetlands by excavation of organic material, construction of dikes to isolate enhanced wetlands from the Winchester Wasteway, allowing for control of unwanted fish populations in the project wetlands, armoring over 1,200 feet of isolation dikes to protect against beaver damage and burrowing mammals, and seeding disturbed soils resulting from construction activities.

TD-2:  Regular annual operation and maintenance includes: inspecting and repairing enhancements, controlling undesirable vegetation and noxious weeds,  producing required BPA reports, and administering the contract.
Management of all project ponds will attempt to maximize habitat quality for waterfowl, shore birds, and other wetland obligate wildlife species.