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NORTH DAKOTA 



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^ General description: The state is spattered with a great number of small lakes 



Q and prairie potholes with associated marshlands. Many of these are fresh, some 



X saline. The Turtle Mountains represent a large stagnant ice moraine and present 



an outstanding sample of fresh wetlands. 



Status of the wetlands: Drainage and flood control projects are a major threat to 

 the pothole country (Harmon 1970) and to some of the best marshes adjacent 

 to Rock Lake and Rush Lake. Grazing was repeatedly cited as a disturbance at 

 the margins of the wetlands. 



Sources of data: Personnel of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and 

 university biologists have provided data. 



Recommendations: Some appropriate portion or portions of the Turtle Moun- 

 tains should be given top priority for designation as a landmark. Some of this 

 land is in public and some in private ownership. Outstanding marshes in private 

 ownership are found at Rush Lake, Rock Lake, and Little Gurr Lake. Selection 

 of these as landmarks should be contingent upon guarantees of their safety from 

 drainage or other encroachment. Rush Lake and Rock Lake are already 

 threatened by drainage projects. The Fischer Lakes exhibit outstanding water- 

 fowl habitat and are unique for their wooded shores. Sibley Lake is a fine exam- 

 ple of a somewhat saline lake heavily used by waterfowl migration. The Palermo 

 Saline Wetland, an outstanding example of a strongly saline area, and the Karl- 

 sruhe Bog, a most unusual western outlier of bog habitat in the prairie region, 

 are two areas that should be given high priority for consideration as landmarks 

 because of their special features. 



Literature cited 



Harmon, K. W. 1970. Prairie potholes. Nat. Parks Conserv. Mag. 45(3):25-28. 



