Freezeout Lake showing drainage ditch constructed in this largest waterfowl habitat development 

 project yet undertaken by the Fish and Game Department. 



The development of the combination waterfowl management and 

 public hunting area at Freezeout Lake, includes five major steps. 



1. Acquisition or control of lands necessary to the project. 



2. Assurance of an adequate source of water. 



3. Construction of the outlet channel. 



4. Dike and pond construction for marsh development. 



5. Management of the land, water, vegetation, waterfowl and public 

 hunting. 



1. Acquisition 



The Montana Fish and Game Department acquired control of lands 

 essential to the project prior to development. About two-thirds of 

 the area were public lands set aside for sump use. These lands were 

 placed under State administration by agreement with the Greenfields 

 Irrigation District and the Bureau of Reclamation. Most of the re- 

 maining lands were purchased by the Fish and Game Department. 

 This included waste land, grazing land and some crop land. 



2. Source of Water 



The major source of water for the diked impoundment at Freezeout 

 Lake will be waste water and drainage water from the Greenfields 

 Irrigation Project. This is supplemented by a considerable flow of 

 natural runoff water which enters the lake from the surrounding heavy 

 soil basin. 



These waters, under management, will now be put to beneficial 

 use where previously they were causing material damage. 



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