KY 1 . Henderson Sloughs. Acreage: About 5000. j* 



Location: Henderson and Union counties; Smith Mills and Uniontown quadran- 

 gles; about 4 miles W of Smith Mills and 4 miles NE of Uniontown; reached via £s 

 Rt. 268 and 136. % 



< 

 Description: Area lies in a triangular bend of the Ohio River between the two 

 above mentioned towns and Mt. Vernon, Indiana. It is typical river-bottom 

 hardwood habitat, with oak-hickory, cottonwood, pecan, water-maple timber 

 types and undulating terrain, with sloughs between low ridges subject to annual 

 overflow. Deer and swamp-rabbit are present; formerly populated with wild tur- 

 key, which might be restocked, if sufficient acreage were protected. These wet- 

 lands are extremely valuable to waterfowl, primarily ducks, in pin-oak flats, and 

 geese, in flooded cornfields. It is an important late winter, prebreeding season 

 conditioning area. Regular census over the past 15 years shows counts of up to 

 250,000 ducks and perhaps even more geese during early spring build-up. Fox 

 and gray squirrel are abundant. Raccoon and furbearers are common to abun- 

 dant. 



Encroachments: Public-funded agricultural practices and subsidies promote 

 drainage and clearing, converting $20 swamp land into $400 farm land. Sloppy 

 oil operations (spills and overflow of crude and salt water) cause chemical and 

 mechanical damages to the area and wildlife. Also, wasteful timber harvest prac- 

 tices persist. 



Ownership: Various private owners (names furnished if needed). Some slough 

 lands are being purchased in addition to the 900 acres currently owned by the 

 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

 is acquiring title to some in Uniontown. 



Data source: Dan M. Russell, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, 707 

 Josephine Ave., Bowling Green, Ky. 42101. 



Other knowledgeable persons: Mr. Lee K. Nelson, Rt. 3, Owensboro, Ky. 

 42301. 



Map on following page 



