REEDSVILLE, Wis. (WBAY) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources opened the gates of the Mud Creek dam and drained the Collins Marsh Wildlife Area outside Reedsville.
The agency says it varies the water levels to mimic natural changes in marshes, and drawing down the Collins Marsh for the summer will mimic a periodic dry spell.
It will affect bird hunting in the fall, but the DNR says there are many benefits to the drawdown.
Seeds in the muck at the bottom of the marsh will germinate in sunlight, providing a valuable food source for birds, including herons, terns, osprey. Mallards and blue-winged teal will benefit from the nesting cover of upland prairie grass…