
64 
Heavy rains on May 2 and 3 added to previously abundant rainfall 
brought May water levels up to a point which set a new record for the area 
according to some observers. 
Normal precipitation for the period April through July is 7.37 inches 
for the Redvers Area, In 1952 we received 7.18 inches; in 1953, 10,4 inches 
in 1954, 10.5 inches and in 1955 12.1 inches. Although more rain fell during 
the 1955 breeding season most of it came before over the water nesting began 
and came in the form of steady periodic rains rather than as severe storms 
which cause flash floods and quick rising water levels as in 1954, Considerable 
emergent vegetation left over from the 1954 season was flooded during May 1955 
but there was enough left for canvasback as eventual high nesting success for this 
species showed. 
The weather was generally cool and wet throughout the entire four 
month period with a few hot days in July but not hot and dry enough for any length 
of time to cause an appreciable. lowering of water levels. While generally cool 
and wet, temperature extremes were not great and did not affect a normal pro- 
duction of predator food. Very little burning was accomplished by farmers either 
during the wet fall of 1954 or the wet spring of 1955 so that nesting cover was in 
excellent shape especially by June. 
Water Areas 
The number and percent of water areas occurring during the four 
coverages during the four-year period are as follows: 
Table I. - Water Area Data - 1952-1955. 
Number of Areas Containing Water on Each Coverape * 
1952 1953 1954 1955 
Mid- May 306 (100) 306 (100) 232 ( 76) 467 (153) 
First Week in 
June 244 ( 80) 306 (100) 252 ( 82) 467 (153) 
Mid-July 253% ( 83) 276 ( 90) 338 (110) 404 (132) 
Late July-August 181 ( 59) 214 ( 70) 265 ( 87) 208 ( 92) 
* Based on 306 water areas considered to be normal for the area, 
Figures in parenthesis are percentages. 
In addition to much higher water levels in 1955 we find that the number 
of water areas also increased considerably (Table I.) and there were more ponds 
during each one of the censuses than at any similar period during the four-year 
study. 1 
