Wetland restoration along Lick Creek in Green County began this summer. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is repairing levees, removing drainage tiles and installing water control structures all of which will enable efficient water management on over 900 acres of wetlands. Ducks Unlimited designed and engineered the development plans for this project.
“The location of Lick Creek is important because it has the potential to provide essential wintering habitat for black ducks in east Tennessee,” said Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist Tim Willis. “The goal of this project is to provide sanctuary for over 39,000 waterfowl through this restoration project.”
During the past 8 to 10 years, the TWRA acquired approximately 1,600 acres of land in the Lick Creek floodplain. This land was historically farmed and is highly prone to flooding. The TWRA will designate 500 acres of this property as the Lick Creek Waterfowl Refuge. The remainder of the property will be established as the Lick Creek Wildlife Management Area and will include 450 acres of wetlands open to public waterfowl hunting.
“The TWRA seeks to restore wetlands on the acquired property along Lick Creek to create wildlife habitat and filter run-off water from adjacent farms and communities,” said David Sams wildlife manager for TWRA. “Using the restoration plans created by Ducks Unlimited, we will reduce the risk of flooding on adjacent croplands, improve water quality in Lick Creek and the Nolichucky River, and increase habitat available to waterfowl in this region.”
Once restoration is complete, Lick Creek WMA and Waterfowl Refuge will be managed for moist-soil vegetation, seasonally flooded agricultural fields, and forested wetlands.
With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with almost 12 million acres conserved. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands − nature’s most productive ecosystem − and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.