subclasses A-0 and that decreasing priority be given to cover 

 types 2, 3, 1, and 4 in that order. ... In line with broadened 

 Service responsibilities, we believe the wetland program should 

 be directed not just to the production of waterfowl, but also 

 to othermigratory birds, as well as rare and endangered species. 

 In addition, it should consider the wetland needs of migratory 

 birds that breed in the north but require prairie wetlands as 

 important migration habitat. Value to resident species should 

 also be given greater recognition. ... As far as waterfowl 

 are concerned, an increasing effort should be made to preserve 

 important diving duck habitat because of the decreasing popula- 

 tions of canvasbacks, reheads and other species, and the threats 

 to their remaining habitat. . . , Also, the program in the past 

 specifically excluded alkaline areas for the most part. While 

 not of high value to most species of waterfowl for breeding pur- 

 poses, these areas are very important to cranes and many species 

 of shorebirds. ... We believe that the program in the futuf^ 

 should be directed toward the acquisition of key blocks of high 

 value habitat wherever it occurs rather than to just one ownership 

 in any 9-square-mile block as recommended in the original criteria, 

 .. . . We believe further that, as a general rule, purchased 

 areas should contain a minimum of 20 percent and a maximum of 

 about 80 percent wetland acreage." 



Exhibit 1 is the wetlands delfVieation rating system used in 

 Montana. Following is a discussion of the criteria developed 

 and used in that system: 



1 . Vulnerabil ity 



Wetlands in Montana are suffering from various forms of 

 human intrusion, depending on which part of the state the 

 wetlands are located. In Northeast and Northcentral Montana 

 drainage is a major threat. With the increase in the price 

 of wheat many acres of native prairie have "gone to the 

 plow" and if wetlands cr: drainable, they are eliminated. 

 In some areas along the rii-line cattle ranchers have drained 

 small potholes into larger basins and placed dikes across 

 the ends for more permanent watering areas. 



Irrigation by gravity and pumps has been the destruction of 

 wetlands along both sides of the Rocky Mountains. In the 

 Flathead Valley sub-division for housing is severely curtailing 

 waterfowl from using wetlands. In some of the larger wetland 

 basins siltation is occurring and pollution from heavy use 

 of fertilizer in uplands is destroying the waterfowl value 

 of these significant migratory use areas. Destruction of 



