Table 5. Marsh habitat conditions at Little Pecan Wildlife Management Area from 1975 to 1987. 



Year Spring Summer 



Fall 



Winter 



Waterfowl habitat 



1975-76 Wet Wet 



1976-77 Dry Dry 



1977-78 Wet Wet 



1978-79 Dry Wet 



1979-80 Wet Wet 



1980-81 Flood Flood 



1981-82 Dry Wet 



1982-83 Wet Wet 



1983-84 Flood Wet 



1984-85 Dry Wet 



1985-86 Dry Dry 



1986-87 Dry 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Wet 



Semi-wet Semi-wet 



Wet 



Wet 



POOR-Marsh inundated with water 

 hyacinths. 



IMPROVED- Water hyacinths 

 controlled, abundant annual 

 vegetation. 



GOOD-Residual annuals. 

 Abundant aquatic vegetation. 



EXCELLENT-Reflooded by July 1. 

 Abundant annuals and aquatics. 



EXCELLENT-Avg. water level 

 +2.0 MSL. 



GOOD-Food, cover, and water for 

 wintering waterfowl. 



FAIR-Used saltwater during 

 summer to control water hyacinths. 



Wet 



Drawdowns improved long term habitat conditions and increased hunter success by replenishing 

 the seed bank, setting back vegetative succession, and promoting the growth of high quality aquatic 

 vegetation during subsequent non-drawdown years. 



Fur Harvest 



Fur trapping was conducted on LPWMA from the 1975-76 fur trapping season through the 1986- 

 87 season except during the 1982-83 season (Table 6). The decision not to trap that year was 

 based on a poor fur price and low furbearer population estimates. It was hoped that the 

 population would expand to a more harvestable level the following year. 



According to Chabreck and Linscombe (1978), semi-impoundments 1,2,7, and 8 were brackish; 

 5 and 6 were brackish-intermediate; 3 and 4 were intermediate-fresh, and 9 was fresh. Since 



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