Missouri River Valley Wetlands - Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

This funding will directly support the Missouri River Valley NAWCA grant by Ducks Unlimited to install additional water conveyance systems, such as pumps and wells, as well as complete habitat enhancement projects at the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge located in Holt County, near the town of Mound City, Missouri. These pumps and wells will be strategically located around the refuge to maximize water availability to managed wetlands during critical times of the year. In addition to the wells above, the NAWCA project will address other habitat work to remove interior levees of 8 smaller moist soil units into 3 larger moist soil units and install a levee in Eagle Pool to increase wetland acres with the ability to control water levels through a larger water control structure. This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to Ducks Unlimited without competition under justification 505 DM 2.14B.(4). Competition for the award is not practical as Ducks Unlimited has already been substantially involved in the project and this award will be provided to supplement the existing NAWCA grant as described above through a cooperative agreement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will be substantially involved in this project by: 1) Provide ingress and egress to the Project Site during and following project construction; 2) Provide routine inspection, operation, rehabilitation, and maintenance as necessary to maintain the continuing viability of the project; 3) Manage the Project Site to provide habitat that is beneficial to breeding, migrating, and wintering waterfowl in compliance with the Project Proposal dated 31 December 2018, submitted to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council Coordinator; and 4) Review the Project Site development plans and specifications, suggest additions or deletions as necessary, and subsequently, approve said documents; and 5) Perform any and all operation and maintenance responsibilities on the Project Site for a period of 25 years. Substantial involvement on the part of the Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the activities to be funded.