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2. Managers were urged to census water sites ranging in size from 
one-fourth to 10 acres, In districts where such areas were scarce, 
lakes and flowages were covered. A few rivers and streams were 
censused in the northern part of the State. 
3. Water areas were classified as to size and type of the first 
coverage (Table I). The size of a site is the estimated number 
of censused acres, including the zone of emergent vegetation. 
The water area classification included: 
- Permanent, less than 10 acres in size. 
- Semi-permanent (dependable except in dry years). 
- Temporary (dry by late summer except in wet years). 
- Flowage. 
- Lake (any permanent body of water, not streamlike, which 
is 10 acres or larger in size). 
S - Stream. 
ra p 
4. To follow water conditions experienced during these surveys, the 
water levels found during the production survey were compared with 
the water levels found during the breeding-ground survey using the | 
following terms, 
NC - No change L - Less water 
M_ ~- More water D - Completely dry 
5. Data on waterfowl species were recorded in the usual way. 
Distribution of Water Areas 
Figure 1 shows the State-wide distribution of the 282 water sites censused 
during these surveys. Table I gives the number of different types of water areas 
and the total acres censused. 
Data Collected With a Brief Discussion of Its Meaning 
Weather and Water Conditions 
During the first 3 months of 1953, both the precipitation and the temperature 
were above normal. Spring migrant waterfowl moved into Wisconsin rather early 
and found plenty of temporary feeding and loafing areas. April was wetter and 
colder than normal, causing migrant waterfowl to linger in the State until the last 
5 to 10 days of the month. The mid-summer weather during the last 10 days of 
April allowed farmers to get in the fields. The weather bureau estimated that 
70 percent of the spring grains had been sown by May 1. The same percent was 
estimated to be planted by May 1 in 1952. . 
Waterfowl nesting started about the same time as in 1952, both years being 
considered early. 
